People with depression who practice yoga regularly and learn to breathe consciously are more likely to relieve symptoms and overcome their disease. Such conclusions were reached by researchers from the University of Boston.
According to specialists, it is enough to attend twice a week – and exercise as much at home – to feel the improvement. If the test results are confirmed, it will mean that practicing yoga may be an alternative or complementary to pharmacological therapy.
Before the study began, people diagnosed with depressive disorders were divided into two groups. For 12 weeks, both groups participated in the so-called Iyengar yoga – a popular type of yoga where the emphasis is on precise body posture and breathing control.
One of the groups held classes twice a week, the other – three times. In addition, all study participants were encouraged to exercise at home.
After the end of the study, those members of the group who participated in the vigorous exercise program three times a week experienced a significant improvement in their depressive symptoms.
However, as the researchers from Boston point out, a noticeable improvement in the mental state was also observed in the second group. The results of people in this group were good enough that researchers recommend attending yoga classes twice a week as a less strenuous – and still effective – way to relieve depressive symptoms. This study supports the theory of the effectiveness of yoga and conscious breathing in helping people with depressive disorders, explains Chris Streeter, one of the study authors and psychiatrist at Boston University.
He adds that this applies to both patients who are not taking antidepressants – and those who have not been able to satisfactorily improve their condition during drug therapy. While most pharmacological treatments for depression target neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, this method affects the parasympathetic system and GABA receptors, enabling a new treatment modality, concludes Streeter.