Yoga and deep (yogic) breathing may be the perfect Rx for major depression disorder (MDD), according to a new study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Perhaps the best part: You don't need to become a yogi to reap the mental health benefits.
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that people with MDD who participate in just two, 90-minute yoga classes per week (plus at-home practice) showed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms. And adding an additional class didn’t make a substantial difference. Many types of yoga likely fit the bill, but study participants took Iyengar yoga, a technique emphasizing various postures and yogic breathing exercises.
“While most pharmacologic treatment for depression target monoamine systems, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, this intervention targets the parasympathetic and gamma aminobutyric acid system and provides a new avenue for treatment,” explained corresponding author Chris Streeter, MD, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and a psychiatrist at Boston Medical Center.
Yoga for Addiction Recovery
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction and depression, yoga is an excellent complement to traditional treatment. And it can be performed by all ages at all exercise levels. Some of the many benefits include:
- You’ll find inner peace by aligning the mind, body and spirit
- You’ll reduce stress and anxiety in a healthy way
- You’ll redirect harmful and negative thoughts
- You’ll identify and release cravings
- You’ll clear mental fog, especially common in early recovery
- You’ll experience a sense of community
Finding Inner and Outer Peace
At Complete Harmony, our yoga practitioners enhance addiction recovery by guiding clients in this ancient healing art. Yoga, along with other alternative treatment methods, is also used to ease the symptoms of a dual diagnosis like depression and addiction. To learn more about our program, call 866-930-4673.
