New Study Finds Yoga Can Improve Anxiety & Depression
New Study Finds Yoga Can Improve Anxiety & Depression
Whether you need to sweat out your stress in a hot yoga class or quiet your mind with a restorative flow, it's no secret that yoga has therapeutic qualities. While your overall sense of calm post-yoga might be proof enough, researchers actually found a link between yoga and mental health.
A study conducted by Boston University School of Medicine found that Iyengar yoga and controlled breathing practices can improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. The slow, methodical movements common in Iyengar yoga might be more beneficial than other more fast-paced styles.
What did the researchers find?
The study included 32 participants between the ages of 18 and 65 who were previously diagnosed with major depressive disorder. The participants were divided into either a high-dose group (HDG) or a low-dose group (LDG). The different groups signified the hours spent practicing yoga and breathing techniques (78 hours for HDG and 60 hours for the LDG, over the course of three months).
Within one month, both groups experienced better quality of sleep, leaving them less physically exhausted later on. Evaluations also revealed patients felt calmer and more positive overall.
The improvements were evident in both the short term, with each practice, and the long term, at the end of the three-month study.
