Yoga And Meditation For Mental Health: Benefits Of Yoga For Depression

Which yoga is useful for depression?

Many different forms of yoga have shown the potential to help with depression in experimental trials, including: 

• Hatha yoga, the most well-known type in many Western countries, is a physical practice that involves guided sequences of certain poses (also known as yoga asanas) and is often performed on a yoga mat with an emphasis on keeping the spine straight and learning to breathe deeply throughout each movement. One of the most recognizable yoga poses in Hatha is the downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), where the body forms an inverted V shape with the palms facing downward.
• Pranayama, a type of yoga focused on breathing techniques that encourages individuals to breathe deeply and connect with their inner calm.
• Iyengar, a style emphasizing precise body alignment when performing asanas, often involving props such as blocks or belts.
• Anusara, a yoga practice involving spiritual meditations in addition to physical postures and movements.
• Kirtan kriya, which uses chanting and finger movements as a form of seated meditation pose.
• Prenatal or antenatal yoga, which uses postures designed specifically for pregnant people and may assist with prenatal and postnatal depression.
• Viniyoga, in which each participant engages in a personalized course of practice under the guidance of a yoga instructor.

Many yoga-based interventions combine more than one of these techniques. Combinations of hatha (yoga poses) and pranayama (breathing practices) are common. Some instructors may also incorporate other forms of mind-body exercise, such as T’ai Chi. Combining yoga with mindfulness meditation, which has been found to have positive effects on depression when practiced on its own, may also enhance its effectiveness.

Can yoga relieve symptoms of depression?

Current evidence indicates that the healing power of regular meditation practice and yoga can help reduce depressive symptoms and other mental disorders in many cases. In some controlled trials of interventions for major depressive disorder, yoga has demonstrated effect sizes similar to antidepressant medications and aerobic exercise. More in-depth research, such as a meta-analysis, may be needed to confirm its effectiveness relative to other forms of treatment.

Is yoga good for stress and depression?

Practicing yoga may be a helpful way to alleviate stress and support managing depression. A 2015 systematic review of existing evidence highlighted yoga’s benefits, showing that it appears to decrease both self-reported perceptions and physiological measurements of stress, including:

• Blood pressure
• Heart rate
• Cortisol levels
• Expression of inflammatory cytokines

Yoga also appeared effective for improving mood and reducing depressive symptoms. It promotes the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain, helps regulate emotions, and increases blood flow.

Other researchers who have investigated these effects have offered tentative support for these findings but noted that higher-quality studies may still be needed to rule out bias effects. Still, there’s a good deal of evidence suggesting that those who find yoga relaxing and satisfying may benefit substantially from regular practice.

How does yoga exercise help to decreasing anxiety and depression?

Researchers are still working to uncover the precise mechanisms by which yoga can help with psychological disorders. However, current theories and evidence suggest that the practice can improve the control functions and balance of the nervous system, promote relaxation, regulate emotions, and improve physical health. All of these factors may contribute to better outcomes in people with anxiety and depression.

Improving brain function and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety

Holding and transitioning between yoga asanas like the famous downward-facing dog pose requires a combination of mental focus, physical effort, balance, rest, and controlled breathing techniques. Over time, this practice has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain while decreasing blood pressure, relieve muscle tension, and reduce body mass index (BMI). These factors may improve brain function and decrease depression and anxiety.

Increasing GABA levels to inhibit stress, worry, and fear

Other studies have found that depression yoga may activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls mental and physical relaxation, leading to elevated levels of a hormone called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is known to inhibit stress, worry, and fear, and it’s often reduced in people with depression and anxiety disorders. Increasing GABA levels may be partly responsible for yoga’s beneficial effects.

Why is yoga good for mental health?

In addition to the positive mental and physical health effects discussed above, yoga practice may also lead to beneficial structural changes in the brain. Practicing yoga in a yoga studio or other safe space, whether at home or in a supportive group setting, may enhance its calming effects and promote rest. Many brain regions appear to be expanded and strengthened through long-term practice of mind-body exercises, including yoga. These include:

• The prefrontal cortex, which is involved in high-level cognition, including behavior control, planning, and mental clarity.
• The hippocampus and medial temporal lobe, which have important functions related to learning, memory, and emotional processing
• The lateral temporal lobe, which may be important for motivation and goal orientation
• The insula and cingulate cortex, which are thought to govern attention, self-awareness, and the processing of both emotional experiences and pain

By growing these crucial brain regions and supporting healthy blood flow, yoga could have lasting positive effects on mood, behavior, and mental health. 

How can yoga help with the overall quality of life and depression?

Yoga may enhance quality of life in a variety of ways. It appears to help boost relaxation, get the blood pumping, release tension in muscles, relieve pain, and improve upper body fitness and overall physical health. Keeping up a sustained practice can also be an opportunity to cultivate discipline, mental clarity, and focus, and seeing your improvement throughout your yoga journey may provide an important sense of personal satisfaction. Group yoga practice might also help to expand your social circle, which can be an important factor in overcoming depression.

Yoga for chronic conditions

Clinical studies have found that yoga can be used as a complementary treatment option to improve quality of life in older adults as well as people with a wide variety of chronic conditions like:

• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Rheumatic disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Inflammatory bowel disease

Why does yoga reduce mental tension?

Engaging in yoga practice may decrease mental tension and stress in several interrelated ways. Researchers investigating the positive effects of yoga noted four mechanisms that were highly correlated with stress reduction in practitioners:

• Positive affect — yoga may improve overall mood, decreasing negative reactions to life stress and fostering a greater sense of peace.
• Self-compassion — yoga practice often involves an emphasis on acceptance of your own limitations, which may help decrease the tendency to blame and judge yourself for mistakes.
• Inhibition of emotional reactivity — yoga may dampen activity in areas of the brain associated with stress.
• Decreased cortisol — practitioners of yoga may have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, decreasing the strength of the body’s stress responses.
• Cultivating awareness — regular yoga practice may encourage mindful attention to the body, breath, and present moment, which may help people become more aware of their thoughts and energy throughout the day.

Which yoga reduces mental stress?

Many forms of yoga have shown stress-relieving effects in scientific trials. This includes simple pose and asana practice as well as more complex practices involving meditations and breathing exercises. Even simply sitting on a yoga mat, closing your eyes, and taking deep breaths while paying attention to your bodily sensations may have positive effects. Commitment and consistency in practicing yoga may be more important than the specific type you choose.

How can I cure my anxiety with yoga?

Yoga may help relieve anxiety through its beneficial effects on brain structure, nervous system control, and stress hormone levels. Many forms of yoga may also stimulate and strengthen the functioning of the vagus nerve, which helps to activate calming responses in times of stress.

Yoga’s emphasis on cultivating a sense of relaxed awareness and focus may also improve anxiety symptoms over time. This attitude of calm attentiveness could help counteract the racing thoughts and tense hyperalertness that often characterize prolonged anxiety.

Is yoga or exercise better for depression?

Both yoga and aerobic exercise may have helpful effects on depression. A 2019 research review concluded that exercise may be more beneficial than yoga for major depressive disorder when the two therapies are used on their own. However, it’s often possible to adopt a treatment plan that combines aerobic exercise and yoga poses, which may lead to greater levels of improvement than either practice would on its own.

In addition, yoga may be an attractive option for people with physical limitations that make sustained aerobic exercise difficult. For example, the slower, gentler movements involved in yoga poses, such as resting in corpse pose, relaxing in child’s pose, or a gentle bend forward, might be easier for older adults.