Yoga for Anxiety, Stress and Depression

Several studies suggest that yoga is beneficial for anxiety disorders, stress and depression. Read more.

Before engaging in any complementary medical technique, you should be aware that many of these techniques have not been evaluated in scientific studies. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about whether practitioners are required to be professionally licensed. If you plan to visit a practitioner, it is recommended that you choose one who is licensed by a recognized national organization and who abides by the organization's standards. It is always best to speak with your primary health care provider before starting any new therapeutic technique.

• Background

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• Theory
• Evidence
• Unproven Uses
• Potential Dangers
• Summary
• Resources

Background

Yoga is an ancient system of relaxation, exercise and healing with origins in Indian philosophy. Yoga has been described as "the union of mind, body, and spirit," which addresses physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions toward an overall harmonious state of being. The philosophy of yoga is sometimes pictured as a tree with eight branches:

• Pranayama (breathing exercises)
• Asana (physical postures)
• Yama (moral behavior)
• Niyama (healthy habit)
• Dharana (concentration)
• Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)
• Dhyana (contemplation)
• Samadhi (higher consciousness)

There are several types of yoga, including hatha yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga and raja yoga. These types vary in the proportions of the eight branches. In the United States and Europe, hatha yoga is commonly practiced, including pranayama and asana.

Yoga is often practiced by healthy individuals with the aim to achieve relaxation, fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Yoga may be practiced alone, or with a group. Yoga classes and video tapes are available. There are no official or well-accepted licensing requirements for yoga practitioners.

Theory

It has been hypothesized that yoga may benefit health through mind-body interactions. In yoga, poses are held for varying lengths of time using gravity, leverage and tension. Breathing techniques are also used. Rapid breathing (kapalabhati) and slow breathing (nadi suddhi) may be practiced along with stretching exercises.

Yoga has been shown to reduce heart rate and blood pressure, increase lung capacity, increase the amount of time you can hold your breath, improve muscle relaxation and body composition, cause weight loss and increase overall physical endurance. Yoga may affect levels of brain or blood chemicals, including monoamines, melatonin, dopamine, stress hormones (cortisol) and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). Changes in mental functions such as attention, cognition, processing of sensory information and visual perception have been described in some research studies in humans. Suggested mechanisms of action include increased parasympathetic drive, calming of stress responses, release of hormones, and brain (thalamic) activity.

Evidence

Scientists have studied yoga for the following health problems:

Anxiety and stress (in healthy individuals): Several studies report that yoga may reduce anxiety and stress and improve mood in healthy people who practice yoga several times per week for 30 to 60 minutes. However, most studies have not been well designed, and different yoga techniques have been used.

Anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia : Several studies in humans report benefits of yoga in the treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. Kundalini meditation and relaxation have been used for anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Further well-designed studies are needed before a firm conclusion can be drawn.

Asthma: Multiple studies in humans suggest benefits of yoga (such as breathing exercises) when used in addition to other therapies for mild-to-moderate asthma (such as prescription drugs, diet or massage). Some research demonstrates improved lung function, overall fitness and airway sensitivity and reduced need for asthma drugs, but there is also research showing no significant changes. Many of these studies are poorly designed, and because of conflicting evidence, better research is needed before a strong recommendation can be made.

High blood pressure (hypertension): Several studies in humans report benefits of yoga in the treatment of high blood pressure. However, many of these studies are not well designed. It is not clear if yoga is better than other forms of exercise for blood pressure control. Additional research is needed. Yoga practitioners sometimes recommend that patients with high blood pressure avoid certain positions, such as headstands or shoulder stands (inverted asanas), which may temporarily increase blood pressure.