New Study Finds Heated Yoga Can Reduce Depressive Symptoms
In a groundbreaking clinical trial conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, researchers have discovered that heated yoga can have a significant impact on reducing depressive symptoms in adults with moderate-to-severe depression. The findings offer hope for those seeking non-medication based treatment options for depression.
The study, which included 80 participants, randomly divided them into two groups. One group received 90-minute sessions of Bikram yoga practiced in a room heated to 105°F, while the other group was placed on a waitlist. Over the course of eight weeks, participants in the yoga group attended an average of 10.3 classes.
After the eight-week period, the yoga group experienced a remarkable reduction in depressive symptoms compared to the waitlist group. The improvement was measured using the clinician-rated Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS-CR) scale. Even participants who only attended half of the prescribed yoga sessions still experienced a decrease in symptoms, suggesting that even weekly heated yoga sessions could provide benefits.
The results of the trial were astounding. 59.3 percent of participants in the yoga group reported a 50 percent or greater decrease in symptoms, compared to only 6.3 percent in the waitlist group. Additionally, 44 percent of the yoga group achieved such low IDS-CR scores that their depression was considered to be in remission, while only 6.3 percent of the waitlist group experienced the same.
Interestingly, participants rated the heated yoga sessions positively, and no serious adverse effects were reported. This suggests that not only does heated yoga show promise as a treatment for depression, but it also offers additional physical benefits.
The study’s lead investigator emphasized that more research is needed to compare heated yoga to non-heated yoga in treating depression, as well as to understand the specific contributions of heat and yoga to the observed clinical effects. However, these initial findings offer hope for those looking for alternative treatment options for depression.
The study was supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, which highlights the growing recognition of non-medication based therapies for mental health conditions. As our understanding of depression and its treatments continues to evolve, heated yoga may prove to be a valuable addition to the range of available options for individuals struggling with depressive symptoms.
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