Depression is a condition with great impact on the quality of life and productivity. Yoga can be used as an adjunct therapy to relieve symptoms of depression.
Yoga for reducing depression
written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Director SIAHMSR
Depression an overview
Depression is a mental health issue which can affect your mood, daily activities and ability to work. According to WHO [world health organization] prevalence of depression among elderly comes around 10-20 %. All over the world around 350 million people suffer from depression and this huge account of the disease burden elucidate the role of yoga as an adjunct therapy to boost mental health.
Symptoms of depression
Depressive patients may experience great sadness, anxiety, loss of appetite. They may lose interest in pleasurable activities.
Major depression is associated with apathy or indifference. The affected person may be silent, non-communicative and sit with emotionless face. Some cases of depression are associated with tendency for committing suicide. Therefore, depression affects the family and the domestic environment also. Timely recognition and appropriate management are crucial for depressive people in order to save their lives and productivity.
Depression has both genetic factors as well as environmental triggers as causative factors in the background. There are different types of depressive disorders
- Bipolar depression
- Dysthymia
- Seasonal affective disorders
Neurological link of depression
It is a psychiatric condition associated with deficiency of certain neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers secreted by some neurons. In patients having depression or low mood, neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, nor adrenaline and gamma amino butyric acid [GABA] are very low.
Yoga in mental health
Yoga is a complementary system of medicine incorporating some effective breathing techniques and body postures which is relentlessly researched by scholars around the globe. Yoga breathing and its efficacy is the main topic of study by the clinical researchers in complex disease management.
Yoga in stress management
Yoga has a pivotal role in reducing the impact of stress when medications alone feel insufficient. Yoga breathing techniques work like an adjuvant therapy in de-stressing.
Research studies on yoga and breathing points out the efficacy in changing the vagal tone. Breathing can affect our parasympathetic nervous system positively.
Yoga helps to improve physical and mental well-being. It aids in several functions of human body:
- to improve flexibility
- loosens muscles
- reduces pains
- generates balanced energy
- reduces heart rates to optimum
- reduces breath rates to normal.
- Lowers blood pressure
- Reduces cortisol, the stress hormone in blood.
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Increases blood flow.
Research data on efficacy of yoga in depression
According to NIH data of a research study 2010 [ Mehta and Sharma published a systematic review of literature] on yoga and depression found to be beneficial as a complementary therapy for depression and depressive symptoms [1]
A systematic review of studies conducted after2011 points out that that brief yoga treatment or therapy can be effective in reducing depressive symptoms.
Another study in pregnant women shows that yoga helps in reducing depressive symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum [ after childbirth].
These studies support the effect of yoga in depression; however more extensive large-scale studies are recommended.
Studies using MRI scans and other brain imaging technology have shown that people who regularly did yoga had a thicker cerebral cortex and hippocampus (the area of the brain involved in learning and memory) compared with non-yoga doing people.
Yoga is a form of physical activity which can promote endorphins which brings positive mood. Furthermore, yoga practice helps to increase the level of neurotransmitter chemical GABA [ gamma aminobutyric acid] which helps to reduce stress &anxiety.
Meditation is an integral part of yoga and it has vital role in our emotion related centre of brain-the limbic system. Meditation helps to reduce activity in the limbic system and thus help one to cope with stressful circumstances.
A few Yoga poses for reducing depression &build positivity
• Anuloma viloma pranayama
• Bhramari pranayama
• Savasana [corpse pose]
• Halasana [Plough pose]
• Setubandhasana [ Bridge pose]
• Sarvangasana [shoulder stand]
• Bhujangasana [cobra pose]
• vrikshasana [ Tree pose]
How does yoga help to boost mental health?
It can reduce depressive symptoms by
• lowering stress.
• reducing inflammation,
• maintaining autonomic balance
• maintaining the neurotransmitter levels.
• supporting hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, the peripheral nervous system including GABA [gamma-aminobutyric acid].
• Helping limbic system activity.
In SIAHMSR Wellness, we under the aegis of our chief consultant dr Sanjana V.B recommend yoga as an adjuvant therapy along with proper integrative medicine care in managing stress as well as depression.
Yoga has been an emerging system of complementary medicine since a few decades with ample evidence to prove its efficacy in stress management as well as depression. It never replaces emergency psychiatry care in major depression. However, as an adjuvant therapy it helps to build positive outlook, confidence and well-being in chronic management of depression as it has positive impact on our brain and neurotransmitters.
Written by Dr.Sanjana V.B
SIAHMSR
References
1. Mehta P, Sharma M. Yoga and complementary therapy for clinical depression. Complement Health Pract Rev. 2010;15:156–170. [Google Scholar]
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871291/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871291/
4. https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/yoga-poses/yoga-poses-for-depression
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0975947623000839