Research Round-Up - Time to Heat Up Your Yoga Practice? Research Shows Benefits for Depression

Yoga has long been celebrated for its mood-boosting benefits, but recent scientific research is now uncovering its potential as a powerful tool for managing depression - especially when practiced in heated environments.

In today’s Research Round-Up, which focuses on a recent study exploring the efficacy of hot yoga for moderate-to-severe depression, I delve into the study's findings and the potential impacts of hot yoga on our wellbeing.

This study is one of the first to rigorously assess the impact of heated yoga on individuals with moderate-to-severe depression.

Study Title: Heated Yoga for Moderate-to-Severe Depression: An 8-Week Randomised Controlled Trial

Published: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, October 2023

In the 8-week randomised controlled trial, starting with 80 participants, researchers sought to evaluate the impact of heated yoga on depressive symptoms compared to a waitlist control group. Sixty five participants were ultimately included in the analysis. The focus was on the physiological and psychological effects of heated yoga. Participants practiced 90-minute Bikram yoga sessions in a room heated to 105°F.

By analysing changes in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS-CR) scores, the researchers were able to analyse the potential therapeutic benefits of heated yoga for depression. 

Key Findings:

The authors reported a significant reduction in depressive Symptoms with the following key findings:

• Clinically Meaningful Improvement: Participants in the heated yoga group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in depression compared to the waitlist control group.
• High Response Rate: 59.3% of yoga participants experienced a 50% or greater decrease in depressive symptoms.
• Remission Achieved: Almost 44% of yoga participants achieved remission, compared to 6.3% in the waitlist group.
• Benefits with Reduced Attendance: Even with just one class per week, participants showed meaningful improvements.
• Positive Participant Feedback: Participants consistently rated the heated yoga sessions and their aftereffects positively in exit interviews, indicating high acceptability.
• No Serious Adverse Effects: The intervention was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse effects reported.

Limitations of the Study:

While the findings are promising, it is important to note that the researchers emphasise the need for further investigation. Specifically, they highlight the importance of comparing heated yoga to non-heated yoga to isolate the effects of heat. Additionally, future studies could help understand the underlying mechanisms by which heated yoga alleviates depressive symptoms. 

The researchers also noted that future work should include active control groups, instead of just waitlist control groups.

Summary

The current evidence provides a compelling foundation for considering heated yoga as a potential complementary treatment for depression.

In relation to the study, lead author Maren Nyer, director of Yoga Studies at the Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital said, "Yoga and heat-based interventions could potentially change the course for treatment for patients with depression by providing a non-medication-based approach with additional physical benefits as a bonus," 

For individuals, it is clear the therapeutic potential of heated yoga for can be harnessed for improved mental wellbeing.

What This Means for Your Yoga Practice:

• Embrace Hot Yoga: The study suggests it's time to consider adding hot yoga to your routine given the clear potential benefits to your mental wellbeing.  
• Focus on Consistency: The study suggests that even one heated yoga session per week can yield significant benefits. Consistency is key.
• Mindful Practice: Pay attention to your body's response to the heat and adjust your practice accordingly. Seek out qualified instructors for a safe and supportive environment.

Too good to be true? Read the results for yourself: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37883245/

Happy heated yoga health! 🔥😊

 

This article was written by Victoria Siddoway of uUniverse whose passion is to promote the wide-ranging benefits of yoga and encourage more people to unroll the mat to the best version of themselves. Researched with the help of AI. Picture credit: Mohamed Hassan on Pixabay.