A series of American studies found weekly yoga sessions can help relieve symptoms of depression.
Scientists believe the combination of exercise and meditation in yoga helps reduce stress, anxiety, low mood and improve self-confidence.
People could also feel less stigmatized about taking part in trendy yoga classes – such as those embraced by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson – rather than admitting they were seeking treatment for depression.
Dr Lindsey Hopkins, of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, said: ‘Yoga has become increasingly popular in the West, and many new yoga practitioners cite stress-reduction and other mental health concerns as their primary reason for practicing.
‘But the empirical research on yoga lags behind its popularity as a first-line approach to mental health.’
Her research – one of several yoga studies presented at the American Psychological Association convention yesterday – found male veterans who took twice-weekly yoga classes for eight weeks had fewer depression symptoms.
Another study, by Alliant University in San Francisco, found women aged 25 to 45 who took part in twice-weekly Bikram yoga – or hot yoga – sessions for eight weeks had significantly reduced depression symptoms compared to those on a waiting list for classes.
Source: dailymail
