Yoga can reduce the symptoms of depression, say scientists who have found that the ancient Indian meditative practice can complement traditional therapies for mental health.
The research focused on the acceptability and antidepressant effects of hatha yoga, the branch of yoga that emphasises physical exercises, along with meditative and breathing exercises, to enhance well-being.
"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," said Lindsey Hopkins, of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the US.
"But the empirical research on yoga lags behind its popularity as a first-line approach to mental health," said Hopkins.
In the study, 23 male veterans participated in twice- weekly yoga classes for eight weeks.
Participants with elevated depression scores before the yoga program had a significant reduction in depression symptoms after the eight weeks.
Another more specific version of hatha yoga commonly practiced in the West is Bikram yoga, also known as heated yoga.
Sarah Shallit, of Alliant University in the US investigated Bikram yoga in 52 women, age 25-45.
Just more than half were assigned to participate in twice-weekly classes for eight weeks. The rest were told they were wait-listed and used as a control condition.
All participants were tested for depression levels at the beginning of the study, as well as at weeks three, six and nine.
Researchers found that eight weeks of Bikram yoga significantly reduced symptoms of depression compared with the control group.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in the also conducted a pilot study of 29 adults that also showed eight weeks of at least twice-weekly Bikram yoga significantly reduced symptoms of depression and improved other secondary measures including quality of life, optimism, and cognitive and physical functioning.
"The more the participants attended yoga classes, the lower their depressive symptoms at the end of the study," researchers said.