Yoga as a Treatment for Depression

As a centering practice that invites you to honor your innate goodness and connect to the outside world, yoga offers a viable way to lift you out of depression and help you find joy, balance and inner peace.

Features

• The practice of yoga includes meditation, breathing techniques and asanas (or poses).

Benefits

• Meditation calms you and grounds you in the present. Mindful breathing techniques reduce anxiety and ensure you're expanding your lungs to full capacity. Asanas require deep concentration and promote clearer focus. The overall workout uplifts your spirit.

Meditation

• Practice begins and ends with meditation. You root your seat firmly to the ground and lengthen your spine upward as you become aware of your breath and let go of tension.

Breathing Techniques

• Various breathing techniques, called pranayama, help you direct the flow of your breath and release stress. Research from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience in India shows that pranayama helps treat depression at a success rate of up to 73 percent.

Asana

• Asanas take you on a journey of the body, mind and spirit. In the uplifting vinyasa style, you match breath to movement as you release blocked emotions and raise adrenaline. Back bends stimulate your system and brighten your outlook.