Yoga For Depression And It's Health Benefits

Published: Aug 01, 2019
Keywords: English

Last Updated: Sep 15, 2024

Benefits of yoga for depression

In today's world, mental health has become one of the most important issues. The most common mental health issue that is plaguing the population is depression. People feel that only medications are the solution for treating a problem like depression but the truth is beside medicines, yoga is the best natural solution for treating depression. There are several asanas in yoga which not only help the body to relax but also relaxes the mind. One of the studies has indicated that doing yoga for nearly 20 to 30 minutes regularly reduces the depression in a person by nearly 30 percent. The breathing and stretching asanas provide a much better benefit in depression in comparison to medication like Prozac.

The yoga asanas help in strengthening the connection between body and mind. Yoga has a positive effect on depression because it not only manages stress hormone levels but it also balances the brain chemistry. A study has suggested that low serotonin level in the brain is one of the major causes of depression in a person and the best natural way of increasing the serotonin level in the brain is yoga. Given below are some of the asanas that help a patient in coming out of depression.

Yoga asanas for depression

Child's Pose

The child pose helps relieve anxiety and calms your mind and body. One of the most comfortable of yoga postures, it is easily doable and good one for beginners to start with. One needs to kneel and sit on one’s heels. Next bring your big toes together. Keeping your hands on your knees try to spread the knees as wide apart as possible. Move the arms forward placing them on either side of the head face down. Maintain this position for a couple of minutes and repeat.

Bridge Pose

Strengthening the muscles in the back, it relieves stress and is extremely beneficial for those suffering from depression. It is designed to ease anxiety and heart function. One needs to lie down on one’s back with one’s palms face down. Fold your legs at the knees and then lift them up. Keep the knees and ankles straight and the feet apart by a few inches. Try to lift your back off the floor and hold the position for a few seconds. One’s thighs should stay parallel and the chest should touch one’s chin.

Plow Pose

The plow pose helps reduce backbone strain and calms the brain. It relieves irregular sleeping habits. Lying flat on your back, lift your legs at an angle of 90 degrees from the ground. Using your hands as support lift the hips in the direction of your chest. Steadily bring the legs down and move them over the head. Try to touch the ground with your toes. Then slowly return to the original pose.

Corpse Pose

The corpse pose helps calm and relax one’s whole body and reduce elevated levels of blood pressure. All one needs to do is lie on one’s back with the legs spread apart, and the arms facing up. Close your eyes and take deep, relaxing breaths gently.

Conclusion

To come out of depression as soon as possible a person might need to complement yoga with other changes in lifestyle, diet, and relationships. Taking a healthy diet is not only beneficial for the body but also for the mind. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids must be included in the diet of the person. Fish, nuts, fresh vegetables, and fruits are the best source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The neurotransmitters in the brain are composed of amino acids thus food products rich in amino acids must be incorporated in the diet as neurotransmitters play a vital role in the mental health of a person. Meat and certain dairy products are a rich source of amino acids.

To increase the level of serotonin in the brain the food products rich in carbohydrates must find inclusion in the diet of the person. Carbohydrates also assist the body in the effective absorption of amino acids. Apart from the dietary changes, being around people with a positive outlook can help a person in coming out of depression. If someone has been prescribed medicine for treating depression then taking that medicine timely is very vital. Combining medicine, with dietary changes, and yoga can help a person in coming out of depression.

References

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388109000048
Cramer H, Lauche R, Langhorst J, Dobos G. Yoga for depression: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Depression and anxiety. 2013 Nov;30(11):1068-83. [Cited 23 April 2020]. Available from:
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