Breathing-Focused Yoga and Meditation Improved Depression

August 24, 2017 · Posted in Potential Treatments · Comment 

woman meditating

A 2016 article in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reports that Sudarshan Kriya yoga, a breathing-based meditation intervention, improved depression in people who had had an inadequate response to antidepressants.

In the study by researcher Anup Sharma and colleagues, 25 participants were randomized to either receive the breathing-based meditation training right away or be put on a waitlist to receive the training later. After two months, those who received the intervention showed improvement in depression scores compared to those on the waitlist. The intervention also reduced anxiety.

Yoga Therapy Improves Depression and Inflammation

July 12, 2016 · Posted in Current Treatments · Comment 

Sudarshan Kriya yoga

Drug treatment for major depression can produce remission in 35–50% or patients. The others may need additional interventions, and some mind-body techniques have been successful. A recent randomized study by Anup Sharma and colleagues found that Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) decreased depression at one and two months when added to participants’ regular treatments. Participants who received the yoga treatment also showed reductions in inflammation in the blood, including lower levels of the inflammatory proteins TNF-alpha, IL-10, and CRP.