In a randomized controlled clinical trial, adults with moderate-to-severe depression who engaged in heated yoga sessions experienced notable reductions in depressive symptoms compared to a control group. Conducted by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), this groundbreaking study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, suggests that heated yoga could offer an effective treatment option for individuals grappling with depression.
THE TRIAL
The eight-week trial involved 80 participants, who were randomly assigned to two groups: one group participated in 90-minute sessions of Bikram yoga practiced in a room heated to 105°F, while the other group was placed on a waitlist, with the opportunity to complete the yoga intervention later. The analysis included 33 participants in the yoga group and 32 in the waitlist group.
Participants in the yoga group were recommended to attend at least two yoga classes per week but ended up averaging 10.3 classes over eight weeks. At the end of the trial, those who practiced yoga experienced a significant reduction in depressive symptoms compared to the waitlisted group, as evaluated using the clinician-rated Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS-CR) scale.
THE FINDINGS
Moreover, 59.3% of yoga participants saw a 50% or greater reduction in symptoms, while only 6.3% of those on the waitlist achieved the same. Additionally, 44% of the yoga participants achieved IDS-CR scores so low that their depression was considered in remission, in contrast to 6.3% in the waitlist group.
Interestingly, even participants who attended only half of the recommended yoga sessions observed reduced depressive symptoms. This suggests that just one heated yoga session per week could be beneficial. Lead author Maren Nyer, PhD, noted that “Yoga and heat-based interventions could potentially change the course of depression treatment by offering a non-medication-based approach with additional physical benefits as a bonus.” Dr. Nyer is the director of Yoga Studies at the Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Participants provided positive feedback on the heated yoga sessions and did not report any serious adverse effects. The authors of the study plan to conduct further research to determine the specific contributions of heat and yoga to the observed clinical effects in depression. They also intend to explore whether heated yoga offers advantages beyond traditional yoga for treating depression, particularly considering the promising evidence for whole-body hyperthermia as a treatment for major depressive disorder.
In a world where depression affects millions, this study offers a ray of hope for non-medication-based treatments that can enhance mental health and well-being.
