Specialities

Stress

Regular yoga practice may help reduce stress and aid relaxation.

People often practice yoga to reduce stress and aid relaxation. Scientists are now learning the mechanisms behind how yoga lowers stress.

Persistent surges of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, may damage blood vessels and elevate blood pressure.

However, research has shown that people who practice yoga regularly have low cortisol levels.

Studies have also found that practicing yoga for at least 3 months may lower cortisol and perceived stress and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines that cause inflammation.

Decreasing lower back pain

Share on Some research suggests that yoga can be better than physical therapy for lower back pain.

Lower back pain affects around 80% of adults at some point in their lives, and it affects their ability to perform daily tasks, exercise, and sleep. Yoga may be a convenient and inexpensive way to provide some relief.

A 2017 analysis linked yoga practice with lower back pain relief and an improvement in back-related function.

Military veterans and active duty military personnel often experience higher rates of chronic pain than the general population, especially in the lower back.

One study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that a 12 week yoga program improved scores for disability and pain intensity and reduced opioid use among military veterans.

Other research suggests that yoga is just as effective at relieving back pain as physical therapy. Yoga may also have lasting benefits for several months.

Depression

Major depression affects around 17.3 million adults in the U.S. in any given year.

Although medication and talk therapy are common treatments for depression, yoga has had some promising results as a complementary therapy.

A 2017 systematic review found that yoga could reduce depressive symptoms in many populations, including people with depressive disorder, pregnant and postpartum women, and caregivers.

Research from 2017 looked at people with depression that had not responded well to antidepressants.

Study participants who completed 2 months of Sudarshan Kriya yoga experienced a reduction in depressive symptoms, whereas the control group showed no improvements.

Researchers suggest that yoga may lower symptoms of depression by reducing cortisol, or the “stress hormone.”

Yoga Therapy

Yoga is a holistic and mindful practice that includes physical movements (asana), breathing (pranayama), meditation (dhyana) and relaxation (savasana).

Although medication and talk therapy are common treatments for depression, yoga has had some promising results as a complementary therapy.

Yoga therapy is a type of therapy that uses yoga postures, breathing exercises, meditation, and guided imagery to improve mental and physical health. … Modern yoga therapy covers a broad range of therapeutic modalities, incorporating elements from both physical therapy and psychotherapy.