Researchers found significant improvement in symptoms of depression and anxiety in medicated patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who participated in the breathing technique known as Sudarshan Kriya yoga.
The meditation technique, which is practiced in both a group setting and at home, includes a series of sequential, rhythm-specific breathing exercises that bring people into a deep, restful and meditative state: slow and calm breaths alternated with fast and stimulating breaths.
Past studies suggest that yoga and other controlled breathing techniques can potentially adjust the nervous system to reduce stress hormones.
In the study, researchers enrolled 25 patients suffering from MDD who were depressed, despite more than eight weeks of antidepressant medication treatment.
Also Read
The medicated patients were randomised to either the breathing intervention group or the "waitlist" control group for eight weeks.
During the first week, participants completed a six-session programme, which featured Sudarshan Kriya yoga in addition to yoga postures, sitting meditation and stress education.
Patients in the Sudarshan Kriya yoga group showed a significantly greater improvement in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores compared to patients in the waitlist group.
HDRS is the most widely used clinician-administered depression assessment that scores mood, interest in activities, energy, suicidal thoughts and feelings of guilt, among other symptoms.
With a mean baseline HDRS score of 22.0 (indicating severe depression at the beginning of the study), the group that completed the breathing technique for the full two months improved scores by 10.27 points on average, compared to the waitlist group, which showed no improvements.
Results suggest the feasibility and promise of Sudarshan Kriya as an add-on intervention for MDD patients who have not responded to antidepressants, researchers said.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content