Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world, affecting hundreds of millions of people.
It can cause persistent sadness, loss of interest in everyday activities, changes in sleep and appetite, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of hopelessness.
Although counseling and antidepressant medicines help many people, they do not work for everyone, and some people experience unwanted side effects. Because of this, scientists continue to look for safe and practical treatments that can be used alongside standard care. One approach attracting growing attention is heated yoga, also known as hot yoga.
Heated yoga combines traditional yoga with exercise in a warm room, usually between 32°C and 40°C. The heat helps muscles become more flexible, allowing participants to stretch more comfortably while also increasing the intensity of the workout.
Previous research has shown that both yoga and heat therapy may improve mood, so researchers wanted to know whether combining the two could provide even greater benefits for people living with depression.
A new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders explored this question. Researchers recruited 80 adults with moderate to severe depression who had not been practicing yoga regularly. Half began an eight-week heated hatha yoga program immediately, while the other half waited eight weeks before starting the same program.
This wait-list design helped researchers determine whether improvements were truly linked to yoga rather than simply the passage of time or participants’ expectations.
The yoga sessions lasted 90 minutes and were held at community studios in the Boston area. Rooms were heated to about 40°C and each class followed the same sequence of 26 yoga poses and two breathing exercises. Participants were encouraged to attend at least two sessions each week.
Among the 65 people who completed the study, depression scores improved by an average of about 13 points during the yoga program. The most interesting finding was a clear dose-response relationship.
Every additional class attended was associated with further improvement, and participants continued to benefit even after attending as many as 30 sessions over the study period. Improvements were similar regardless of age, sex, education, or whether participants were already taking antidepressant medication.
The researchers believe several factors may explain these benefits. Yoga combines gentle physical activity, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and relaxation, all of which may reduce stress and improve emotional wellbeing.
The heated environment may also influence circulation, muscle relaxation, and the body’s stress response, although scientists are still studying exactly how these effects occur.
This study has important strengths because it included a comparison group and measured attendance carefully. However, it was relatively small and lasted only eight weeks. Larger studies are still needed to determine the ideal number of classes, whether benefits continue over the long term, and which patients benefit most.
Overall, the findings suggest heated yoga may become a valuable addition to standard depression treatment for people who are medically able to participate. It should not replace professional mental health care, but it may provide another useful option alongside counseling, medication, healthy sleep, exercise, and social support.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and results showing Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
Source: Journal of Affective Disorders study.
