For Depression Treatment, There is a Helping Hand in Yoga.

Posted in Cope with Depression, Depression Treatment by admin on November 29th, 2006

For Depression Treatment, There is a Helping Hand in Yoga.

by Foras Aje

Depression is a mental ailment affecting several people in spite of the side effects of most depression medications. Consequently, it may be best to seek alternative methods of depression treatment. One stand-out is Yoga and it has gotten my vote.

Friends, research has shown that some form of depression treatment medication is offered to over 20 million Americans annually.

Nonetheless, effective as they may be for a while, its been noted that these depression drugs have several side effects which may include nausea, fatigue, insomnia and some sexual dysfunctions.

That stated, it is no wonder that several drug-free fraternities seek out alternate methods of healing for the plethora of human ailment and for depression specifically, Yoga is often recommended.

Why is this so? Well, first of all, with Yoga and its gentle movements and poses, Alpha waves (relaxation) and Theta waves (unconscious memory, dreams and emotions) tend to increase significantly after its execution.

Moreover, after its use, alpha waves increases in the right temporal region of the brain as other studies have shown that people with depression tend to have more alpha activity in the left frontal-temporal region, while optimistic, extroverted people have more alpha activity on the right.

Perhaps a simpler illustration of how Yoga works effectively for depression treatment may be that it exercises the motor centers of the brain, making the blood flow away from the emotional activity center; consequently one becomes more receptive to positive thoughts.

Although this can be accomplished by the use of several Yoga poses, there are some specific standouts.

1. The Sun Salutations: The sun exercises stimulates and balances all systems of the body including the endocrine and nervous systems that have marked effects on our emotions, furthermore they induce deep breathing, which has been known over the ages to help alleviate many a stressful situation. Although they are usually a warm up to other Yoga poses, they can stand on their own as a Yoga session so you may not have to spend too much time to reap Yogas benefits as an alternative treatment for depression.

2. The Shoulder- Stand: In spite of what its name may suggest, this pose is indeed very easy to execute and is the one pose that both old and new Yoga Instructors and writers view as near panacea for most human ailments including depression.

3. The Relaxation Pose: As the name suggests; it involves lying motionless on ones back with emphasis on deep, even breathing and meditation. It is usually performed for several minutes to alleviate stress and mental tension and positive affirmations such as helpful verses from religious books could be mentally repeated during its execution.

It must be noted that poses alone DO NOT constitute Yoga. Breathing exercises (known as pranayama), Meditation, (which could be rooted in your religious or spiritual beliefs) and a proper diet-all being important limbs of Yoga, should be used in your use of Yoga for depression treatment.

So remember dear friend for Depression Treatment, there is a Helping Hand in Yoga and You Are Not Alone.

In Friendship,

Foras Aje,

Foras Aje is an independent researcher and co-founder of BodyHealthSoul LLC. He invites you to visit his blog for more tips on Depression Treatment and Self-Help Today.