Want another reason to enjoy hot yoga this winter, beyond just warming the body while it’s cold outside?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, known as SAD, affects millions of Americans each winter. Lack of critical Vitamin D from the sun during the cold season of the year, combined with stress and anxiety around holidays (and not-so-festive-feeling expectations), combine together to bring moods down for many people. Others are affected by mild or more severe depression regardless of season.
A new clinical trial funded by the National Institutes for Health have shown great promise that Hot Yoga might be part of an effective treatment plan for patients dealing with depression. And that’s great news for anyone who wants solutions without (or in addition to) medication and talk therapy.
A term called ‘whole body hyperthermia’ plays a role in this critical new trial. This is where the body is heated (normally under medical supervision) for the purpose of warming parts of the body and adjusting hormone levels. In recent years, whole body hyperthermia has been used to treat certain cancers. Now researchers are wondering whether it can be used to treat the whole person, and in particular, their sense of well-being.
In this NIH study, which consisted of women of several ethnicities and ages who were all being treated for depression, a notable percentage (16 of 30) reported a significant reduction in their feelings of depression and sadness by half. Twelve of those 16 in fact saw their scores drop low enough to be considered in remission from depression.
Health experts want to conduct further studies on the role of Hot Yoga in treating depression and other mood disorders, but anyone who has gone into a Hot Yoga class can tell you that it releases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that your body grooves on. And being in a yoga class brings you into community with others, out of your shell, and in from the cold. Plus, it just physically feels good – you deserve to feel good, if not great!
This winter, join us for your first Hot Yoga class if you are experiencing feelings of sadness, anxiety, or uncertainty. Maybe journal a months’ worth of Hot Yoga just to see if you notice a difference in your mood and outlook.