Yoga and Mood

There are many paths to managing moods, and one is through the body. Exercise has been shown in many studies to help with depression and anxiety. In his new book The Science of Yoga, William J. Broad takes a close look at one form of exercise, and finds it can have a dramatic effect on people’s mood.

Advanced yoga practitioners, says Broad, have a superior ability to control their autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions such as respiration rate, heart rate, digestion, and sexual arousal. Yoga has a particularly strong effect on the parasympathetic system, which enables us to slow down our body’s fight-or-flight response. In other words, certain poses, such as inversions, induce the heart into beating more slowly, which contributes to relaxation. Other research has shown that yoga can increase levels of the neurotransmitter GABA, which aids in relaxation and reducing anxiety.

Broad writes:

The portrait of yoga that emerges from decades of mood and metabolic studies is of a discipline that succeeds brilliantly at smoothing the ups and downs of emotional life. It uses relaxation, breathing, and postures to bring about an environment of inner bending and stretching. The actions echo, in a way, how yoga pushes the limbs into challenging new configurations. They promote inner flexibility.

Psychotherapy is one way to address anxiety or depression. But it is limited to time spent in the therapist’s office. Yoga is one of many helpful activities that people can pursue on their own and that increase one’s ability to manage emotions and control stress.