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Can yoga reduce symptoms of depression and/or anxiety?  Yes! Multiple randomized controlled trials used various yoga interventions in diverse study populations.  It was found that yoga improves overall symptom scores of both depression and anxiety by 40%!

How great!  No adverse side effects from medicine.  Just, increased flexibility, more feelings of well-being, and less sadness.

In fact, there are groups recommending yoga.

Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement and the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments– recommend yoga as an effective adjunctive (add-on) treatment for those with depression.

The Veterans health Administration (the VA) and the US Department of Defense — recommend yoga to adjunctively help manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Work Loss Data Institute (worker’s compensation group) recommends yoga for occupational stress, PTSD, and major depressive disorder.