Could Hot Yoga Be a Help for MDD?
MDD, or Major Depressive Disorder, is a chronic and non-remitting form of depression that transcends the emotional experiences of sadness, loss, and changing moods. It is said to affect about 15 percent of the adult population at some point of their lives and has, thus far, been unresponsive to many traditional treatments for depression.
That is a why a study currently underway at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is being seen as critical toward advancing treatment. MDD is a leading cause of disability issues with significant socioeconomic implications worldwide.
The study intends to follow 30 adults from age 18 to 80—who are in otherwise good general health but who experience significant symptoms of MDD—through the practice of Bikram yoga, a type of hot Hatha yoga. This yoga is typically practiced in a room heated to 105 to 110 degrees with about 40 percent humidity. Using standardized dialogue, it will take participants through 26 sequenced postures, which are performed in the same order during every 90-minute class.
Maren Nyer, PhD, is the director of Yoga Research in MGH’s Depression Clinical and Research Program. “Hot yoga, practiced by a growing number of people, appears to be a promising treatment for depression,” she says, citing that its regular practice may regulate certain physiological functions that could contribute to the reversal of a depressed state.
The eight-week program has been designed to test the safety, effectiveness, and tolerability of Bikram yoga compared to a control group of waitlisted participants. The study will examine the effects on a participants’ depression, quality of life, functioning, and the common physiological markers associated with depression. These include inflammation, autonomic arousal, and stress hormones.
Researchers are hopeful that results bear out a positive outcome so they will have a new treatment for a condition that has, thus far, been frustrating and challenging to treat.
“This is an important study,” says David Mischoulon, MD, PhD, director of Research of the MGH Depression Clinical and Research Program. “If hot yoga proves to be effective, it would be an excellent and safe treatment option for people who have not benefited from regular antidepressants, cannot tolerate their side effects, or choose not to take them.”
Trending Sleep Aid
Toss. Turn. Repeat. If this is your nightly routine, you have probably tried just about everything from melatonin to warm milk to lavender to get relief. Have you tried a weighted blanket yet?
The weighted blanket has been used medically for some time as a way to administer therapy for children with autism or to calm behavioral disturbances in children. This methodology has been compared to work in the same way as swaddling does for a baby at sleep time by making the infant feel more secure and comforted. This is also known as a sensory activity that associates sleep with a particular calming object, like a teddy bear, or a practice, such as aromatherapy.
These blankets are becoming more popular for use among adults as our society continues to struggle with getting a good night’s sleep. (One in four people develop insomnia every year.)
As a result, companies who manufacture these blankets have noticed a definite uptick in sales over the last two-year period. Their popularity is increasing, in part, due to their holistic approach to insomnia with no doctors’ visits and no drugs required.
Weighted blankets look much like regular blankets, but are filled with plastic beads or pellets to make them heavier, weighing anywhere from three to 20 pounds. For the best results, manufacturers recommend using your body weight as a guide, so you should select one that weighs approximately 10 percent of your total body weight.
So, do they work? Unfortunately, blind studies on their use are not possible because participants can easily tell if a blanket is heavy or not.
If you wish to try the trend be prepared to dig deeper than the cost of the lavender spray, as they cost anywhere from $100 to $200, and while some users claim they work wonders, most user satisfaction data varies widely.
When it comes to sleep, however, most sufferers would be willing to pay just about anything for a good night’s worth.
Potential Good News for Women Regarding Cognitive Decline
Researchers are encouraged by the results of a recent clinical study of 2,000 post-menopausal women. The study, which recently appeared in the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) journal, followed women over a 12-year period, analyzed the link between levels of estrogen and cognitive decline. The study took into account the women’s reproductive history, the number of years that had passed between their first period and menopause, number of pregnancies, how long the women had breastfed, and if they had ever used hormone replacement therapy, and, if yes, for how long.
The study concluded that estrogen exposure is linked to better cognitive health in older women. The benefits were also found to be stronger for the oldest women in the sample, who started taking estrogen the earliest.
“Although the assessment of the risk-to-benefit balance of hormone therapy use is complicated and must be individualized, this study provides additional evidence for beneficial cognitive effects of hormone therapy, particularly when initiated early after menopause,” stated Dr. Stephanie Faubion, the medical director of the NAMS.
