Yoga to treat anxiety and depression in older adults

Yoga has been proven to benefit older adults with anxiety and depression. Photo: Getty

Yoga may be the secret to helping people over 60 battling anxiety and depression, new research has found.

A review of studies published in the journal Aging and Mental Health has found that those who regularly did yoga and other activities saw greater reductions on anxiety and depression than those who didn’t.

Study authors analysed the results for participants aged 60 and older, and found that up to 40 per cent reported anxiety, and 15 to 20 per cent experienced some form of depression. Researchers examined 15 studies that looked at different methods of relaxation: yoga, listening to music, tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, massage therapy and stress management training.

Yoga, music intervention and muscle tensing and relaxation were found to be the most effective ways to alleviate depression, while yoga and music were the best for treating anxiety.

When it came to long-term benefits, yoga was the most effective. The positive outcomes from stretching, breathing and meditation continued for another six months in older adults. According to study researchers, “It could help counterbalance the negative effects of ageing, improve physical functioning, postpone disability, decrease morbidity and mortality, stimulate the mind, and increase hope, reducing the risk of anxiety and depression.”

Yoga is a simple, easy way to your stress response in check. And it’s never too late to start. It doesn’t mean you’ll have to be mastering complicated headstands to reap the rewards. Simple, gentle exercises like the one below are a great way to unwind.

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