Comparison of the effects of Hatha Yoga exercises and physical fitness on women's anxiety and depression

Background: Anxiety and depression have increasingly affected many people within the last two decades and therefore researchers are trying to find non-invasive and non-drug methods for these disorders. In this respect, Hatta yoga practice, as an alternative medical system, seems to have attracted considerable attention. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Hatha yoga and physical fitness training on anxiety and depression in women. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test performed on 42 women who visited the sport clubs of yoga and physical fitness in the city of Shiraz (Iran) in 2009. Women diagnosed as having anxiety and depression but declined to take medications were invited to fill out the questionnaire designed by the researchers if they were willing to do so. The study population was randomly divided in two groups as Hatha yoga and physical fitness of 21 members each. Exercise protocol included 24 sessions of Hatha yoga and physical fitness over eight weeks and performed as three training sessions of 90 min duration a week. Depression, anxiety, and stress scales were used to evaluate the degree of anxiety and depression. Findings: There was a significant difference in degree of anxiety and depression between the pre-test and post-test findings in Hatha yoga group (p=0.017) but not in the physical fitness group (p=0.664). Also, a significant difference in post-test results for anxiety and depression between the Hatha yoga and physical fitness groups was demonstrated (p=0.001). Conclusion: Consistent with other similar studies, our study showed that the Hatha yoga and physical fitness practices have beneficial effects on management of anxiety and depression symptoms and could lead to appearance of a balance in physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual capacities of an individual. Hence the Hatha yoga and physical fitness practices can be used as an alternative medical system for these disorders.