Sudarshan Kriya for Depression: What does the research say?
More than a dozen published studies have documented significant relief from depression in individuals who learned and practiced Sudarshan Kriya and accompanying breathing techniques (SKY). These studies have demonstrated a 67-73% success rate in relief from depression, regardless of the severity of depression [1-6].
These results are experienced rapidly, often within 3-4 weeks [1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8]. And unlike conventional treatments, there is uniform rapid relief from depression with SKY practice, regardless of how long a person has been suffering from clinical depression or the degree to which brain ‘dysfunction’ (e.g. abnormal EEG patterns or hormone levels)[4, 5] is found in the depressed individual.
Further, SKY has been found to significantly stem ‘the blues’; the non-clinical melancholy that mainstream people commonly experience.[9, 10]
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Highlights of research findings
1. Remission from depression experienced rapidly
• Substantial relief was experienced in three weeks.[5, 8]
• By one month, individuals[6] were considered to be in remission. [1, 2, 4-7]
• At three months, the individuals remained asymptomatic and stable, which demonstrates results persisted and cannot be considered a placebo effect.[3-6, 11] (Placebo effects in depression wane after 4 weeks).
2. Beneficial biological effects on brain and hormone function
• The P300 ERP EEG brainwave pattern and NREM brainwave pattern, which measure electrical brainwave activity and are abnormal in many depressed people, returned to the normal range by ninety days. [4, 5]
• Return to healthier hormone levels
• Plasma prolactin, a well-being hormone that is believed to be a key factor in producing depression relief, increased significantly after the very first SKY session.[3]
• Levels of plasma cortisol (the stress hormone) decreased significantly after three weeks.[2]
3. As effective as anti-depressant medication
4. “SKY has remarkable therapeutic effects” - Chairman, Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS
Dr. Janakiramaiah, M.D., Ph.D., D.P.H., medical researcher, and Chair of Psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (N.I.M.H.A.N.S.) of India has conducted several of these studies. He concluded that Sudarshan Kriya has “remarkable therapeutic effects”[3] and “is clinically feasible and effective. It has the potential to become a first-line treatment of dysthymic [chronic, mild depression] patients and possibly in mild and moderate forms of major depressive disorder."[1, 3]
References
1. Katzman, M.A., et al., A multicomponent yoga-based, breath intervention program as an adjunctive treatment in patients suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder with or without comorbidities. International journal of yoga, 2012. 5(1): p. 57.
2. Vedamurthachar, A., et al., Antidepressant efficacy and hormonal effects of Sudarshana Kriya Yoga (SKY) in alcohol-dependent individuals. Journal of affective disorders, 2006. 94(1): p. 249-253.
3. Seppälä, E.M., et al., Breathing‐Based Meditation Decreases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in US Military Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Longitudinal Study. Journal of traumatic stress, 2014. 27(4): p. 397-405.
4. Kjellgren, A., et al., Wellness through a comprehensive yogic breathing program - a controlled pilot trial. BMC Complement Altern Med, 2007. 7: p. 43.
5. Sureka, P., et al., Effect of Sudarshan Kriya on male prisoners with non-psychotic psychiatric disorders: A randomized control trial. Asian journal of psychiatry, 2014. 12: p. 43-49.
6. Agte, V.V. and S.A. Chiplonkar, Sudarshan kriya yoga for Improving Antioxidant status and Reducing Anxiety in Adults. Alternative & Complementary Therapies, 2008. 14(2): p. 96-100.
7. Narnolia, P.K., et al., Effect of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga on Cardiovascular Parameters and Comorbid Anxiety in Patients of Hypertension.
8. Doria, S., et al., Anti-anxiety efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga in general anxiety disorder: a multicomponent, yoga based, breath intervention program for patients suffering from generalized anxiety disorder with or without comorbidities. Journal of affective disorders, 2015. 184: p. 310-317.
9. Toschi-Dias, E., et al., Sudarshan Kriya Yoga improves cardiac autonomic control in patients with anxiety-depression disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2017. 214: p. 74-80.
10. Sharma, A., et al., A breathing-based meditation intervention for patients with major depressive disorder following inadequate response to antidepressants: a randomized pilot study. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 2017. 78(1): p. e59.
11. Janakiramaiah, N., et al., Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia: a randomized comparison with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine. Journal of affective disorders, 2000. 57(1): p. 255-259.
12. Janakiramaiah, N., Gangadhar, B.N., Naga Venkatesha Murthy,, S. P.J., T.K., Subbakrishna, D.K., Meti, B.L., Raju, T.R.,, and A. Vedamurthachar, Therapeutic efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in dysthymic disorder. NIMHANS J., 1998. 17: p. 21-28.
13. Naga Venkatesha Murthy, P., et al., Normalization of P300 amplitude following treatment in dysthymia. Biological Psychiatry, 1997. 42(8): p. 740-743.
14. Murthy, P.N.V., et al., P300 amplitude and antidepressant response to Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY). Journal of affective disorders, 1998. 50(1): p. 45-48.
15. Descilo, T., et al., Effects of a yoga breath intervention alone and in combination with an exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in survivors of the 2004 South-East Asia tsunami. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 2010. 121(4): p. 289-300.
