From the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice comes a study on yoga and postpartum women with anxiety. Researchers from Iran found that participation in a two-month yoga class can lead to significant reduction in perceived levels of anxiety in women who suffer from anxiety disorders.
For more from Postpartum Progress on alternative treatments for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, click here.
This is not surprising. Yoga is good for the body and when you feel good physically your psyche feels also better.
I would think not just the more active part of the practice but also the relaxation period at the end would have benefit. The focus in yoga is also on smooth, deep breathing which has been found to be a very effective technique for anxiety in the cognitive-behavioral treatment world. Thanks for this! Am printing it out to take to many of the OBs I visit (I offer yoga therapy in addition to traditional talk therapy).