Yoga of Immortals Intervention Reduces Symptoms of Depression, Insomnia and Anxiety
Sadhna Verma, James Donovan, Hari S. Tunuguntla, Renuka Tunuguntla, Babu V. Gupta, Ayon Nandi, Ishan Shivanand
Frontiers in Psychiatry June 22, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.648029 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,505 |
| Population | Adults using the Yoga of Immortals mobile app, with a control group who did not use the app |
| Intervention | Yoga of Immortals (YOI) mobile application |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Measures | Patient Health Questionnaire, 8 items (PHQ-8), Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Insomia Mindfullness Mental health |
| Key findings | Regular use of the Yoga of Immortals app over 8 weeks was associated with average reductions of 50% in depression symptoms, 40-50% in anxiety symptoms, and 50% in insomnia symptoms, significantly greater than changes in a control group. Participants with a prior diagnosis of depression or generalized anxiety showed larger improvements in depression and anxiety scores than those without. |
Abstract
Background: Depression, anxiety, and disordered sleep are some common symptoms associated with sub-optimal mental health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues have grown increasingly more prevalent in the population. Due to social distancing and other limitations during the pandemic, there is a need for home-based, flexible interventions that can improve mental health. The Yoga of Immortals (YOI) mobile application provides a structured intervention that can be used on any mobile device and applied from the user's home.Methods: A total of 1,505 participants were enrolled in the study and used the YOI app for an 8-week period. Participants were asked to fill out three questionnaires: The Patient Health Questionnaire, 8 items (PHQ-8), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). These three items were completed by 1,297 participants a total of four times: before starting YOI, two more times during use, and a fourth time after the 8-week usage period. Changes in PHQ8, GAD7 and ISI in participants were compared to a control group, who did not use the YOI app but completed all questionnaires (590 controls finished all questionnaires).Results: Participants reported significant decreases in depression and anxiety-related symptoms. Compared to baseline, PHQ-8 scores decreased 50% on average after the 8-week period. GAD-7 scores also decreased by 40–50% on average, and ISI scores decreased by 50%. These changes were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than that observed in the control group. Participants who reported a previous diagnosis of depression and generalized anxiety reported significantly larger decreases in PHQ-8 and GAD-7 as compared to participants with no prior diagnosis (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Regular use of the YOI intervention over an 8-week period led to significant decreases in symptoms of both depression and anxiety, as well as alleviation of insomnia.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| Patterning of Cognitive and Somatic Processes in the Self-Regulation of Anxiety: Effects of Meditation versus Exercise Regular practitioners of physical exercise or meditation | 1978 | Retrospective study | n = 77 |
| Dynamic coupling of whole-brain neuronal and neurotransmitter systems Healthy humans | 2020 | Observational study | |
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |