研究表明，瑜伽可以缓解抑郁症状

研究表明，瑜伽可以缓解抑郁症状

Weekly sessions of yoga may ease depressive symptoms in people with other mental health issues, according to a systematic review and analysis of existing research.

根据对现有研究的系统回顾和分析，每周练习瑜伽可以缓解患有其他心理健康问题的人的抑郁症状。

"This is a great result to now encourage people who might be thinking about trying yoga that there's some scientific evidence that it can be effective for helping reduce depressive symptoms," said exercise physiologist and study author Jacinta Brinsley, a doctoral candidate at the University of South Australia.

运动生理学家、研究报告的作者、南澳大利亚大学的博士候选人杰西塔·布林斯利说:“这是一个很好的结果，它鼓励那些可能正在考虑练习瑜伽的人相信，有一些科学证据表明，瑜伽可以有效地帮助减轻抑郁症状。”

Depression is often associated with other mental health conditions. For example, 20 to 40% of people diagnosed with schizophrenia and 72% of people diagnosed with lifetime anxiety also suffer from depression.

抑郁症通常与其他心理健康状况有关。例如，20%到40%的精神分裂症患者和72%的终身焦虑症患者也患有抑郁症。

"Exercise has always been a great strategy for people struggling with these feelings as it boosts both mood and health. But as gyms and exercise classes of all kinds are now closed," Brinsley said, "people are looking for alternatives, and this is where yoga can help."

“锻炼一直是对抗这些情绪的一种很好的策略，因为它可以改善情绪和健康。”但由于健身房和各种健身班现在都关门了，”布林斯利说，“人们正在寻找替代选择，这就是瑜伽可以帮助的地方。”

More yoga sessions helped

更多的瑜伽课程帮助

The new analysis, published Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, reviewed 19 randomized controlled clinical trials, considered one of the higher-quality methods of research, conducted in the United States, India, Japan, China, Germany and Sweden.

周一发表在《英国运动医学杂志》上的这项新分析回顾了19项随机对照临床试验，这些试验被认为是质量较高的研究方法之一，在美国、印度、日本、中国、德国和瑞典进行。

People in the studies had a formal diagnosis of alcohol dependence, depressive and bipolar disorders, a psychosis such as schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress syndrome, called PTSD.

参与研究的人被正式诊断为有酒精依赖、抑郁和双相情感障碍，这是一种精神疾病，如精神分裂症或创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)。

Participants did an average of one to two weekly yoga sessions between 20 and 90 minutes long, in which at least half the session was physical movement.

参与者平均每周做一到两次20到90分钟的瑜伽，其中至少一半是身体运动。

"This is any kind of yoga where asana — postures and movement — are the main focus," Brinsley said. "Most yoga classes that are delivered in gyms or studios today in Western society would fit this criteria.

布林斯利说:“这是一种以体式(姿势和动作)为主的瑜伽。”在西方社会，大多数在健身房或工作室教授的瑜伽课程都符合这一标准。

Yoga sessions were continued for an average of 2.5 months in the studies.

在研究中，瑜伽课程平均持续了2.5个月。

The results showed that yoga moderately eased depressive symptoms compared with no or self-help treatment across the mental health spectrum, with some conditions benefiting more than others.

结果表明，与不进行或自我帮助治疗相比，瑜珈在整个心理健康范围内适度缓解了抑郁症状，一些情况比其他情况更有益。

Why yoga?

为什么会是瑜伽?

Yoga, of course, is a form of physical exercise, and exercise is widely recommended to help ease depression and other mental health conditions. Scientists believe exercise increases blood circulation to the brain, especially areas like the hippocampus — which has roles in controlling motivation, mood and response to stress.

瑜伽，当然，是一种体育锻炼，锻炼被广泛推荐，以帮助缓解抑郁症和其他心理健康状况。科学家们认为，锻炼能够促进大脑的血液循环，尤其是像海马体这样的区域，它在控制动机、情绪和对压力的反应方面发挥着作用。

"We know that exercise is effective for improving mental health through a number of mechanisms, one of which is endorphins," the body's feel-good hormone, Brinsely said.

布林斯利说:“我们知道，锻炼身体可以通过多种机制有效地改善心理健康状况，其中之一就是内啡肽。”内啡肽是人体让人感觉良好的荷尔蒙。

Other possible mechanisms, she said, are regulation of the body's central stress response system, called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as well as yoga's impact on improving sleep quality and the increase in social interaction that yoga classes can bring.

她说，其他可能的机制是调节身体的中枢应激反应系统，称为下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴，以及瑜伽对改善睡眠质量的影响和瑜伽课程带来的社交互动的增加。

But yoga is also a spiritual discipline, designed to meld body and mind. A yoga lifestyle incorporates physical postures, breath regulation and mindfulness through the practice of meditation.

但瑜伽也是一种精神训练，旨在融合身心。瑜伽生活方式通过练习冥想将身体姿势、呼吸调节和正念结合起来。