Yoga for Stress and Mental Health

Yoga practice appears to reduce stress and associated emotions. Specifically, yoga has been
associated with significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. These
findings underscore the promise of yoga practice for improving mental health in women prone
to stress.

This study aims to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of an eight-week
Hatha Yoga intervention for improving stress and mental health. To this end, the
investigators will recruit 40 women high in stress to receive an 8-week hatha yoga
intervention consisting of two weekly 90-minute sessions. At baseline and at
post-intervention, participants will undergo several cognitive, emotional, and behavioral
assessments, followed by a relaxation time. Primary feasibility outcomes will be the time
required to recruit 40 participants, the number of screen failures, participant retention
and participant adherence to the study protocol. Acceptability will be evaluated with
questionnaires and an interview during the final visit. Primary efficacy outcomes will be
group differences in pre- to post-intervention change in perceived stress and various mental
health parameters.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Female patients between the ages of 25 and 45. We only will only include women in
this age range due to age-related variations in estrogen levels that effect HPA
reactivity in women (Seeman, Singer, Wilkinson & McEwen, 2001).

- Sedentary as defined by moderate-intensity exercise less than 60 minutes per week
(this definition is consistent with that employed in previous studies of exercise
interventions; e.g., Dunn et al., 2005; Trivedi et al., 2006). This criterion was
selected in order to be able to test the effects of the yoga intervention.

- Written physician approval/medical clearance to participate in an exercise/yoga
protocol.

- Capable and willing to give written informed consent, to understand inclusion and
exclusion criteria.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Have practiced yoga or engaged in other mind-body practices (e.g., tai chi,
meditation) regularly (i.e., once a week or more) within the last year.

- Lifetime history of psychotic disorders of any type, bipolar disorder (I, II, or
NOS), schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, or anorexia nervosa.

- Current alcohol or drug dependence.

- Screening BDI ≥ 30 (severe depression).

- Known or suspected to have significant personality dysfunction that could, in the
investigator's opinion, interfere with trial participation.

- Currently at risk of self-harm or harm to others, in the Sponsor's opinion, based on
clinical interview.

- Currently a psychiatric inpatient; have been hospitalized for a psychiatric condition
within the past year.

- Have ever been diagnosed with organic brain syndrome, mental retardation, or other
cognitive dysfunction that could interfere with their capacity to participate in the
study protocol.

- Body mass index ≥ 40 (in order to screen out individuals with Class III obesity who
might be more prone to musculoskeletal injuries than individuals with a BMI < 40.0)
or < 18.5 (in order to screen out individuals whose hormone levels may be impacted by
their low weight).

- Resting blood pressure ≥ 160 systolic and/or 100 diastolic. Individuals currently
being treated for high blood pressure and meeting these criteria are eligible.

- Receiving concurrent psychotherapy of any kind.

- Use of any psychotropic medications.

- Positive result on pregnancy test at Screening; plan to become pregnant during the
course of the trial.

- Insufficient command of the English language (i.e., they cannot carry on a
conversation with an interviewer in the English language or read associated text).