Heated Yoga + Sauna for Depression

Overseen By Yian Wu, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital

Must not be taking: Lithium, Antipsychotics, Diuretics, others

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Suicidal, Bipolar, Substance use, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

Duration: 12 weeks

120 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether heated yoga, saunas, and a mindfulness app can reduce symptoms of depression. Participants will engage in heated yoga and sauna sessions or use a mindfulness app over a 12-week period. The study seeks individuals with moderate depression who have not recently participated in heated yoga, sauna, or mindfulness app sessions. Those experiencing frequent depressive episodes but who have not tried these approaches recently might be a good fit. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to explore innovative methods for managing depression symptoms.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

You don't need to stop your current medications, but you must keep them stable throughout the study. If you've recently started or changed doses of psychiatric medications, you may not be eligible.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that both heated yoga and infrared saunas can be safe and beneficial for mental health, particularly in reducing depression. Studies have found that heated yoga not only lessens depression but also alleviates anxiety and enhances quality of life. Participants in heated yoga sessions experienced significant improvements without major side effects.

Infrared saunas also have a positive safety record. Research suggests that frequent use of infrared saunas can significantly reduce depression symptoms, with no harmful effects reported. This makes them a potentially safe option for those considering this type of therapy. Overall, both heated yoga and infrared saunas appear to be well-tolerated and safe for most individuals seeking to manage depression. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatments?

Researchers are excited about heated yoga and sauna for depression because these treatments offer a natural and holistic approach compared to traditional medication-based therapies. Heated yoga combines the benefits of physical exercise, heat exposure, and mindful practice, potentially enhancing mood and reducing stress. Infrared sauna therapy is believed to promote relaxation and improve circulation, which could help alleviate depressive symptoms. Unlike standard antidepressants, which often take weeks to show effects and may have side effects, these approaches might offer a gentler alternative with additional wellness benefits.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for depression?

Research has shown that heated yoga, one of the treatments in this trial, can help reduce symptoms of depression. In one study, participants who attended about one heated yoga class per week experienced a noticeable decrease in their depression symptoms. Another study found that almost half of the participants saw significant improvement in their depression after regularly attending heated yoga sessions.

Similarly, using an infrared sauna, another treatment option in this trial, has shown promise in easing depression symptoms. One study found that 86.2% of participants experienced a meaningful reduction in symptoms after using an infrared sauna. Combining sauna therapy with other treatments has led to better results than using those treatments alone. These findings suggest that both heated yoga and sauna use could be helpful for managing depression. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Maren B Nyer, PhD

Principal Investigator

Massachusetts General Hospital

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Adults aged 18-65 with moderate depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score >10) can join this trial. Participants must speak English, be able to use the Insight Timer app, and agree to keep psychiatric treatments stable if applicable. They should also sign a waiver for partners involved in the study and use birth control if they can have children.

Inclusion Criteria

I am proficient in English.

I am between 18 and 65 years old.

I have completed the waiver for community-based partners before joining the study.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants are randomized into heated yoga, sauna, or mindfulness app groups for 12 weeks

12 weeks

Baseline, mid-intervention (Weeks 4 & 8), post-intervention (Week 12)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

12 weeks

6-week follow-up (Week 18), 3-month follow-up (Week 24)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Heated Yoga
• Sauna

Trial Overview The trial is testing whether heated yoga or sauna sessions, along with using a mindfulness app, can help reduce symptoms of depression. It's exploring different non-medical ways to treat depression by comparing these interventions.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: sauna Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

infrared sauna 2x per week for 12 weeks

Group II: heated yoga Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

heated yoga 2x per week for 12 weeks

Group III: mindfulness app Active Control 1 Intervention

Insight Timer app for 80 mins per week for 12 weeks

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Massachusetts General Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,066

Recruited

13,430,000+

Citations

1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37883245/

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Community-Delivered ... Approximately 1 heated yoga session per week (mean of 10.3 classes over 8 weeks) was associated with significantly greater reduction in depression symptoms ...

2. advances.massgeneral.org advances.massgeneral.org/neuro/journal.aspx?id=2593

Heated Yoga Linked to Reduction of Depressive Symptoms in ... In this study, heated yoga was associated with reductions in depressive symptoms when attendance was about 1.25 classes per week.

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S294983412400045X

Inflammatory biomarker findings from a randomized ... In an open trial by Nyer and colleagues, the same 8-week heated yoga intervention significantly reduced depressive symptoms (Nyer et al., 2019). While the ...

4. sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40798-025-00917-7

Hot Yoga: A Systematic Review of the Physiological ... Six weeks (4 sessions per week) of Bikram yoga demonstrated beneficial effects on a range of “wellbeing” outcome measures, with reported ...

5. news.harvard.edu news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/10/heated-yoga-may-reduce-depression-in-adults/

Heated yoga may reduce depression in adults Moreover, 44 percent in the yoga arm achieved such low IDS-CR scores that their depression was considered in remission, compared with 6.3.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12488547/

Hot Yoga: A Systematic Review of the Physiological ... Acute hot yoga may reportedly decrease acute state-anxiety and negative affect (i.e., negative emotional states) and increase positive affect [ ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6763961/

Community-Delivered Heated Hatha Yoga as a Treatment ... The heated yoga was associated with reduced depressive symptoms, and other improved related mental health symptoms, including anxiety, hopelessness, and quality ...

8. massgeneral.org massgeneral.org/news/press-release/heated-yoga-may-reduce-depression-symptoms-according-to-recent-clinical%20trial

Heated yoga may reduce depression symptoms, according ... Those who participated in heated yoga sessions experienced significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms compared with a control group.

9. psychiatrist.com psychiatrist.com/jcp/rct-of-heated-hatha-yoga-for-depression/

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Community-Delivered ... Approximately 1 heated yoga session per week (mean of 10.3 classes over 8 weeks) was associated with significantly greater reduction in depression symptoms ...