Year: 2026 | Month: February | Volume: 16 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 34-44
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260206
Yoga for Anxiety and Depression: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analytic Evidence
Selvaraj Giridharan1, Bhuvana Pandiyan2, Mrunmai Godbole3
1Department of Medical Oncology, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, UAE.
2Department of Psychiatry, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Hereford, UK.
3Department of Psychology, School of liberal Arts and Social Sciences, JSPM University, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Corresponding Author: Mrunmai Godbole
ABSTRACT
Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders impose a substantial global burden. Despite pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, many patients experience residual symptoms or treatment resistance. Yoga, integrating physical postures, breathing, and mindfulness, has emerged as a promising adjunctive therapy.
Methods: This umbrella review synthesizes evidence from meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials evaluating yoga for adults with DSM- or ICD-diagnosed anxiety or depressive disorders. Eligible reviews were identified via PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science. Methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR-2; evidence certainty with GRADE.
Results: Eight meta-analyses met the inclusion criteria. Yoga produced moderate short-term reductions in depression severity (SMD −0.41 to −0.64) and improved remission rates versus passive or treatment-as-usual controls. Effects on anxiety were variable (SMD −0.09 to −1.08). Evidence certainty was low to very low due to high risk of bias, inconsistency, and imprecision. No serious adverse events were reported.
Conclusions: Yoga offers moderate benefits for depression and variable effects for anxiety, with excellent safety and acceptability. Whilst promising as an adjunct, low evidence certainty necessitates large-scale, high-quality trials with standardised protocols and long-term follow-up.
Key words: yoga, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, umbrella review, meta-analysis, DSM, ICD