AWE Kids Program

Stress and anxiety are major triggers of depression, and meditation can alter your reaction to those feelings. “Meditation trains the brain to achieve sustained focus, and to return to that focus when negative thinking, emotions, and physical sensations intrude — which happens a lot when you feel stressed and anxious,” says Dr. John W. Denninger, director of research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. How meditation helps with depression – Harvard Health

Cultivating compassion and kindness through meditation affects brain regions that can make a person more empathetic to other peoples’ mental states, say researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The research suggests that individuals — from children who may engage in bullying to people prone to recurring depression — and society in general could benefit from such meditative practices, says study director Richard Davidson, professor of psychiatry and psychology at UW–Madison. Study shows compassion meditation changes the brain (wisc.edu)

Participation in a two-month yoga class can lead to significant reduction in perceived levels of anxiety in women who suffer from anxiety disorders. This study suggests that yoga can be considered as a complementary therapy or an alternative method for medical therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders. When the experimental group was compared to the control group, women who participated in yoga classes showed a significant decrease in state anxiety and trait anxiety. Effects of yoga on depression and anxiety of women – PubMed (nih.gov)

Yoga offers an effective method of managing and reducing stress, anxiety and depression and numerous studies demonstrate the efficacy of yoga on mood related disorders. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life – PMC (nih.gov)

Preliminary findings show that yoga adjusts physiological imbalances in the depressed brain and body. Regular yoga practice shows a stabilization of the immune defense and an improvement in sleep [43, 44]. Yoga can impact the endocrine system by lowering the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and thereby reducing the production of the stress hormone cortisol Effects of body-oriented yoga: a RCT study for patients with major depressive disorder – PMC (nih.gov)

Despite methodological limitations,The studies in this review demonstrated that tai chi interventions have beneficial effects for various populations on a range of psychological well-being measures, including depression, anxiety, general stress management, and exercise self-efficacy. The effects of tai chi on depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis – PubMed (nih.gov)

While future research warrants the use of strong methodologically designed RCTs to better address the effects on psychiatric symptomatology change, Tai Chi/qigong programs have the potential to reduce clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in psychiatric outpatients. Tai Chi/Qigong in Adults with Depression and Anxiety: A Pilot Retrospective Study | Integrative Medicine Reports (liebertpub.com)

Wall (2005) found that students reported improvements in well-being, calmness, relaxation, sleep, reactivity, self-care and self-awareness, as well as a sense of interconnection with nature as a result of the programme following five, hour-long sessions combining Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Tai Chi exercises and the use of Koans (i.e. traditional Japanese Zen meditation questions/puzzles/stories). Similarly, Rosaen and Benn (2006) interviewed seventh-grade racial minority students who had practiced TM for over a year in a qualitative evaluation. Students reported greater emotional regulation, including self-reflection, self-control and levels of restful alertness, in addition to reductions in stress. Comments include, “It’s made me a calm person and easier to talk to, and listen to other people.” Contemplative Education: A Systematic, Evidence-Based Review of the effect of Meditation Interventions in Schools | Educational Psychology Review (springer.com)