Skip to main content

Table 3 Consensus on importance of approaches and techniques for reducing depression or anxiety, and improving positive emotions and well-being

From: Establishing key components of yoga interventions for reducing depression and anxiety, and improving well-being: a Delphi method study

Round 1 - recommendations

Round 2 -

General consensus on importance

Breath regulation - approaches & techniques

For reducing

For reducing

Depression

Anxiety

Abdominal breathing

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Focus on inhalation

Important/less essential

No recommendation

Focus on exhalation

No recommendation

Very important/essential

Comfortable holding after inhalation

Important/less essential

Important/Essential to AVOID

Comfortable holding after exhalation

No recommendation

Important/less essential

Alternate nostril breathing

No recommendation

Important/less essential

Right nostril breathing, especially on inhalation

Important/less essential

No recommendation

Left nostril breathing, especially on exhalation

No recommendation

Important/less essential

Cooling breath (sitali)

Less or not important

Important/less essential

Rapid breathing techniques, such as kapalabhati

Less or not important

Important/Essential to AVOID

“humming bee” breath (bhramari)

No recommendation

Very important/essential

Regulating the breath to be calm and steady

No recommendation

Very important/essential

Postures - approaches & techniques

For reducing

For reducing

Depression

Anxiety

Coordinated flow of breath with movement

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Chest and heart opening, backward bending postures and movements, that also focus on inhalation

Important/less essential

No recommendation

Moving repetition of postures (rather than long holding)

Important/less essential

No recommendation

Dynamic sequences of postures, including sun salutations

Important/less essential

No recommendation

A range of different postures, to keep it interesting

Important/less essential

No recommendation

Postures that have a calming effect, rather than energising

No recommendation

Very important/essential

Resting, relaxing or restorative postures

NO CONSENSUS

Important/less essential

Forward-bending postures

No recommendation

Important/less essential

Postures and movements that focus on exhalation

No recommendation

NO CONSENSUS

Simple, gentle sequences of postures

No recommendation

NO CONSENSUS

Relaxation - approaches & techniques

For reducing

For reducing

Depression

Anxiety

Focus on abdominal breathing, lengthening exhale

Not considered

Very important/essential

Active focus on physical body (e.g. body-scan; progressive muscle relaxation), to shift focus away from mind and thoughts

Very important/essential

NO CONSENSUS

Done with visualisations, that are positive, expansive and energising, e.g. sun, open space.

Very important/essential

No recommendation

Done with visualisations, that have a calming effect

No recommendation

NO CONSENSUS

Using guided relaxation techniques, rather than self directed

Important/less essential

No recommendation

Restorative (passive-supported) postures

NO CONSENSUS

Important/less essential

With legs elevated

NO CONSENSUS

NO CONSENSUS

Resting between and after postures

NO CONSENSUS

NO CONSENSUS

Meditation - approaches & techniques

For reducing

For reducing

Depression

Anxiety

Mindfulness (learning to focus attention on observing the present experience, without judgement)

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Something for the mind to do and focus on, rather than just observation (e.g. counting, repeated words or phrases (mantra); visualisation; image or symbol; candle gazing; smiling heart)

Very important/essential

Important/less essential

Active meditations, e.g. moving, chanting, guided visualisations

Very important/essential

Important/less essential

A concept, idea or value, such as something positive, energising, confidence building, gratitude.

Very important/essential

No recommendation

A concept, idea or value, such as something positive, calming, confidence building, gratitude.

No recommendation

Important/less essential

Other components of yoga practice

For reducing

For reducing

Depression

Anxiety

Cultivation of positive values, attitudes and behaviours (including gratitude, kindness, compassion, forgiveness)

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Awareness of negative sensory input (including TV, movies, music, literature, multi-media, news)

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Formulation of meaningful affirmations and intentions (samkalpa)

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Visualisation and symbolic imagery techniques (bhavana)

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Sound or chanting (from any suitable language or culture)

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Spirituality and prayer

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Repetition of meaningful words or phrases (mantra)

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Symbolic gesture (nyasa & mudra)

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Other components of yogic lifestyle

For reducing

For reducing

Depression

Anxiety

Positive relationships

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Developing self-empowering knowledge

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Social involvement and support - linking with a supportive community (sanga)

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Lifestyle factors, including diet, smoking, drugs and alcohol, sleep, work, exercise

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Exposure to sunlight and natural environments

Very important/essential

Very important/essential

Service to others, including volunteer work

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Pleasing environment, free from clutter, with good ventilation and natural light

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Education about yoga teachings, and the potential benefits of yoga

Important/less essential

Important/less essential

Group yoga classes

Important/less essential

No recommendation