Compared to aerobic exercise , no short- or medium-term group differences in depression severity was found .
Higher short-term depression severity was found for yoga compared to electro-convulsive therapy ;  remission rates did not differ between groups .
No short-term group differences occurred when yoga was compared to antidepressant medication .
Conflicting evidence was found when yoga was compared to attention-control interventions , or when yoga as an add-on to antidepressant medication was compared to medication alone .
This review found some evidence for positive effects beyond placebo and comparable effects compared to evidence -based interventions .
BACKGROUND The purpose of this review was to investigate the efficacy and safety of yoga interventions in treating patients with major depressive disorder .
Effect of Sahaj Yoga on depressive disorders.
Sahaj Yoga is a meditative technique that has been found to have beneficial effects in some psycho-somatic illnesses . The study was carried out on 30 cases ( 19 Males , 11 females , age 18 - 45 years ) of major depression diagnosed on the basis of DSM IV criteria . The patients were then r and omly divided into two groups : Group 1 : ( 10 Males & 5 Females ) Patients who were practising Sahaj Yoga and also received conventional anti-depressants . Group 2 : ( 9 Males & 6 Females ) Patients who were only receiving conventional anti-depressants .  Training in Sahaj yoga was conducted under the supervision of a trained Sahaj Yogi for 8 weeks . At start of the study , all the patients were subjected to Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ( HAM-D ) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety ( HAM-A ) . Above scales were again assessed after two months of treatment . There was significant improvement in HAM-D as well as HAM-A scores in both Group 1 and Group 2 patients ( P<0.001 ) . However , percentage improvement in HAM-D scores and HAM-A scores in patients receiving Sahaj Yoga was significantly higher than in Group 2 patients . The number of patients who went into remission after two months of intervention were also significantly higher in Group 1 patients ( P=0.02 ) . The present study demonstrates that Sahaj Yoga has got a potential role as a component in the management of depressive disorders
Compared to aerobic exercise , no short- or medium-term group differences in depression severity was found .
Higher short-term depression severity was found for yoga compared to electro-convulsive therapy ;  remission rates did not differ between groups .
No short-term group differences occurred when yoga was compared to antidepressant medication .
Conflicting evidence was found when yoga was compared to attention-control interventions , or when yoga as an add-on to antidepressant medication was compared to medication alone .
This review found some evidence for positive effects beyond placebo and comparable effects compared to evidence -based interventions .
BACKGROUND The purpose of this review was to investigate the efficacy and safety of yoga interventions in treating patients with major depressive disorder .