NIMHANS, Bengaluru research reveals Yoga beneficial in recovering from opioid withdrawal symptoms

The research conducted by the Centre for Addiction Medicine in NIMHANS in Bengaluru has found Yoga beneficial in recovering from opioid withdrawal symptoms. The study published in the prestigious JAMA Psychiatry journal says that Yoga dramatically speeds up recovery from withdrawal symptoms. The experiment has found that a patient practicing Yoga recovered in just five days. The research found that recovery takes over nine days without Yoga. The patient following Yoga also had better sleep, felt less anxious and pain of withdrawal. The study says that Yoga helps calm the body and respond to stress experienced during withdrawal.
The 45 minutes Yoga session included gentle postures, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. Dr Hemant Bhargav, who led the research team, says that the study was conducted under the supervision of NIMHANS Director Dr Pratima Murthy, the Head of Centre for Addiction Medicine Dr Prabhat Chand, in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, USA. Dr Bhargav added that this breakthrough offers hope for millions struggling with opioid addiction and could pave the way for Yoga to become a standard part of addiction treatment worldwide.