Effects of Yoga Nidra on mental wellness during the immediate postpartum period

Depression affects women more than men, particularly during pregnancy and the postpartum period. While many women are hesitant to use pharmacotherapy due to concerns about side effects and financial constraints, it becomes imperative to explore alternative therapies like Yoga Nidra, known for reducing stress and anxiety. This study aims to evaluate the impact of Yoga Nidra on mental health during the postpartum period.

The objective was to assess the psychological state of postpartum women and the effect of Yoga Nidra on the same. This quasi-experimental study was conducted in a rural-based tertiary care center in central Gujarat. A total of 100 participants, 50 postpartum women in the control group and 50 in the intervention group, were enrolled in the study. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) questionnaires were administered to the participants at the beginning of the study. The intervention group received eight sessions of Yoga Nidra, each lasting 30 min. At discharge, both groups were administered EPDS again. The data was analyzed using STATA 14 software (STATA 14 Software (StataCorp LLC)).

Mean baseline EPDS scores were 12.62 ± 4.6 and 13.76 ± 6.2 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. On average, there was 5.48 units (reduction) improvement in EPDS scores in the intervention group (P < 0.0001) and a 1.5-unit worsening (increase) in the control group (P < 0.0001) at the end of the study. The difference was significant between the groups (+6.98 units, P < 0.0001), thereby concluding that Yoga Nidra is a promising non-pharmacological therapy that can be used to manage immediate postpartum anxiety and depressive symptoms.