Research shows that yoga helps women cope with the mental stress of cancer

A cancer diagnosis can cause overwhelming stress and depression in women, but new research suggests that yoga can help ease that emotional toll.

“A wellness intervention that integrates yoga and psychological tools can strengthen the connections between mind, body and spirit, leading to a better and more meaningful quality of life,” says senior author of the study Deidre Pereira. She is an associate professor of clinical and health psychology at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville.

The new study involved 51 women who had been diagnosed with some form of gynecological, gastrointestinal or thoracic cancer. The research is published in the news Integrative cancer therapies.

According to a university press release, “they enrolled in a ten-week personalized group intervention using breathing and relaxation techniques, mindfulness meditation, psychotherapy skills and gentle yoga, aimed at improving physical and mental quality of life .”

Based on responses to detailed questionnaires, Pereira's team found that women reported a reduction in their symptoms of anxiety and depression after completing the program.

When it came to the physical symptoms of depression, the program was especially helpful for women of color, the researchers noted.

“Quality of life during and after cancer treatment is a critical part of cancer care for the whole person,” said co-lead author Elizabeth Kacel, a recent graduate of the clinical psychology doctoral program at UF.

It's the use of yoga/meditation in the program in addition to psychotherapeutic training that really seemed to help, she added.

“The combination of both perspectives provides a powerful foundation on which patients can stand as they deal with the ups and downs of surviving cancer,” says Kacel, who is now a clinical health and cancer psychologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago .

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