Yoga speeds up recovery from opioid withdrawal symptoms.

A recent Indian study has revealed that adding yoga to traditional drug therapy may help patients recover more quickly from opioid withdrawal symptoms, at a time when there is a growing need for supportive, non-drug therapies.

Researchers concluded that combining basic treatment with buprenorphine and practicing yoga helped patients overcome withdrawal symptoms almost twice as fast as those who received drug treatment alone.

Hemant Bhargav, a physician at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in India and the study’s lead author, said that during opioid withdrawal, the body is in a state of imbalance, with the stress system remaining hyperactive while the system responsible for calming and relaxing is weakened.

He added that patients at this stage may suffer from a wide range of symptoms, including diarrhea, insomnia, pain, anxiety, and depression, as well as dilated pupils, runny nose, loss of appetite, and vomiting.

Bhargav explained that yoga, with its mindfulness, slow breathing, and relaxation techniques, helps the body transition from a state of constant stress to a state that supports healing, an aspect not fully covered by conventional medicine.

The study included 59 men with mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms, all of whom received buprenorphine treatment. Half of them also participated in ten 45-minute yoga sessions over 14 days, which included breathing exercises, physical postures, and relaxation instructions.

Researchers writing in JAMA Psychiatry reported that participants who practiced yoga recovered in an average of five days, compared to nine days for the group that received only drug treatment.

The results also showed that yoga helped reduce anxiety levels, which is a major factor in relapse during withdrawal, along with improving sleep quality, relieving pain, and improving heart rate.

Bhargav noted that the study was limited to males only, as it included patients who were treated at the center during the research period, stressing that involving women might reveal important differences in the experience of withdrawal and response to yoga, given the hormonal effects on the nervous system and pain perception.

He added that there are plans to conduct future studies involving women, as well as to study whether the benefits of yoga continue after the withdrawal phase ends, particularly in reducing the likelihood of relapse.