Research
Overview
About 17% of the population suffers from depression, but it is not adequately treated in up to 40% of depressed people. This study investigates how yoga and walking affect depression. We hypothesize that exercise such as yoga or walking improves depressive symptoms. Based on our research, we think that exercise improves mood by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, and by increasing a chemical in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).