Researching Heat and Yoga for Mood Enhancement

NCT ID: NCT06094088

Last Updated: 2025-11-13

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

120 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-07-01

Study Completion Date

2026-12-01

Brief Summary

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This study will examine how doing heated yoga or non-heated yoga affects depression.

Detailed Description

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of heated and non-heated yoga on depressive symptoms. Previous research trials using heated and non-heated yoga interventions have shown promising results for reducing depression and its related outcomes. However, no studies have directly compared the effects of heated vs. non-heated yoga for depression. The researchers aim to address this gap by conducting a non-inferiority trial comparing heated yoga and non-heated yoga interventions to improve depressive symptoms. Both the heated and non-heated yoga interventions will be conducted in-person by certified yoga instructors. Eligible participants will be adults who do not regularly practice yoga or meditation and are experiencing moderate levels of depression. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up using a secure data capture system.

Conditions

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Depression

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Heated Yoga

The heated (i.e., \~105°F with 40% humidity) yoga will be 90 minutes long and consist of 26 Hatha yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises. The class starts with standing postures for approximately 45-50 minutes, followed by a 2-minute savasana (or corpse pose on the floor) and the remainder of the 90-minute class is completed on the mat. All yoga teachers will be heated yoga certified.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Heated Yoga

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Heated yoga described in arm/group description

Non-heated Yoga

The non-heated (i.e., room temperature \< 80°F) yoga will be 90 minutes long and consist of 26 Hatha yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises. The class starts with standing postures for approximately 45-50 minutes, followed by a 2-minute savasana (or corpse pose on the floor) and the remainder of the 90-minute class is completed on the mat. All yoga teachers will be heated yoga certified.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Non-Heated Yoga

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Non-heated yoga described in arm/group description

Interventions

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Heated Yoga

Heated yoga described in arm/group description

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Non-Heated Yoga

Non-heated yoga described in arm/group description

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. adults (18-65 years old)
2. able to provide consent
3. are able to read and understand English
4. PHQ-9 score between 10-20, indicating moderate but not severe depressive symptom severity (27)
5. Must have filled out the waiver for the community-based yoga studio prior to enrolling in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

1. have had a bone fracture or joint surgery in the past 6 months
2. not able to walk freely or without difficulty
3. have severe heart failure or lung disease
4. participants endorse an item on the revised Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+) and do not have approval from their treating physician (we will check in with treating physician in the event that participants endorse any item on the PAR-Q+)
5. participants must have a physician responsible for their medical care
6. are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
7. no more than 6 yoga classes in the past 6 months
8. have active suicidal thinking (i.e., PHQ-9 item 9 ≥1 and a positive response to C-SSRS screener items 3, 4, 5, or 6)
9. report manic symptoms (Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale score ≥ 6 (28))
10. are on medications that make dehydration more likely (e.g., lithium, antipsychotics, insulin-dependent)
11. active eating disorders or substance use disorders within the past 12 months
12. antidepressant or psychiatric medications that are initiated less than 8 weeks or a dose change less than 4 weeks prior to screening visit
13. psychotherapy that has been initiated within the past 3 months
14. willingness to keep psychiatric medications and psychotherapy stable throughout the course of the study
15. psychiatric hospitalization within the past year
16. diagnosed with any neurological disorders that would impact participation or make participation unsafe
17. are currently in any active ketamine, ECT, or TMS
18. are unable to follow the study procedures (e.g., not able to travel to the heated or non-heated yoga studios)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Tiny Blue Dot Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Massachusetts General Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Maren Nyer

Clinical Psychologist

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Orange Door Collaborative

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Breathe Yoga Studio

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Maren Nyer, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 617-726-8895

Email: [email protected]

Louisa Sylvia, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 617-726-5855

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Shelley Cates

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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2023p001916

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id