Can Yoga Alleviate Postpartum Depression?

(NaturalNews) Recently a study (conducted at the University of California, Irvine) suggesting that postpartum depression is the result of hormonal imbalances has made news. Postpartum depression is a common condition affecting women in the days after childbirth. It has also been suggested that Yoga potentially holds the key to alleviating this condition. Here is why.

Stress induced hormone release is considered normal when the brain discharges minute amounts of Corticotropin-releasing hormone, or CRH, to help the body cope with the stress. During pregnancy, however, the brain could potentially release copious quantities of CRH to help the mother during labor and thereafter drastically reduce the production of this hormone by contrast. This sudden rise and fall of hormonal levels can cause the endocrine system to behave abnormally and create havoc for the mother, during the postnatal phase.

It is also a fact that the levels of this hormone can be detected at around 25 weeks of pregnancy, exposing the mother’s propensity towards postpartum depression. Naturally, therefore, if levels are high it can be concluded that the risk of postpartum depression is also proportionately high.

CRH is known to trigger a surge of activity in the pituitary and adrenal glands, resulting in an unusually high output of the stress hormone, cortisol. Abnormal levels of stress hormones produced by an endocrine system out of balance can lead to conditions such as depression. According to studies, the brains of suicide victims, upon examination, revealed elevated levels of stress hormones.

The rate of postpartum depression can be as high as 1 in every 5 women within four to 6 weeks after childbirth and 7 percent of new mothers as well suffer severe depression.

Scientists say that women who are prone to depression have had previous bouts of depression, or those with a poor self-image, weak social and emotional ties, combined with a stressful pregnancy are the ones most likely to go through postpartum depression.

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You can also beat depression through correct nutrition

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