A Non -Randomized Study to Observe the Effect of Yoga on Anxiety, Stress and Depression Levels among Medical Students

Abstract

Background: Medical students commonly experience psychological stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Yoga may offer a simple supportive strategy for improving mental well-being. Materials and Methods: A single-group pre–post intervention study was conducted among 96 medical students aged 18–23 years at M. S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru. Participants followed a structured yoga program for 1 year. Perceived stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), while depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Pre- and post-intervention scores were compared using paired analyses. Results: Significant reductions were observed in PSS-10 scores (20.89 ± 6.54–17.89 ± 6.45), depression (12.83 ± 9.64–9.40 ± 8.45), anxiety (13.08 ± 8.12–5.58 ± 5.48), and stress (15.01 ± 8.68–9.31 ± 7.60), all P < 0.001. Anxiety showed the largest effect size (Cohen’s dz = 1.02). The proportion classified as normal for anxiety increased from 22.9% to 70.8%. Conclusion: One year of regular yoga practice was associated with significant improvement in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among medical students. Controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.