---

As the summer heats up, people are seeking different ways to ward off the heat. From children to elderly, everyone has a problem with the hot weather during these months. However, before blaming the summer heat for all your woes, know a few facts that will help you cheer up, literally. 

It has been long stated how doing Yoga is good for the mind as well as the body. But do you know which condition is best suited to do yoga? It is during hot conditions. This was revealed during a randomized controlled clinical trial carried out by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital, around four months ago.

The eight-week trial saw participants with moderate-to-severe depression receive 90-minute yoga sessions in a 105°F (40.5°C) room. Two such yoga sessions were conducted every week. After eight weeks, the participants registered a significant reduction in their depressive symptoms, by more than 50%. 

The study had caused quite a stir when it was made public about four months ago. But if you think about it, the fact that Yoga brings the best results when done during hot conditions shouldn't come as a surprise to us Indians. 

It was India that gave Yoga to the world. This holistic method to nourish both mind and body is believed to have been devised by ancient sages many millennia ago, and as such it only makes sense for them to come up with a method that is best suited for India’s weather conditions. 

The optimum temperature of 40°C for Yoga to alleviate depression, as discovered by the Massachusetts-based study, is around the same as the average day-to-day temperature of a typical Indian summer. The ancient sages saw the hot summer months not as a problem, but as a blessing. 

With the world turning to India and its vast traditional resources, especially Yoga, in search of holistic well-being, it is time for us also to change our perspective and view the hot summer months we endure annually not as a difficulty, but as a blessing. 

So, this summer, rather than go on complaining about the heat and the sweat, take up doing Yoga instead, and remain healthy and cheerful in life. 

---

Related Articles

Yoga meet in Mysoore

Another reason to love yoga: It can reduce depression and anxiety

Ujjayi Pranayama – calms the mind, warms the body

Experience Yoga close at the conclave in Pune

International Yoga Day – Yoga for harmony and peace

Yoga center inaugurated