Certain Meditation, Yoga asanas (postures), and pranayama (breathing) practices may be effective as supplemental treatment to novel Coronavirus, a new study has suggested.

The researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, University of California-San Diego, and Chopra Library for Integrative Studies found that the anti-inflammatory effects of Yoga and Meditation could make them adjunctive, or supplemental, to the treatment of the novel coronavirus. They believe such practices can reduce severity of the coronavirus infection significantly.

The paper was recently published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM).

Earlier studies found that 90 minutes of Yogic stretching can boost two key anti-microbial peptides -- β-defensin and HBD-2 expression, which in-turn can contribute to a robust immune system.

The authors explained that they found evidence of stress and inflammation modulation, and also preliminary evidence for "possible forms of immune system enhancement, accompanying the practice of certain forms of Meditation, Yoga, and Pranayama, along with potential implications for counteracting some forms of infectious challenges."

The researchers noted that Yoga and Meditation may enhance the activity of Melatonin, which could be useful to treat SARS-CoV-2 as it was found to be protective against lung injury caused by a ventilator in animal models.