Yoga for Opioid Withdrawal and Autonomic Regulation

Can yoga as adjuvant therapy accelerate opioid withdrawal recovery and improve autonomic regulation in patients with opioid use disorder?In this randomized clinical trial of 59 male participants with opioid use disorder, those receiving yoga alongside standard buprenorphine treatment achieved withdrawal stabilization 4.4 times faster than controls (median, 5 vs 9 days) and showed significant improvements in heart rate variability, anxiety, sleep, and pain measures.In this trial, yoga significantly enhanced opioid withdrawal recovery through measurable autonomic and clinical improvements, supporting its integration into withdrawal protocols as a neurobiologically informed intervention.

Corresponding Author: Hemant Bhargav, MD, PhD, Department of Integrative Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Main Road, Bengaluru, India 560029 (drbhargav.nimhans@gmail.com).

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