Yoga is an ancient Indian practice that disciplines the mind and body through a series of poses known as asanas. Each asana is held for a period of time with the aim of strengthening the mind as well as the body, due to the concentration required to hold the pose.

Yoga is also about connecting with yourself by gaining an insight into your inner self. When depression strikes, it is said that the person has lost the connection to themselves. Devotees of yoga claim that it has amazing inner healing powers and because of this, yogis (those who practice yoga) are able to deal with depression and other mental health problems better than those who do not practice the discipline.

Studies have found that yoga is helpful in cases of depression, anxiety, stress, bipolar conditions and other mental health problems. In the UK, yoga is being offered as a form of alternative therapy on the NHS. In New York, yoga is offered as a treatment by psychiatrists to their patients.

Because of the side effects of many mental health drugs, yoga is increasingly being seen as a popular alternative to harsh drugs. For example, yoga is deemed an effective treatment for those suffering from schizophrenia. Yoga works to calm the body and hence the mind due to the steady and controlled breathing that is required in order to complete the postures.

Fans of yoga have found that they are able to transfer this skill to other areas of their life, particularly when they are feeling anxious because they are able to slow down their breathing and also their heart rate.

Meditation is one of the practices of yoga, and involves using controlled breathing together with inner reflection and focusing on an object or a particular set of thoughts. Meditation that is geared towards helping mental health problems involves dealing with negative thoughts and feelings which can affect a person's confidence and self-esteem.

Meditation is used by monks as part of their daily ritual to instill calmness and control within the body. They also use meditation as a means to reach within themselves and attain inner peace and harmony, so that they are essentially at one with themselves. This notion of being completely at one with yourself is seen as one of the keys to being truly happy from within.

Meditation is an excellent way to help calm and focus the mind as well as deal with negativity and replace them with positive thoughts and a happier mindset. Research has found meditation to be highly effective in treating depression and preventing severe bouts of depression from returning.

One of the many benefits of meditation is that those people who meditate regularly have an exceptional ability to handle stressful situations with a calm and clear mind. Anyone can experience the life enhancing qualities that meditation can bring, simply by playing meditation CDs. These are widely available online and can be used to help a number of conditions from weight loss to depression and treating anxiety and stress.

Yoga and meditation go hand in hand, and aside from their numerous health benefits, they are a viable alternative to drugs for those people who suffer from depression and other mental health problems.