NCT07082998

Comparing the Efficacy of Heated Yoga and Sauna as a Treatment for Depression

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 120 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This project explores whether heated yoga, sauna, and a mindfulness app reduce depressive symptoms

Detailed description

This is a parallel group study design. The investigators plan to enroll 120 adults who have at least moderate depression and will be randomized in an equal allocation ratio (i.e., 1:1:1) across three groups: heated yoga vs. sauna vs. a mindfulness app. The interventions will be provided over a 12-week period and assessments will occur at baseline (Week 0), mid-intervention (Weeks 4 \& 8), post-intervention (Week 12, primary outcome), and at a 4-week (Week 16). Then participants enter an optional 1-month choice intervention period with a post-assessment (Week 20).

Conditions

• Depression Disorders
• Depression - Major Depressive Disorder
• Depression Disorder
• Depression Chronic
• Depression
• Depression in Adults

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	heated yoga	12-weeks of twice weekly 90-min heated yoga classes in the community
BEHAVIORAL	sauna	12-weeks of twice weekly 40-min sauna sessions in the community
BEHAVIORAL	mindfulness app	12-weeks of 80-mins a week of a mindfulness app

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-12
• Primary completion: 2027-07-31
• Completion: 2027-07-31
• First posted: 2025-07-24
• Last updated: 2025-11-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States