Bengaluru, India – A new study from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, shows that adding yoga to standard treatment nearly halves the recovery time for people withdrawing from opioid addiction. Patients practicing yoga alongside medication stabilized in just five days, compared to nine days for those receiving only medication. The findings, published in JAMA Psychiatry on January 7, 2026, offer a low-cost, low-risk way to improve opioid recovery.
Yoga Accelerates Recovery
The groundbreaking research found that yoga dramatically speeds up recovery from opioid withdrawal symptoms. For individuals undergoing withdrawal, integrating a short yoga module into their treatment reduced the stabilization period by almost 50 percent, making recovery 4.4 times faster. Dr. Hemant Bhargav, who led the research team at NIMHANS, highlighted the potential for yoga to become a standard part of addiction treatment worldwide.[etvbharat+2]
The study involved 59 participants, aged 18 to 50, with an average age of 25.6 years. Researchers recruited these individuals between April 2023 and March 2024. Participants had mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms and were admitted to NIMHANS' inpatient ward. They were divided into two groups: one received standard buprenorphine-based treatment, and the other received the same standard treatment plus a 45-minute yoga program.[newsonair+6]
The yoga program included gentle postures, breathing exercises (pranayama), and brief guided meditation (Yoga Nidra). These sessions were delivered over 10 sessions within 14 days. Patients in the yoga group reported better sleep, less anxiety, and reduced pain during withdrawal.[timesofindia+7]
How Yoga Helps the Body
Opioid withdrawal is a difficult process, often causing intense stress and physical discomfort. The body's stress system goes into overdrive, leading to severe anxiety, restlessness, sleep problems, body pain, and a racing heart. Standard medications help manage these symptoms, but they do not always fix the underlying imbalance in the body's nervous system.[etvbharat]
Dr. Hemant Bhargav explained that yoga helps calm the body's stress response, which usually goes into overdrive during withdrawal. Researchers measured heart rate variability (HRV) as a key indicator of stress response. The yoga group showed improved HRV, indicating reduced sympathetic nervous system activity (fight-or-flight response) and a stronger parasympathetic response (calming effect).[etvbharat+5]
Yoga works by increasing levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and oxytocin in the brain. These neurochemicals help manage withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse. Yoga also enhances prefrontal activation, which reduces impulsivity and promotes positive behavioral changes and better self-regulation. This neurobiological effect helps patients cope better with the physical and mental challenges of withdrawal.[timesofindia+11]
Addressing a Global Challenge
Opioid use disorder is a major public health challenge worldwide. Dr. Prabhat Chand, head of NIMHANS' Centre for Addiction Medicine, noted that opioid addiction is particularly challenging to treat, even more so than tobacco or alcohol dependence. He emphasized that pharmacological treatments alone are often not enough to address the intense stress associated with withdrawal.[pharmabiz+1]
The study highlights yoga as a valuable supportive therapy that is both low-cost and low-risk. This makes it a highly attractive option for integrating into existing treatment protocols. The researchers believe that shortening the withdrawal period can significantly improve how well patients stay in treatment during this vulnerable phase of recovery.[timesofindia+8]
About 80 percent of the study participants had misused tapentadol, a prescription painkiller commonly abused in the Bengaluru region. Others reported using injectable heroin. The study received funding from the DBT–Wellcome Trust India Alliance.[thehindu+2]
Future Steps for Yoga in Treatment
NIMHANS and its collaborators are now discussing how to expand this intervention to reach more people. They are also conducting follow-up studies, including a six-month relapse prevention phase. Researchers plan to explore ways to deliver yoga interventions through community programs and digital platforms.[timesofindia+2]
Dr. Chand emphasized the public health value of simple, low-risk interventions that can be added to current care. This research paves the way for yoga to become a widely accepted and integrated part of addiction treatment globally, offering new hope for millions struggling with opioid dependence.[thehindu+1]
