An interventional study of Recreational Therapy-Based Yoga in Depression in Older Adults and Heart Rate Variability (HRV), sponsored by Mersin University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 65 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-14.
Sponsored by Mersin University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Older adults living in nursing homes often experience depression, reduced satisfaction with daily activities, and changes in heart rhythm related to the autonomic nervous system. Non-drug approaches that are safe and easy to apply may help improve both emotional well-being and physical health in this population.
This randomized controlled study investigates the effects of a recreational therapy-based yoga program on emotional health and autonomic nervous system function in nursing home residents aged 65 years and older. Participants are randomly assigned to either a yoga intervention group or a control group. The yoga group participates in supervised yoga sessions twice a week for 10 weeks, including gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation. The control group does not receive any structured intervention during the study period.
Depression levels, leisure time satisfaction, and heart rate variability are measured before and after the intervention. Heart rate variability is used as an indicator of autonomic nervous system regulation. The study aims to determine whether recreational yoga can be a safe, low-cost, and effective non-pharmacological approach to improve emotional well-being and autonomic health among older adults living in nursing homes.
8,057 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,641 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 36 is below the median of 84 across 6,720 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants in this group take part in a recreational therapy-based yoga program conducted twice weekly for 10 weeks. Each session lasts approximately 40-60 minutes and includes gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and meditation. The yoga program is designed to be safe and appropriate for older adults living in a nursing home and is supervised throughout the intervention period.
Behavioral: Recreational Therapy-Based Yoga
Participants in the control group do not receive any structured exercise or recreational intervention during the study period and continue their usual daily activities within the nursing home.
The yoga intervention consists of supervised group sessions including relaxation exercises, basic and progressive yoga postures (asanas), breathing exercises, and meditation. Sessions are held twice per week for 10 weeks. Supportive equipment such as chairs, cushions, blocks, and towels is used to ensure participant comfort and minimize injury risk.
Depression Level
Depression levels are assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), a validated self-report questionnaire for older adults. Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 10-week intervention period
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Autonomic nervous system function is evaluated using heart rate variability parameters measured with a chest-worn heart rate monitor. Time-domain, frequency-domain, and non-linear HRV parameters are analyzed to assess sympathetic and parasympathetic activity.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 10-week intervention period
Plan to share: No
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This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Mersin University