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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of classical yoga not only as a complementary therapy but also as a viable option in the management of anxiety and depression. Design/methodology/approach Papers were retrieved using a combination of databases including PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO. Findings The findings revealed that the practice of yoga as complementary therapy and also as a stand-alone therapy is effective in managing and reducing anxiety and depression. Research limitations/implications All the studies reviewed in this paper were methodologically limited in terms of sample size, sample heterogeneity, yoga intervention styles, duration of practice and teaching methods. Further research is needed to address key areas such as how much yoga is needed per week, duration of each class and specifically the types of asanas and pranayama to practise to bring about change in the anxiety and depressive states. Practical implications This review has provided substantial insight to yoga as a complementary and/or stand-alone therapy for anxiety and depression which is much needed in this contemporary society. The Malaysian community especially teenagers and adults, should consider incorporating yoga as part of their daily routine to experience and reap its benefits. It is suggested that yoga be included as part of the physical education curriculum in learning institutions and as a recreational activity for staff in public and private organisations. Originality/value The findings of this review provide an avenue for victims to cope with and manage anxiety and depression through the practice of yoga.

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Yoga is not only an art but also an ancient science that evolved more than 5000 years ago. It is practised by people from all walks of life in almost every part of the world. In the past, the practice, which was seen to be spiritual and divine, used to be confined to smaller groups of individuals who were seeking moksha or liberation; however, the trend has transformed over the decades. Today, there are so many yoga studios worldwide, and this has made it easy for yoga enthusiasts. This chapter investigates the effectiveness of yoga not only as a complementary therapy but also as a viable option in the management of stress, anxiety and depression. Articles were retrieved using PubMed, MEDLINE and PsychInfo databases. The findings reveal that the practice of yoga as a complementary therapy and stand-alone therapy is effective in managing stress, anxiety and depression. However, further research is needed as all the studies reviewed were limited in terms of heterogeneity, sample size, intervention styles, frequency and duration of practice, and also teaching methods. The chapter concludes with suggestions for home practice.