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Decreased mental and physical complaints.
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Increased relaxation.
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Enhanced quality of life.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States1. Those suffering from the mood disorder often find it difficult to complete even the most basic of day-to-day activities, as depression affects how they think, feel and behave. Complications are varied, and can include pain and physical illness, alcohol abuse, anxiety and panic disorder, social isolation, relationship difficulties and problems at work or school.2
Treatment typically includes utilizing a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle remedies to cope with the symptoms of depression. Often, it can be a long and tedious process trying to find the right balance, as it will vary dramatically from individual to individual. When conventional treatment approaches do not provide relief, many individuals must resort to costly in-patient hospital treatment.
Fortunately, a new method of treatment is emerging in the form of thermal therapy. A 2016 clinical study found that whole-body hyperthermia “…holds promise as a safe, rapid-acting, antidepressant modality with a prolonged therapeutic benefit.”3, noting that “…a single session of whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) reduced depressive symptoms.”3
Further studies yielded similar results. A study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry “found that a single session induced a rapid, robust, and sustained reduction in depressive symptoms.”4 Another reported that “…somatic complaints, hunger, and relaxation scores significantly improved…”5 in participants undergoing thermal therapy, concluding that “…repeated thermal therapy may be useful for mildly depressed patients with appetite loss and subjective complaints.”5
Have you found that depression has adversely affected your quality of life? Call us today at (800) 528-3110 to find out how incorporating a JNH Lifestyles sauna into your home-wellness routine can help you enhance your quality of life while coping with depression.
1 Major Depression Among Adults. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/major-depression-among-adults.shtml
2 Depression (major depressive disorder). (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/basics/definition/con-20032977
3 Janssen, C. W., Lowry, C. A., Mehl, M. R., Allen, J. J., Kelly, K. L., Gartner, D. E., . . . Raison, C. L. (2016). Whole-Body Hyperthermia for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. JAMA Psychiatry, 73(8), 789. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1031.
4 Hanusch, K., Janssen, C. H., Billheimer, D., Jenkins, I., Spurgeon, E., Lowry, C. A., & Raison, C. L. (2013). Whole-Body Hyperthermia for the Treatment of Major Depression: Associations With Thermoregulatory Cooling. American Journal of Psychiatry AJP, 170(7), 802-804. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.12111395.
5 Masuda, A., Nakazato, M., Kihara, T., Minagoe, S., & Tei, C. (2005). Repeated Thermal Therapy Diminishes Appetite Loss and Subjective Complaints in Mildly Depressed Patients. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67(4), 643-647. doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000171812.67767.8f.
