Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44.3. Nearly half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with anxiety disorder as well. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the US affecting over 40 million people while only 35% of those seek treatment. An even more disturbing statistic is 25% of children are affected. Today I want to highlight 4 things that are baked into a yoga practice that make it a highly effective tool beyond “regular” exercise for relieving depressive symptoms and anxiety.