Effects of Traditional Thai Yoga Exercise Therapy as a Complementary Therapy to Conventional Medicine in Alleviating Depressive Symptoms in Depression.

Introduction: Traditional Thai Yoga exercise (Ruesi Dadton) is a therapeutic practice that integrates mild self-stretching, deep breathing, and self-massage to enhance physical and mental well-being. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support the beneficial effects of Ruesi Dadton in the treatment of depression. This study aimed to assess the effects of Ruesi Dadton on alleviating depressive symptoms in patients with depression. Methods: A pre-post research design was conducted to evaluate the effects of Ruesi Dadton therapy on two university students diagnosed with depression. The Ruesi Dadton therapy sessions were conducted thrice weekly for a duration of eight weeks, with each session lasting 50 minutes. The outcomes, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), were evaluated at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment. Results: Both participants completed the pre- and post-treatment evaluations. The severity of negative symptoms, assessed using PHQ-9 and PSQI, exhibited a noticeable reduction after the eight-week treatment period. Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that Ruesi Dadton therapy, particularly combined with contemporary medication, has an advantageous effect in alleviating depressive disorder. keywords: Ruesi Dadton, Thai yoga, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), depression, university students.