Objective:

To evaluate the impact of a structured yoga program on recovery from opioid withdrawal in men undergoing buprenorphine treatment.

Key Findings:

• Patients in the yoga group reached withdrawal stabilization significantly faster (median 5 days) compared to the control group (median 9 days).
• The rate of recovery was over fourfold higher with yoga after adjusting for buprenorphine dose.
• Yoga improved autonomic regulation, evidenced by increased high-frequency HRV power and reduced sympathetic dominance.
• Patients in the yoga group reported greater reductions in anxiety and improved sleep latency.

Interpretation:

Yoga may enhance recovery from opioid withdrawal by improving autonomic balance and reducing psychological symptoms, suggesting it could be a beneficial adjunct to standard treatment.

Limitations:

• Single-center design limits generalizability.
• Short follow-up period.
• Absence of an active control condition.
• Study included only male participants.

Conclusion:

Yoga represents a low-cost, scalable adjunct to standard withdrawal care that may improve treatment engagement and outcomes in opioid use disorder.