Can yoga help with opioid withdrawal?

Yes, so it seems. A publication from earlier this year describes adding on a course of yoga onto buprenorphine (Suboxone) treatment for opioid use disorder. It was randomized and controlled, improving the rigor of the study over a single arm open label trial, but seemed to employ somewhat lower doses of buprenorphine. Still, the outcomes described, of lower anxiety, decreased time to cessation of opioid withdrawal symptoms, improved sleep, and improved pain, is compelling, especially that unlike medications yoga has very few “side effects.” Here, they did 10 guided yoga sessions of 45 minutes duration over the first 2 weeks of treatment. It sure does seem like controlled breathing and relaxation practices (such as yoga), are a useful addition to mental health, and these benefits likely also apply to other populations of people who are not in opioid withdrawal, but just depressed or anxious. Does it work? Try it out. I recommend yoga to most all of my patients.

Goutham S, Bhargav H, Holla B, et al. Yoga for Opioid Withdrawal and Autonomic Regulation: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online January 07, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.3863

full text: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2843424