12 Benefits of Yoga That Are Supported by Science
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12 Benefits of Yoga That Are Supported by Science
Some of yoga’s many potential benefits include improved flexibility, strength, and body awareness. It may also help relieve stress and anxiety.
The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root word “yuj,” which means “to yoke” or “to bind.” The word itself has numerous meanings, from an astrological conjunction to matrimony, with the underlying theme being connection.
The practice originated in Ancient India as a means to further spiritual growth and the mind and body connection.
The scientific research into yoga’s benefits is still somewhat preliminary, but much of the evidence so far supports what practitioners seem to have known for millennia: Yoga can be beneficial to our overall well-being.
Let’s look at 12 of the many benefits of yoga in greater depth.
1. Yoga improves flexibility and balance
A key part of yoga involves stretching your muscles, which can help to improveTrusted Source flexibility and balance.
Flexibility is an important component of physical health. Yoga offers many styles to choose from, varying in intensity from high to moderate to mild.
Yoga may be especially helpful for improving flexibility in adults ages 65 years and older. Reduced flexibility is a natural part of aging, and a 2019 studyTrusted Source found that yoga both slowed down loss and improved flexibility in older adults.
2. Yoga helps with stress relief
The American Psychological Association reports that more than 8 in 10 adults in the United States feel the impact of prolonged stress.
A regular yoga practice may helpTrusted Source you manage your stress levels and improve your overall quality of life.
It’s important to remember that physical practice is just one aspect of yoga. Meditation, breath work, and auditory rituals like chanting and sound baths may also help relieveTrusted Source tension and stress.
3. Yoga may help manage depression
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental health disorder. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it affects 5 in 100 adultsTrusted Source globally.
A 2023 review of 34 studies looking at yoga-based treatments on depressive symptoms concluded that yoga can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, making it an effective component of MDD management.
Both movement-based yoga therapies and breathing-based practices may help improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
4. Yoga will likely increase your strength
While most people associate yoga with stretching and flexibility, some types of yoga classes can also be considered strength-building. It just depends on the class level, approach, and teacher. This makes yoga asana a multimodalTrusted Source form of exercise.
A 2021 meta-analysisTrusted Source found yoga to be an effective strength-building practice that may help to target both upper and lower limbs.
5. Yoga may reduce anxiety
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America suggests that anxiety disorders may be the most common mental health disorders in the United States.
Numerous studies suggest that yoga asana may beTrusted Source effective as an alternative treatment for anxiety disorders, though several of the researchers suggest that further research is still needed to confirm this.
Yoga nidra, which is a body scan meditation, has been shown to reduce symptomsTrusted Source of anxiety.
6. Yoga may improve quality of life
Several factors can affect quality of life (QOL), such as relationships, learning opportunities, health, and material comforts.
For decades, researchersTrusted Source have viewed QOL as an important predictor of people’s longevity and likelihood of improvement when treated for a chronic illness or injury.
A 2019 study found promising potential for yoga to improve QOL in people with chronic pain.
If you experience chronic pain, consider speaking with a physical therapist, pain specialist, or a doctor. They may be able to suggest an individualized yoga routine that could help you manage symptoms.
7. Yoga may boost immunity
Chronic stress can negatively affect your immune system.
When your immunity is compromised, you’re more susceptible to illness. But yoga may be an alternative treatment for stress.
The research is still evolving, but some studies have found a distinct link between practicing yoga (especially consistently over the long term) and better immune system functioning.
This is due in part to yoga’s abilityTrusted Source to fight inflammation and in part to the enhancement of cell-mediated immunity.
8. Yoga may improve cardiovascular
functioning
Pranayama, often referred to as “yogic breathing,” is an important and beneficial aspect of yoga.
A 2019 review of 1,400 studies found that yogic breathing can improve the functioning of several systems in the body.
The research summarized that controlling the pace of breathing benefits the cardiovascular system. This research indicates that yogic breathing may influence the function of the heart, brain, and lungs.
9. Yoga may help improve sleep
When measuring sleep, researchers look at a person’s ability to fall and stay asleep. Insomnia can affect one or both of these aspects.
Yoga may help improve both how quickly people fall asleep and how deeply they stay asleep. This is partly due to the after-effects of exercise and the mental calming and stress relief provided by yoga specifically.
10. Yoga may improve self-esteem
Body image and self-esteem are often particularly challenging for adolescents and young adults. Several studies show positive results when using yoga to improve self-esteem and perceived body image in these populations.
There has also been promising evidence that yoga may help with the accompanying symptoms of obsession, anxiety, and depression in people with anorexia nervosa.
11. Yoga can promote better posture and
body awareness
As a modern society reliant on technology, we seem to be spending more and more time sitting or hunched over devices.
A 2020 review of 34 research studies found that yoga helped improve brain functioning in the centers responsible for interoception (recognizing the sensations within your body) and posture.
Try adding yoga poses during breaks in your workouts to promote better posture.
12. Yoga can help with burnout
Burnout refers to excessive exhaustion that affects one’s health.
A 2021 studyTrusted Source that examined burnout among hospice workers during the COVID-19 pandemic concluded that yoga-based meditation interventions significantly reduced the effects of burnout by improving interoceptive (body) awareness.
This is the ability to notice internal signals and respond appropriately — meaning yoga may help people become more in tune with, and even more likely to listen to, their body’s signals.