10 benefits of yoga

What is yoga?

Rooted in Indian philosophy, yoga began as an ancient, spiritual practice and has now developed into a popular form of stress-relieving exercise, benefiting both mental and physical wellbeing. Modern forms of yoga centre around contemplative and self-disciplinary practices, including physical postures (asana), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dyana) – all of which can be practised in a variety of different ways.

As there are so many different yoga styles – from gentle exercise to those that are more physically demanding – it can be difficult to evaluate the connection between yoga and health. However, evidence collected by studies so far appears to support the fact that practising yoga regularly can promote endurance, flexibility, calmness, and mental wellbeing.

Types of yoga

There are various types of yoga, each of which carries its own set of benefits:

Ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga is a traditional form of yoga, which combines vigorous exercise and controlled breathing with the goal of inducing a meditative state.

Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is an umbrella term that describes any type of yoga that teaches physical poses.

Iyengar yoga

Iyengar yoga is based on the teachings of the renowned yoga master, B.K.S Iyengar. It largely focuses on finding the correct alignment in each pose, using a variety of props, such as blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, and bolsters to make this easier.

Kripalu yoga

A modern style, Kripalu Yoga is a form of hatha yoga adapted from ancient practices. This form focuses on physical postures performed in no particular order, accompanied by breathing exercises. The aim of Kripalu yoga is to guide your awareness inward focusing on the flow of breath.

Kundalini yoga

Kundalini yoga involves chanting, repeating asanas, pranayama, meditation, and singing. The goal of this form of yoga is to increase your self-awareness by quieting the mind.

Yoga nidra

Yoga nidra – also known as “yogic sleep” – is guided meditation which is generally practised when lying down. The aim is to enter a state of relaxed consciousness, settling the mind between wakefulness and sleep.

Sivananda

In 1957, yoga practitioner Swami Sivananda travelled to the West to share the Sivananda yoga teachings – which contributed to yoga gaining rapid popularity. The main teachings of Sivananda yoga concern the “4 paths of yogas” and the “5 points of yoga”, and a sequence of 12 postures.

Viniyoga

Viniyoga teaches practitioners about form over function, breath and adaptation, repetition and stay, and the art and science of sequencing.

Yin yoga

Yin yoga is a quiet, contemplative practice that focuses on holding passive poses for a longer period of time in order to benefit deep tissues, ligaments, joints, bones, and fascia.

Prenatal yoga

Prenatal yoga can be a beneficial way to prepare pregnant people for childbirth, which typically involves focused breathing, gentle stretching, posture work, finalised with a cool down and relaxation.

Restorative yoga

Restorative yoga involves prolonged periods of rest in various supported, simple poses, utilising props to reduce muscular effort and stress. This practice aims to induce deep relaxation without exerting a great deal of effort.

What are the benefits of yoga?

Although the health benefits of yoga are only in the early stages of investigation, the evidence collected so far establishes a positive correlation with yoga and overall wellbeing. So, what are the main benefits of yoga that previous studies have found?

1. May improve flexibility

Research is limited around yoga and flexibility, although small studies have shown that practising yoga regularly can improve flexibility, amongst young people and in adults aged 65 and over. More research in bigger studies is needed to confirm this possible benefit.

2. May reduce stress

It’s been suggested that certain types of yoga could reduce stress levels. One particular study, which focused on the effect of yoga on 52 women, revealed that it played an important role in reducing anxiety and depression. However, men were not studied in this research, so effects across both sexes were not explored.

3. May increase strength

A study on 173 Chinese adults suggested that hatha may have positive effects on “cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility”. Yoga has also been shown to improve functional capacity and quality of life in breast cancer patients, strength and balance in older individuals, and balance, strength, and flexibility in children.

4. May reduce anxiety

Both hatha yoga and yoga nidra have been shown to be promising for reducing symptoms of anxiety – a disorder that is experienced by roughly one in 10 people in the UK.

5. May reduce depression

An evaluation of 23 yoga interventions showed that practising yoga could be effective in reducing depression, despite the study’s size limitations. This could be due to the fact that yoga has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, which in turn could reduce depression, as cortisol abnormalities have been positively correlated with depression severity.

A further study also showed that an 8-week hatha yoga course resulted in “statistically and clinically significant reductions in depression severity”.

6. May improve quality of life during illness

Many people use yoga as a way to improve their quality of life, and some evidence suggests that those with the following health conditions can benefit from this practice:

• Prostate cancer: A randomised study on 68 patients was conducted to evaluate the possible therapeutic effects of yoga on patients with prostate cancer who were undergoing radiation therapy. The study found that attending a yoga class twice a week reduced fatigue associated with radiotherapy, alongside improving sexual and urinary function.
• Stroke: Balance impairment, which is common after a stroke, may be improved with the help of modified yoga. Group yoga may be complementary to rehabilitation, although further testing is required.
• Ulcerative colitis: A randomised clinical trial revealed that yoga improved disease-related quality of life in ulcerative colitis patients.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: An 8-week intense yoga course was shown to improve physical and psychological symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

7. May benefit your immune system

Yoga appears to enhance cell-mediated immunity thanks to its suggested ability to fight inflammation. However, more research is required to draw distinct conclusions.

8. May improve sleep

Sleep complaints are common in older adults, which may be helped with regular, long-term yoga practice – as revealed in a cross-sectional study.

9. May help brain function

It’s suggested that yoga practice can strengthen areas of the brain that play a vital role in memory, attention, awareness, thought, and language.

Not only this, it has been suggested that yoga can have a “structural and functional effect on brain areas involved in interoception, posture, motivation, and higher executive functions.” However, there’s little research to show that yoga actually improves brain function in real life.

10. May assist with back pain

There is some evidence to suggest that yoga may be effective at treating lower back pain. However, additional research is needed to confirm.

Take away

As yoga is only beginning to take the world by storm, there’s still much research to be done in order to confirm its health benefits. However, research collected up until this point shows promising correlations.

With there being so many forms of yoga, it might take you a few attempts to find the one that works best for you. As yoga isn’t specifically linked to physical movement, this makes it an accessible form of mindfulness that’s available to anyone – regardless of your age or ability.

Did you know you can track your fitness levels in the Evergreen Life app? You can also receive more personalised tips on how to improve other aspects of your wellbeing such as diet, sleep and happiness. Download the app and take the Fitness Check to start your wellness journey.

1. American Viniyoga Institute. (2022). What is viniyoga? American Viniyoga Institute.
2. Bankar MA, Chaudhari SK, Chaudhari KD. Impact of long term Yoga practice on sleep quality and quality of life in the elderly. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2013 Jan;4(1):28-32. doi: 10.4103/0975-9476.109548. PMID: 23741159; PMCID: PMC3667430.
3. Ben-Josef AM, Chen J, Wileyto P, Doucette A, Bekelman J, Christodouleas J, Deville C, Vapiwala N. Effect of Eischens Yoga During Radiation Therapy on Prostate Cancer Patient Symptoms and Quality of Life: A Randomized Phase II Trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2017 Aug 1;98(5):1036-1044. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2017.03.043. Epub 2017 Mar 31. PMID: 28721886.
4. Bridges L, Sharma M. The Efficacy of Yoga as a Form of Treatment for Depression. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine. 2017;22(4):1017-1028. doi:10.1177/2156587217715927
5. Cramer, H., Schäfer, M., Schöls, M., Köcke, J., Elsenbruch, S., Lauche, R., Engler, H., Dobos, G. and Langhorst, J. (2017), Randomised clinical trial: yoga vs written self-care advice for ulcerative colitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 45: 1379-1389. https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14062
6. Ekhart Yoga. (2021). Restorative yoga. Ekhart Yoga.
7. Ekhart Yoga. (2021). What is yoga nidra? Ekhart Yoga.
8. Ekhart Yoga. (2022). Yin Yoga. Ekhart Yoga.
9. Falkenberg RI, Eising C, Peters ML. Yoga and immune system functioning: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Behav Med. 2018 Aug;41(4):467-482. doi: 10.1007/s10865-018-9914-y. Epub 2018 Feb 10. PMID: 29429046.
10. Ferreira-Vorkapic C, Borba-Pinheiro CJ, Marchioro M, Santana D. The Impact of Yoga Nidra and Seated Meditation on the Mental Health of College Professors. Int J Yoga. 2018 Sep-Dec;11(3):215-223. doi: 10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_57_17. PMID: 30233115; PMCID: PMC6134749.
11. Foley D, Ancoli-Israel S, Britz P, Walsh J. Sleep disturbances and chronic disease in older adults: results of the 2003 National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America Survey. J Psychosom Res. 2004 May;56(5):497-502. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.02.010. PMID: 15172205.
12. Folleto JC, Pereira KR, Valentini NC. The effects of yoga practice in school physical education on children’s motor abilities and social behavior. Int J Yoga. 2016 Jul-Dec;9(2):156-62. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.183717. PMID: 27512323; PMCID: PMC4959326.
13. Gautam, Surabhi et al. ‘Impact of Yoga Based Mind-body Intervention on Systemic Inflammatory Markers and Co-morbid Depression in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial’. 1 Jan. 2019 : 41 – 59.
14. Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School. (2021). Yoga for better mental health. Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.
15. Hewett ZL, Cheema BS, Pumpa KL, Smith CA. The Effects of Bikram Yoga on Health: Critical Review and Clinical Trial Recommendations. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:428427. doi: 10.1155/2015/428427. Epub 2015 Oct 5. PMID: 26504475; PMCID: PMC4609431.
16. Hofmann SG, Andreoli G, Carpenter JK, Curtiss J. Effect of Hatha Yoga on Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis. J Evid Based Med. 2016 Aug;9(3):116-124. doi: 10.1111/jebm.12204. Epub 2016 May 20. PMID: 27203378; PMCID: PMC5116432.
17. International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. (2021). The Teachings. International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres.
18. Jarry, Josee & Chang, Felicia & La Civita, Loreana. (2017). Ashtanga Yoga for Psychological Well-being: Initial Effectiveness Study. Mindfulness. 8. 10.1007/s12671-017-0703-4.
19. Lau C, Yu R, Woo J. Effects of a 12-Week Hatha Yoga Intervention on Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength and Endurance, and Flexibility in Hong Kong Chinese Adults: A Controlled Clinical Trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:958727. doi: 10.1155/2015/958727. Epub 2015 Jun 8. PMID: 26167196; PMCID: PMC4475706.
20. Mayo Clinic. (2021). Prenatal yoga: What you need to know. Mayo Clinic.
21. Medical News Today. (2021). How does yoga work? Medical News Today.
22. Mental Health UK. (2022). What is anxiety? Mental Health UK.
23. MindBodyGreen. (2018). What Is Kundalini Yoga? Everything You Need To Know About This Celebrity-Favorite Practice. MindBodyGreen.
24. Nandam LS, Brazel M, Zhou M, Jhaveri DJ. Cortisol and Major Depressive Disorder-Translating Findings From Humans to Animal Models and Back. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 22;10:974. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00974. PMID: 32038323; PMCID: PMC6987444.
25. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2021). Yoga: What You Need To Know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
26. Polsgrove MJ, Eggleston BM, Lockyer RJ. Impact of 10-weeks of yoga practice on flexibility and balance of college athletes. Int J Yoga. 2016 Jan-Jun;9(1):27-34. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.171710. PMID: 26865768; PMCID: PMC4728955.
27. Prathikanti S, Rivera R, Cochran A, Tungol JG, Fayazmanesh N, Weinmann E. Treating major depression with yoga: A prospective, randomized, controlled pilot trial. PLoS One. 2017 Mar 16;12(3):e0173869. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173869. PMID: 28301561; PMCID: PMC5354384.
28. Schmid AA, Van Puymbroeck M, Altenburger PA, Schalk NL, Dierks TA, Miller KK, Damush TM, Bravata DM, Williams LS. Poststroke balance improves with yoga: a pilot study. Stroke. 2012 Sep;43(9):2402-7. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.112.658211. Epub 2012 Jul 26. PMID: 22836351.
29. Shohani M, Badfar G, Nasirkandy MP, Kaikhavani S, Rahmati S, Modmeli Y, Soleymani A, Azami M. The Effect of Yoga on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Women. Int J Prev Med. 2018 Feb 21;9:21. doi: 10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_242_16. PMID: 29541436; PMCID: PMC5843960.
30. Sivaramakrishnan D, Fitzsimons C, Kelly P, Ludwig K, Mutrie N, Saunders DH, Baker G. The effects of yoga compared to active and inactive controls on physical function and health related quality of life in older adults- systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2019 Apr 5;16(1):33. doi: 10.1186/s12966-019-0789-2. PMID: 30953508; PMCID: PMC6451238.
31. Tracy BL, Hart CE. Bikram yoga training and physical fitness in healthy young adults. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Mar;27(3):822-30. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31825c340f. PMID: 22592178.
32. van Aalst J, Ceccarini J, Demyttenaere K, Sunaert S, Van Laere K. What Has Neuroimaging Taught Us on the Neurobiology of Yoga? A Review. Front Integr Neurosci. 2020 Jul 8;14:34. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2020.00034. PMID: 32733213; PMCID: PMC7362763.
33. Vardar Yağlı N, Şener G, Arıkan H, et al. Do Yoga and Aerobic Exercise Training Have Impact on Functional Capacity, Fatigue, Peripheral Muscle Strength, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors? Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2015;14(2):125-132. doi:10.1177/1534735414565699
34. Wieland LS, Skoetz N, Pilkington K, Vempati R, D’Adamo CR, Berman BM. Yoga treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jan 12;1(1):CD010671. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010671.pub2. PMID: 28076926; PMCID: PMC5294833.
35. Woodyard C. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. Int J Yoga. 2011 Jul;4(2):49-54. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.85485. PMID: 22022122; PMCID: PMC3193654.
36. Yogapedia. (2018). Kripalu Yoga. Yogapedia.