Benefits of Yoga

Overview

The first thing that pops into our heads when we think of yoga is increased flexibility. Although this is true and has been proven by several research studies, yoga offers so much more. This is because, as you will learn in the following short article, yoga does not just act as an exercise for the body, but for the mind and spirit as well. 

Yoga has been suggested to treat mood-related disorders such as anxiety and depression with an efficacy better than pharmacological drugs, and build muscle without extra resistance from weights or dumbbells. 

Understanding yoga

What is Yoga?

Originating in India over 3,000-4,000 years ago, yoga is an ancient holistic practice that combines both physical and mental strength as well as spiritual healing all into one.¹  

Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘’yuj’’, which essentially means ‘’to yoke’’ or ‘’to bind’’ and ‘’unite’’.¹ Yoga focuses mainly on uniting and connecting the mind and body so that the body’s ‘’energy system’’ can be more balanced,¹ thus enabling the yoga practitioner to reach ‘’samadhi’’ (a profound state of consciousness, concentration, and bliss).²

According to the American Osteopathic Association,³ there are over 100 different types and styles of yoga. These include Hatha, Vinyasa,  Ashtanga, Power, and Bikram yoga.⁴ 

Bikram yoga, or ‘’hot yoga’’, as it is often referred to, involves the practice of over 26 static yoga postures in a room heated to over 40^oC (or 105^oF).⁴

Hatha yoga is most commonly practised in the Western world and combines multiple styles of yoga including vinyasa, Power, and Ashtanga.^1,4 Although Hatha yoga can be structured in different ways, it involves three core elements⁵ that are practised in every yoga class:

• Physical postures (‘’asanas’’)
• Breathing techniques or breathing exercises (‘’pranayamas’’)
• Meditation (‘’dyana’’)

Often, Hatha yoga or any style or type of yoga starts with pranayamas before moving onto asanas and finally ending with dyana. Dyana is usually performed in a savasana⁶ full-resting yoga pose by lying down on one’s back, legs wide, and arms by one’s side.

Benefits of Yoga  

The following health benefits are supported with the strongest quality of research evidence: 

Yoga enhances mental health:  

• A 2018 research review of 14 studies with an overall number of 1,084 participants found that regular yoga practice was associated with improvements in positive mental health predictors including mindfulness (being fully present in the moment and having complete awareness to internal and external events), resilience (the ability to withstand difficult situations), mental well-being, self-compassion, and many others² 

• A 2020 review of 27 yoga intervention studies found a 70% decrease in anxiety and/or depression symptoms in children and adolescents who practised  yoga⁷ 

• Yoga has even been recently considered to be an effective alternative treatment for depression in a 2017 meta-analysis of 23 studies of yoga interventions⁸ 

Yoga improves stress management:

• A 2020 systematic review of 12 studies showed that yoga classes that include Hatha yoga, Bikram yoga (‘’hot yoga’’), or Yin yoga help manage stress and decrease stress levels⁹ 
• Yoga asanas or physical yoga practice, as well as sound-based meditation and breathing exercises, have been demonstrated to be the most helpful aspects of yoga in stress management^9,10

Yoga improves flexibility and balance: 

According to the American Journal of Sports Medicine, flexibility is defined as the ability of a joint or group of joints to extend easily with a full range of motion (ROM)¹¹

• In a 2016 study conducted by two prominent yoga organisations: Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal, American participants cited ‘’yoga is a physical activity designed to increase flexibility’’ as the second main reason for practising  yoga (after ‘’yoga is good for you’’)¹²

• A 2019 study showed that yoga can improve and maintain both flexibility and balance, particularly in older adults aged 60 years and above who are prone to inflexibility, imbalance, and muscle strength decline¹³

Yoga alleviates chronic pain:  

• Regular yoga practice has been proven to relieve chronic low-back pain, neck pain as well as chronic pain associated with headaches^14,15,16 

• Interestingly, due to its high efficiency, the American College of Physicians strongly recommends the use of yoga as an alternative to pharmacological drugs for the initial treatment of chronic low-back pain¹⁴ 

• A 2020 review of 6 studies with 240 participants found yoga to be helpful in decreasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of chronic headaches, particularly tension-type headaches.¹⁶ Tension-type headaches cause mild to moderate dull pain which feels like a ‘’tight band’’ squeezing both sides of the head¹⁷

Yoga increases muscle strength:

• Contrary to popular belief, yoga can increase muscle strength and muscle endurance, leading to better physical function, perceived physical health, vitality, and overall quality of life.¹³
• Yoga helps strengthen and build muscle throughout the body mainly due to the large range of isometric exercises it incorporates. Mayo Clinic defines isometric exercises (such as planks) as exercises that are performed in a static position where the muscles and joints are worked without movement. By promoting stability and increasing both muscular endurance and core strength without pain, yoga is ideal for those with arthritis and/or recovering from injuries¹⁸

Yoga promotes heart health:

• A 2014 review demonstrated that yoga may decrease the risk of developing health conditions such as heart disease by decreasing blood pressure, heart rate, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (the ‘’bad’’ form of cholesterol that clogs arteries), total cholesterol, triglycerides, and body weight¹⁹ 

Simple yoga poses to try

Performing yoga can be intimidating especially if one has never practised it before and/or does not possess great flexibility or core strength. However, the great thing about yoga is that it can be modified to suit everyone regardless of age, fitness level and health conditions.

The following yoga poses are great for beginners and those itching to take up yoga but do not know how or where to start. When practising these poses, make sure you are breathing comfortably throughout. Do not hold your breath.²⁰  

• Sukhasana (‘’Easy Pose’’): strengthens the back and relieves stress
  • Sit down in a cross-legged position with knees slightly bent
  • Roll your shoulders back
  • Place hands wherever feels most comfortable; either on the thighs or knees with palms facing up, or with hands on the pelvis, or close to the chest in a prayer position
  • Hold this pose for between 1 to 5 minutes. Release by uncrossing shins

• Tadasana (‘’Mountain Pose’’): improves posture
  • Stand firmly on your yoga mat with feet parallel to each other, toes almost touching, and heels slightly apart
  • Roll your shoulders back and keep your head lifted
  • Place your arms by your sides with the palms of your hands facing up
  • Hold this pose for 1 minute

• Adho Mukha Svanasana (‘’Downward-Facing Dog Pose’'): improves flexibility and strengthens arm, shoulder, and leg muscles
  • Perform a plank pose with hands slightly apart in front of your shoulders, toes planted firmly on the ground, belly sucked in, and back straight
  • Lift hips up toward the ceiling, lengthen through your legs, and move your head between your biceps
  • Whilst keeping your back straight, aim to get your heels touching your yoga mat, however, this is not necessary
  • Hold this pose between 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Release by coming down on your knees

How to make it more effective ^21,22

1. Invest in a good yoga mat: particularly one that is not slippery, and does not slide down on the floor
2. Treat yourself to yoga straps and/or yoga blocks: to go deeper into your poses, and increase flexibility even further
3. Wear comfortable clothes: that do not restrict your movement, and/or uncomfortably expose your body when performing or holding certain yoga postures
4. Consider working with a qualified yoga instructor or yoga teacher: to get feedback on your form and posture, and take your yoga performance to the next level
5. Join online or group yoga classes
6. Focus on your breath: Especially when poses become uncomfortable and challenging
7. Set an intention: Before starting your yoga practice and keep going back to it throughout the yoga class

Summary

Yoga is an ancient holistic practice that promotes physical, spiritual, and mental health through physical yoga postures (yoga asanas), breathing exercises, and both mindfulness and sound-based meditation. In doing so, yoga, or ‘’yuj’’ in Sanskrit, helps connect and unite the mind and body of the yoga practitioner to achieve samadhi, the highest state of consciousness. 

In the past, yoga was mainly used for spiritual purposes. Nowadays, yoga is not only used as an exercise to strengthen the entire body, but also as a form of therapy and medicine to alleviate and treat mood-related disorders including anxiety and depression. 

Hatha yoga is the most common type of yoga class and combines multiple yoga styles. Therefore, Hatha yoga can be structured in many ways with varied intensity, making it suitable for everyone at any age and regardless of fitness level, injuries, joint issues (e.g. arthritis), and health conditions (e.g. heart disease). 

Regular yoga practice offers a myriad of health benefits including improving heart health, blood pressure, flexibility, balance, posture, muscle strength, and endurance as well as relieving chronic pain and reducing stress levels (to name a few). 

Yoga can be made more effective by focusing on deep breathing throughout (not shallow) and using a non-sliding yoga mat, yoga straps, and/or yoga blocks. To take one’s yoga performance to the next level, one could consider taking yoga classes with a qualified yoga instructor or yoga teacher.