Yoga and Mental Health

Jun 26, 2021 | Karma Hayek, Mental health

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By Karma Hayek

LAMSA Ambassador in Montreal

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4 minutes

Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India and brings together the mind and the body. It is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuji”, which means “union” and further demonstrates the essential link between the physical and mental aspects of the practice. It also involves physical exercise, breath control, relaxation, positive thinking, and meditation aimed at developing harmony between the body, mind, and environment. The practice also entails low-impact physical activity, postures (called asanas), and breathing techniques (pranayama). Yoga is widely known for improving flexibility, concentration, and promoting a sense of peace; however, it can be used for so much more.

One might think that yoga is all about difficult poses that require lots of practice, skill, and balance. Yoga can also be seen as a state of deep meditation achieved through various breathing techniques. In fact, there are several different types of yoga that all focus on different aspects of the practice:

Hatha yoga is best suited for beginners and incorporates gentler and slower paced movements. It is an introduction to the main relaxation techniques and asanas (postures) used in the practice.
Vinyasa links breathing and movement together. The pace is usually slow at the start and gradually gets faster. It aims to increase strength and helps to build lean muscle mass throughout the body.
Bikram, also known as “hot yoga”, takes place in a hot room where you practice a set series of moves to help blood flow. It is composed of evenly paced, low impact movements that stretch muscles and improve circulation.
Ashtanga, or “power yoga”, focuses on quick, sequenced poses. It is more physically demanding, and is a highly energetic, very vigorous form of yoga designed to make you sweat.

This variety allows you to choose whatever suits you and your level best and allows you to center your practice around your preferences

There is ample research on the effects of yoga on different aspects of mental health. Generally, yoga has been shown to decrease the secretion of cortisol, the primary stress hormone¹. Moreover, when it comes to stress, the study follows 24 women who perceive themselves as emotionally distressed and found that after a three-month yoga program, the women had significantly lower levels of cortisol. They also had lower levels of stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression². Another study followed 131 people through 10 weeks of yoga. After the program, there was a significant reduction in stress and anxiety and participants had also reported and improved quality of life and better mental health³.

Yoga has also been shown to help relieve anxiety. In a study, 34 women diagnosed with an anxiety disorder participated in yoga classes twice weekly for two months; at the end of the study, those who practiced yoga had significantly lower levels of anxiety than the control group⁴. Another study followed 64 women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After 10 weeks of weekly yoga practice, the women had fewer symptoms of PTSD. In fact, 52% of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD at all⁵. Although it is not entirely clear exactly how yoga is able to reduce the symptoms of anxiety, the practice emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment and finding a sense of place which could help treat anxiety.

Yoga is also becoming increasingly common as an adjunct therapy to improve quality of life for many individuals. When 135 seniors were assigned either six months of yoga, walking, or a control group (no activity), practicing yoga significantly improved the quality of life, mood and fatigue of the participants compared to the other groups⁶. Additionally, in studies focused on women with breast cancer, yoga was shown to Reduce pain and fatigue, and improve levels of integration, acceptance, and relaxation⁷. Another study showed that in women undergoing chemotherapy, yoghurt decreased the side effects such as nausea and vomiting, while also improving overall quality of life⁸. Yoga has also been shown to improve sleep quality, enhance spiritual well-being, improve social function, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with cancer.

Finally, when it comes to the effects of yoga on depression, a study that focused on participants in an alcohol dependence program who participated in yoga that focuses on rhythmic breathing found that after two weeks, the participants had fewer symptoms of depression and lower levels of cortisol. They also had lower levels of ACTH, a hormone responsible for stimulating the release of cortisol. Several randomized controlled trials have also reported the beneficial effects of yoga intervention for treating depressive symptoms. However, the data still seems insufficient to conclude whether there is substantial clinical justification to consider yoga as a treatment for depression.

Yoga clearly has many benefits for mental health, and there are many ways to reap the benefits from this practice.

Incorporate yoga into your lifestyle (Ex. 30 minutes every day)
- Adopting yoga to your schedule is extremely important. Some people might be able to do an hour of yoga three times per week, while others can fit in 15 minutes per day
Adapt your practice to your level
- This is extremely important because being too ambitious in the practice can also lead to added stress (ex. if a pose is too hard to achieve, it can lower one’s self-esteem)
Be consistent in your practice
- Consistency over perfection is crucial. A perfect practice once a month will not give the same benefits as a consistent practice every day.
Set intentions
- Setting intentions or goals will help you guide your practice and give you a purpose.
Follow a guided practice (E-books, YouTube, Instagram, etc.)
- There are many resources that can help you incorporate yoga into your lifestyle. This can help introduce you to the practice. Find whatever works best for you, Whether it’s online videos, e-books, or in-person classes.
No added pressure
- Added pressure and feeling obliged to follow a certain practice might add stress instead of reducing it. Making sure that yoga is something that you enjoy is extremely important.

There is vast evidence that proves the benefits of yoga on mental health. However, the data does not seem strong and reliable enough yet for yoga to be used as a “prescription” or therapy of its own. When it comes to mental health issues, a good option would be to use yoga in parallel to the usual course of treatment in order to reap the benefits from both ends. Overall, yoga can be seen as a tool to reduce daily stress and anxiety, and eventually improve quality of life.