Yoga has long been celebrated for its physical benefits, but did you know that it’s also a powerhouse for your brain?  Across the globe, people of all ages and experience levels are turning to yoga—not only for its ability to increase flexibility and strength but also for its remarkable impact on mental well-being.  This ancient practice isn’t just about stretching; it’s about calming the mind, reducing stress, and enhancing cognitive function.  While the immediate benefits of yoga, like relaxation and focus, are well-known, the long-term impact on brain health is where the real magic happens.  Studies have shown that yoga can slow down cognitive decline and prevent neurodegenerative disease, even for those at risk of Alzheimer’s.​¹  Whether you’re looking to improve your mood, boost memory, or stave off cognitive decline, yoga has the potential to transform not just your body, but your brain as well.   

Ready to discover how this ancient practice can revolutionize your brain health?  Let’s dive in. 

Yoga 101: What You Need to Know 

Yoga’s origins date back more than 2,000 years to ancient India, with its foundational term yug, meaning ‘to unite’.  This reflects the practice’s core purpose: to unify the mind, body, and spirit in a harmonious balance.  Throughout its history, yoga has evolved into a multifaceted practice, with different styles and approaches emerging across the world. Today, it is most understood as a combination of three core pieces of practice: physical postures, breathwork, and meditation.​² 

The practice involves mindful movement and breath, which helps cultivate a deep sense of awareness and presence.  Whether you’re engaging in gentle stretches, calming meditation, or intense power flows, yoga can suit any level of experience and any age group. Through its adaptability and effectiveness, yoga has become a global practice embraced by millions of people seeking balance and wellness in their lives.  

Lately, yoga has gained significant attention in the brain health space for its impressive effects, which we’ll explore next. 

How Yoga Enhances Brain Function: The Science Explained 

When you think of yoga, relaxation, the calming "namaste," and a deeper connection with yourself might come to mind.  However, beyond the peaceful moments of stretching and breathing, there's a lot happening in the background of your mind.  As you flow through poses and sync your breath with movement, yoga is working to enhance your brain health in subtle yet powerful ways.  Even after just a few classes, you'll likely notice improvements in mood, stress levels, and even sleep quality.  Now, let's explore the science that explains why these positive changes happen. 

Elevated Mood: If you've ever taken a yoga class, you're probably familiar with that sense of serenity that washes over you once you finish your practice.  Research shows that yoga increases the release of dopamine, serotonin, and GABA, neurotransmitters that are essential for regulating mood and reducing feelings of anxiety and depression.³​​  The practice also helps balance the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls the body's stress response. Through these mechanisms, yoga has been shown to improve mood more effectively than other activities, even outpacing walking interventions in boosting GABA levels.​⁴  So if you’re searching for a natural mood lift, yoga's breath-focused movement might just be the perfect way to rejuvenate your spirit. 

Reduced Stress and Anxiety: When stress takes over, cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, floods your system.  While cortisol is helpful in short bursts, chronic elevation of this hormone due to ongoing stress can have serious consequences, including an increased risk of cognitive decline.​⁵​  Yoga offers an effective way to combat stress by reducing cortisol levels.  It works by influencing the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the fight-or-flight response, and the HPA system.  Through regular practice, yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety.  In addition to lowering cortisol, yoga has been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability, all contributing to a calmer state of mind and body.​⁶   

But there’s another surprising benefit yoga has on stress, teaching individuals to tolerate stress rather than avoid it, helping them manage daily stressors and foster mindfulness in everyday life.​⁷  Don’t just reduce your stress—learn how to face it head-on with the calm and focus yoga can bring into your life. 

Deeper, More Restorative Sleep: As you may know, your mood and stress levels directly affect your sleep quality, and the two previous points we discussed all tie into how yoga can improve your sleep.  But it goes beyond wit research showing that yoga also reduces nighttime awakenings, allowing you to enjoy more restful sleep.​⁸  Yoga works by lowering cortisol levels, as we’ve mentioned, and boosting melatonin production, which helps regulate sleep cycles.​⁹  So, while yoga works to boost the "feel-good" chemicals in your body for an improved mood, and helps reduce stress, you'll find that your brain is primed for rest.  With less stress and a more balanced mood, you’ll be able to rest your head on your pillow and drift into sleep more easily. 

Yoga’s impact on mood, stress, and sleep are undeniable. But yoga doesn’t stop there.  It directly impacts the structure of your brain in ways that go beyond just mental well-being.  From increasing brain volume in key areas to reducing inflammation, yoga provides remarkable benefits that extend to the very foundation of your brain’s health.   

Up next, let’s uncover how yoga affects your brain’s architecture and its impact on long-term health. 

References

​​1. Singh Khalsa, D. & Kaur Khalsa, T. P3‐625: THE PINK BRAIN PROJECT: HOW YOGA MEDITATION MAY PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S IN WOMEN. Alzheimer’s & Dementia 14, (2018). 

​2. Voss, S., Cerna, J. & Gothe, N. P. Yoga Impacts Cognitive Health: Neurophysiological Changes and Stress-regulation Mechanisms. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 51, 73 (2022). 

​3. Kumar, N. & Singh, U. Yoga for improving mood and cognitive functions – A brief review. Yoga Mimamsa 53, 39–45 (2021). 

​4. Streeter, C. C. et al. Effects of Yoga Versus Walking on Mood, Anxiety, and Brain GABA Levels: A Randomized Controlled MRS Study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 16, 1145 (2010). 

​5. Christensen, D. S., Garde, E., Siebner, H. R. & Mortensen, E. L. Midlife perceived stress is associated with cognitive decline across three decades. BMC Geriatr 23, 1–11 (2023). 

​6. Pascoe, M. C., Thompson, D. R. & Ski, C. F. Yoga, mindfulness-based stress reduction and stress-related physiological measures: A meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 86, 152–168 (2017). 

​7. Maddux, R. E., Daukantaité, D. & Tellhed, U. The effects of yoga on stress and psychological health among employees: an 8- and 16-week intervention study. Anxiety Stress Coping 31, 121–134 (2018). 

​8. Bankar, M. A., Chaudhari, S. K. & Chaudhari, K. D. Impact of long term Yoga practice on sleep quality and quality of life in the elderly. J Ayurveda Integr Med 4, 28 (2013). 

​9. Turmel, D., Carlier, S., Bruyneel, A. V. & Bruyneel, M. Tailored individual Yoga practice improves sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in chronic insomnia disorder. BMC Psychiatry 22, 267 (2022).