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In this article, we describe the evidence from scientific studies for the benefits of yoga in the following:
Inflammation and diseases
Aging
Stress
Sleep
Brain health and dementia
Neurological disorders like brain stroke, headache, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis
Psychiatric disorders like depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Cancer
Atherosclerosis (heart attacks and brain strokes)
Diabetes
Hypertension
Weight loss
Lung (respiratory) disorders like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma
Neck and back pain
Chronic pain conditions
Joint disorders like osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Pregnancy and menopause
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ meaning ‘to unite’ (with the divine consciousness). It is an ancient mind–body practice with origins in Indian philosophy and includes practices like postures (yoga asanas), breathing practices (pranayama), meditation (dhyana), philosophy, cleansing practices, and deep relaxation (yoga nidra). There are many different styles of yoga like Hatha, Kundalini, Iyengar, and others.
Many are unaware of the far-reaching benefits of yoga beyond increasing strength and improving flexibility. As we will see below, it can not only be effective in preventing many diseases but can also have a COMPLEMENTARY role to modern medicine in the treatment of various diseases. Reference for every claim made here is provided alongside, and readers can use these links to navigate to their topic of interest.
Yoga can reduce inflammation that is seen in many diseases
Let’s get to the very root to find out how yoga has so many positive effects on health. Logically, it must be targeting something very basic, which is involved in the development of many diseases. Yes, that is true. Yoga and other Mind-Body-Interventions (MBIs) can down-regulate the nuclear factor kappa B pathway (NF-ĸB pathway) [Buric and colleagues, 2017] and [Bower and colleagues, 2016].
It may be sufficient to mention here that the over-activation of the NF-ĸB pathway is responsible for increasing the levels of inflammation and cancers. Chronic low-grade inflammation is the root cause of many diseases. And, by downregulating this pathway, yoga reduces the risk of many chronic diseases.
Furthermore, there is also direct scientific evidence to show that yoga can decrease inflammation levels (as measured by inflammatory markers in the blood) [Djalilova and colleagues, 2019].
Yoga can slow down aging
Telomeres are caps at the ends of our chromosomes and are important for maintaining the stability of chromosomes. Telomere shortening has been linked to aging. Telomere shortening is also associated with the development of diseases including cancers [Shammas, 2012].
According to some studies, yogic interventions can increase telomere stability and decrease the rate of telomere shortening [Rathore and Abraham, 2018].
Yoga can reduce stress levels
Yoga can reduce stress levels [D’Allesio and colleagues, 2020]. There is enough evidence to show that stress is linked to the development of many diseases like cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety.
Yoga can improve sleep quality
According to few studies, yoga can improve the quality of sleep [Wang and colleagues, 2020]; good quality sleep is important in preventing many diseases.
Now, let us take a look at the effects of yoga on the individual organ systems of the body…
Brain health and dementia
Various neuro-imaging studies have shown that yoga can have a positive impact on brain health (both structure and function) [Gothe and colleagues, 2019] and [June van Aalst and colleagues, 2020].
Studies directly assessing the role of yoga in dementia have also found that it can have beneficial effects in improving cognition (especially attention and verbal memory) [Brenes and colleagues, 2019]. Cognition is a term referring to a group of mental processes required to gain and process information. These processes include attention, learning, memory, problem-solving, etc.
Thus, it holds promise for Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions of cognitive decline.
Neurological disorders like stroke, headache, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis
Yoga can play a part in stroke rehabilitation, as it not only improves cognition, mood, stress, and most importantly, balance in stroke patients [Lazaridou and colleagues, 2013]. Stroke is a brain condition in which there is insufficient blood supply to the brain (ischemic stroke) or bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Stroke is also known by the term ‘paralysis’ and usually results in one-sided weakness and loss of speech. However, other functions can also be affected depending on the area of the brain affected.
It not only has a role in improving balance in stroke rehabilitation but also in improving balance in the healthy population [Jeter and colleagues, 2014]. This is particularly useful for seniors, in whom the risk of falls (due to balance problems) is higher.
Yoga may also be beneficial for headaches [Kim and colleagues, 2015]. It can play a role in the reduction of seizures in patients with epilepsy [Panebianco and colleagues, 2017].
It may be effective in managing symptoms of multiple sclerosis [Roger and colleagues, 2015]. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory condition in which the immune system attacks the myelin covering of the neurons. Symptoms may include spasticity, fatigue, depression, anxiety, bowel and bladder dysfunction like stool and urinary incontinence, impaired mobility, cognitive impairment, and other symptoms.
Psychiatric disorders like depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
As yoga is a Mind-Body-Intervention (MBI), it is extremely useful in several mental health problems. It may be helpful in depression and as an add-on to drug treatment in schizophrenia [Balasubramaniam and colleagues, 2012] and [Duan-Porter and colleagues, 2016]. According to James-Palmer and colleagues, 2020, it may also help reduce anxiety.
It increases mindfulness, and this is important in reducing the severity of illness-related symptoms in many psychiatric conditions like depression and schizophrenia [Sathyanarayan and colleagues, 2019].
Yoga (including meditation) can potentially benefit patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) [Gallegos and colleagues, 2017].
It may also be beneficial in nicotine de-addiction and may help people quit smoking [Carim-Todd and colleagues, 2013]. Yoga increases mindfulness, and this may help reduce dependence on other substances like alcohol also.
Yoga for cancer
It has been already discussed earlier how yoga can have a preventive role in cancers by down-regulating the NF-ĸB pathway, reducing inflammation, and increasing telomere stability.
Furthermore, yoga can help reduce stress, improve sleep, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in cancer patients. Of particular mention is that it can reduce fatigue. Fatigue is frequently experienced by cancer patients, either as a consequence of their illness or secondary to treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy [Lin and colleagues, 2018].
Atherosclerosis (heart attacks and brain strokes)
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which there is formation of plaques in the arteries (i.e. blood vessels) of various organs. The most common organs involved are the heart (coronary artery disease) and the brain (carotid artery disease). These plaques can complicate with sudden clot formation, cutting off the blood supply to the end organ. This results in acute complications like heart attacks (myocardial infarction) and brain strokes.
Yoga can decrease several risk factors responsible for the development of atherosclerosis and consequently the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The risk factors that it can reduce are high blood cholesterol levels (lipid profile), blood glucose (diabetes), blood pressure (hypertension), body mass index (obesity), and anxiety and depression [Haider and colleagues, 2016].
Yoga for diabetes
In diabetes, sugar (glucose) levels in the blood are abnormally high, which can cause short term and long term complications. Short term complication includes diabetic coma. The most important long term complications are blindness due to eye damage (diabetic retinopathy) and kidney failure (diabetic nephropathy). Diabetes also accelerates the course of other diseases like hypertension and atherosclerosis.
Many studies have shown a positive impact of yoga in controlling blood sugar level indicators like fasting blood glucose (FBG), post prandial blood glucose (PPBG), and HbA1c [Thind and colleagues, 2017]. It may not only be useful in patients who have already developed diabetes but may also delay the onset in those who are at risk of developing it (i.e. prediabetics) [Ramamoorthi and colleagues, 2019].
Yoga for hypertension
Hypertension or elevated blood pressure is one of the most common diseases in the aging population. It can cause acute complications like bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). The spectrum of long term complications caused by hypertension is very similar to those caused by diabetes. These include blindness due to eye damage (hypertensive retinopathy) and kidney renal failure (due to diabetic nephropathy). Hypertension, like diabetes, also accelerates the development of atherosclerosis leading to myocardial infarction (heart attack) and brain stroke.
There is scientific evidence to show that a combination of yoga practices like yog asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing), and dhyana (meditation) can be helpful in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients, when compared to no exercise [Hagins and colleagues, 2013].
Yoga for weight loss
Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis and hypertension [Sarvottam and colleagues, 2014]. Besides this, obesity also increases the risk of insulin resistance, and consequently diabetes. Obesity is a risk factor for the development of several cancers.
Yoga can be helpful in weight loss [Sharpe and colleagues, 2007] and in preventing weight gain in overweight people [Kristal and colleagues, 2005]. It can reduce binge eating and increase meal times in persons with chronic obesity [Mclver and colleagues, 2009].
Respiratory disorders like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma
Yoga can help improve lung function and exercise capacity in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) [Liu and colleagues, 2014]. COPD is a chronic lung disease associated with symptoms like breathing problems and cough with phlegm.
It can be beneficial in reducing symptoms in asthma [Yang and colleagues, 2016]. Asthma is an allergic condition involving the airways, and patients experience symptoms like wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and cough.
Yoga for neck and back pain
Back and neck pain can be due many factors. Both these conditions need a thorough investigation to identify if there is an anatomical cause for the pain. However, in some cases, the exact cause is not found. These cases, without any identifiable specific cause, usually run a chronic course. Yoga may be beneficial for these non-specific chronic conditions, as discussed below…
Neck Pain
Yoga can reduce pain, increase function and mobility, and improve depressive mood in patients with Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain (CNNP) [Li and colleagues, 2019].
Back Pain
Yoga may also be beneficial in reducing pain and disability in patients with Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain (CNSLBP) [Chang and colleagues, 2016].
Yoga for chronic pain conditions
Yoga can help reduce pain in several conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and cancer [Wren and colleagues, 2011].
Joint disorders like osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Osteoarthritis (OA) is due to increased wear and tear of the joints with age and is seen mainly in women above 40. It most commonly affects the weight-bearing joints like the knee and hip joints, but other joints can also be affected. Yoga can reduce pain, and improve mobility and function in patients with osteoarthritis [Kan and colleagues, 2016].
On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune condition in which the immune system attacks the tissues of the joints in the body, resulting in inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the smaller joints of the hands and feet. Yoga can be also considered for add-on therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis [Telles and colleagues, 2012].
Yoga for pregnancy and menopause
Pregnancy (prenatal yoga)
Yoga can be beneficial for some outcomes of pregnancy (like stress and quality of life), labor (like discomfort and pain), and birth (like birth weight and preterm births) [Curtis and colleagues, 2012].
Moreover, the integrated yoga approach (that is, including yog asanas, pranayama, and dhyana) can be effective in reducing depressive symptoms in pregnant women [Gong and colleagues, 2015].
Menopause
Yoga may also be useful in reducing vasomotor (like night sweats, hot flashes, and flushes) and psychological symptoms (like irritability, aggressiveness, anxiety, and sadness) in peri- and post-menopausal women [Shepherd-Banigan and colleagues, 2017].
Conclusion
There are several studies to show that either yoga alone or in combination with standard therapies may be beneficial for many health conditions. But, before starting any yoga program, it is advisable to consult a certified health care physician. Moreover, if yoga is suggested for any particular condition, it should be done under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor. Risks associated with yoga are mainly due to complex yoga postures, which, when not done correctly, can cause injuries.
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