Brain health and wellness is a top-of-mind topic for many people. Complementary health approaches, such as yoga, may provide a boost to your brain health. Research findings have suggested potential health benefits from the physical practice of yoga, including a positive effect on both structure and function within areas of the brain.
Furthermore, reducing stress may enhance the overall benefit to the body and brain. The breath regulation component of yoga can serve as a primary stress-reduction technique.
Yoga may be the key brain wellness activity that you need now!
Researchers who have studied the health benefits of yoga have used the following identifying criteria:
- yoga postures (physical poses and movement)
- yoga-based breathing exercises
- yoga-based meditative exercises
Yoga practice is a form of physical activity. It is a physical health practice to nurture musculoskeletal and other internal regulatory systems. The strength of the effects may vary, but yoga and brain wellness seem to have compelling links.
People who practice yoga may also be more physically active in general.
According to surveys conducted by Yoga Journal, people who consistently practice yoga may also be more likely to be physically active and have greater overall strength and flexibility in the body.
Meanwhile, age is considered the biggest risk factor in degenerative brain conditions. Yet, current research suggests that age-related cognitive decline could be mediated through lifestyle health interventions. Physical activity is one of the primary factors in these lifestyle health recommendations.
Physical activity has notable benefits for brain health, including memory and mental clarity. Furthermore, active physical routines, such as dance, could increase neuroplasticity in the brain. Research has also suggested that exercise may lower the risk of dementia (or potentially lessen the adverse effects).
Other primary benefits from physical activity include 1) an influence on regulating inflammation levels in the body and 2) improved cardiovascular health. Each of these factors plays a clinical role in brain health.
Although studies on the exact relationships are still underway, chronically elevated levels of inflammation may contribute to cognitive decline. Scientists are still trying to understand just how much inflammation is too much for brain impairments.
While poor cardiovascular health, a key indicator of metabolic syndrome, can contribute to excessive levels of chronic inflammation. Researchers have also observed links between metabolic syndrome and inflammation with depressive states.
Chronic stress may also impact the brain.
Excess levels of chronic stress have been described as an adaptation to disease, including health conditions that impair the brain. Chronic persistent stress may indirectly rewire the brain by shifting how the nervous system responds to various events or activities in life.
Yet, the adverse effects of stress on the brain may be reversible. When it comes to stress, it’s highly relevant to 1) first identify your sources of stress and, then, 2) what triggers stress for you. (A fundamental health coach tip!)
Practices like mindfulness-based stress reduction and yoga could help calm an overactive nervous system response.
Research has also suggested that yoga paired with mindfulness training may result in a greater likelihood of favorable heart rate variability (HRV) regulation. It could also contribute to better coping mechanisms.
Stress and mental health are also distinctly intertwined. To various degrees, yoga has been associated with improvements in states of anxiety and depression. Yoga practices have also been studied as a potential modality to treat mental health conditions, such as depression.
There may be more scientific support for the connections between yoga and depression versus anxiety, but each area has been studied. From the lens of both brain health and behavioral studies, yoga as a modality to support mental health conditions shows promise. (Using yoga as a treatment may be called yoga therapy).
Other potential psychological benefits of yoga include improved self-regulation and boosted mood or feelings of positive well-being.
Yoga practices paired with mindfulness-based meditation could enhance the overall benefit to the brain.
Mindfulness practices, including mindfulness-based meditation, could support a range of mental health conditions. Breathing techniques and meditation are age-old practices but have captured greater interest from neuroscientists in more recent years.
According to Dr. Tom O’Bryan, a well-recognized integrative health practitioner, meditative practices may increase BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). Increasing BDNF could lead to a boost in memory and learning new skills as we age. Other researchers have attributed meditation to lessen the effects of an aging brain.
Meditative practices have also been associated with improvements in attention, concentration, presence, and clearer thought patterns (i.e. mental clarity). Meditation may also contribute to better sleep patterns. Sleep quality is yet another primary component to consider in overall brain health and wellness.
Ultimately, yoga and meditation may help your brain work better due to the potential benefits to cognitive function and mood.
Are there other things to know about your health and yoga?
There are other influential components of yoga that may link to factors associated with a healthy brain.
- Yoga is a routine based practice (neuroplasticity)
- Practicing yoga often has a social or community-based component
Yoga may also contribute to a “state of change.” Why does this matter? Or, what the heck does this mean?
In behavioral health sciences, there is a concept of a set point, which can assess overall emotional well-being, including your level of happiness. A set point encompasses a combination of genetics and life experiences. Gaining further awareness for your set point can help you set realistic goals in health behavior change. It can also help you assess any gaps or barriers that you may face.
Some health professionals believe that the relaxation, body awareness, and mental concentration that yoga provides can help catalyze overall health behavior change. Furthermore, this may contribute to a calmer focus in the mind and a greater sense of self-awareness.
Behavior change methodologies can be leveraged to set up healthy habits. Once a behavior is habitual, it takes less brain power and can free up your mental space to focus on more pressing tasks or decisions.
Potential support for behavior change and healthy habit formation represents some of the less tangible benefits of yoga practice. Yet, these areas could be well worth considering for an overall happy, healthy brain!
Finally, practicing yoga doesn’t need to be expensive. It’s pretty much everywhere these days and available through multiple delivery methods. It’s also modifiable based on your skill level and schedule.
Attending some live sessions where a trained instructor can provide recommendations for form, posture, and rhythm will be relevant. However, once a core understanding of yoga practice has been obtained, it’s relatively easy to practice at home, in a hotel room, or even outside.
If you are new to yoga practice, these 10 tips from Yoga Journal for beginners to yoga may help. Meanwhile, our friends at Healthline do not disappoint with this more comprehensive guide to yoga.
References:
Ackerman, C.E. (2022, May 2). What is Self-Regulation (+95 Skills and Strategies). PositivePsychology.com. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/self-regulation/.
American Institute of Stress, The (2012, Aug 10). Take a Deep Breath. Retrieved from https://www.stress.org/take-a-deep-breath.
American Psychological Association (2017, Aug 3). Yoga Effective at Reducing Symptoms of Depression. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/08/yoga-depression.
American Psychological Association (2020, Mar 4). Working Out Boosts Brain Health. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/exercise-fitness/stress.
Berzen, R. How to Achieve a Physical & Mental State Change, From an MD (2022, Jan 19). MBGhealth. Retrieved from https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-achieve-a-state-change.
Bridges, L. & Sharma, M. (2017, Oct). The Efficacy of Yoga as a Form of Treatment for Depression. Journal of Evidence-based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 22(4), 1017–1028.
Boston University School of Medicine (2019, Nov 13). Just What the Doctor Ordered: Take a Yoga Class and Depression, Anxiety Improve. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191113105729.htm.
Chan, K. L., Cathomas, F. & Russo, S. J. (2019, Mar 1). Central and Peripheral Inflammation Link Metabolic Syndrome and Major Depressive Disorder. Physiology (Bethesda, Md.), 34(2), 123–133.
Cleveland Clinic (2021). Healthy Brains, Social Interaction. Retrieved from https://healthybrains.org/pillar-social/.
Cruikshank, T. (2020, Jul 16). The Definitive Guide to Yoga. Healthline Media. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercises/definitive-guide-to-yoga.
Cuncic, A. (2022, Jan 27). How to Develop and Practice Self-Regulation. Verywell Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/how-you-can-practice-self-regulation-4163536.
de Kloet, E., Joëls, M. & Holsboer, F. (2005, May 13). Stress and the Brain: from Adaptation to Disease. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 6, 463–475.
Di Liegro, C. M., Schiera, G., Proia, P. & Di Liegro, I. (2019, Sep). Physical Activity and Brain Health. Genes, 10(9), 720.
Eleanor L.S., et al. (2021, Dec 7). DNA Methylation and Protein Markers of Chronic Inflammation and Their Associations with Brain and Cognitive Aging. Neurology, 97(23) e2340-e2352.
Ezrin, S. (2021, Dec 14). 16 Benefits of Yoga That Are Supported by Science. Healthline Media. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga.
Gard, T., Noggle, J. J., Park, C. L., Vago, D. R., & Wilson, A. (2014). Potential Self-regulatory Mechanisms of Yoga for Psychological Health. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 770.
Guarner, V. & Rubio-Ruiz, M.E. (2021, Jun 23). Plasma IL-12/IFN-γ Axis Predicts Cognitive Trajectories in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Retrieved from https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.12399.
Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School (2021, Feb 15). Protect Your Brain from Stress. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/protect-your-brain-from-stress.
Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School (2021, Jun 12). Yoga for Better Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-for-better-mental-health.
HealthEssentials (2019, Sep 17). Why Exercise Protects Your Brain’s Health (and What Kind is Best). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-exercise-protects-your-brains-health-and-what-kind-is-best/.
Hunt, M., et al. (2018, Aug 29). Mindfulness Training, Yoga, or Both? Dismantling the Active Components of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention. Mindfulness 9, 512–520.
Josefowitz, N. (2021, Jun 2). Languishing? Learn How to Raise Your Happiness Set Point. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cbt-made-simple/202106/languishing-learn-how-raise-your-happiness-set-point.
Krans, B. (2018, Aug 20). Using Yoga to Relieve the Symptoms of Depression. Healthline Media. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/yoga-therapy.
Lazar, S. W., et al. (2005, Nov 28). Meditation Experience is Associated with Increased Cortical Thickness. Neuroreport, 16(17), 1893–1897.
Levine, J. (2015, Jun 25). 10 Things Yoga Newbies Must Know. Yoga Journal. Retrieved from https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/10-things-beginners-must-know-about-yoga/.
Lucas, R. E. (2007, Apr 1). Adaptation and the Set-Point Model of Subjective Well-Being: Does Happiness Change After Major Life Events? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(2), 75–79.
Ma, X., et al. (2017, Jun 6). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 874.
Marchand, W. R. (2012, Jul). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Zen Meditation for Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Psychological Distress. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 18(4), 233-252.
Massachusetts General Hospital (2021, June 23). An Unexpected Discovery: Inflammatory Proteins May Slow Cognitive Decline in Aging Adults: Researchers Identify a Surprising Chemical Pathway that May Protect Against Alzheimer’s disease. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210623091307.htm.
McEwen, B. S., & Gianaros, P. J. (2010, Feb). Central Role of the Brain in Stress and Adaptation: Links to Socioeconomic Status, Health, and Disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1186, 190–222.
McLachlan, S. (2021, Dec 22). The Science of Habit. Healthline Media. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/the-science-of-habit.
Miranda, M., Morici, J. F., Zanoni, M. B., & Bekinschtein, P. (2019, Aug 7). Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor: A Key Molecule for Memory in the Healthy and the Pathological Brain. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 13, 363.
Moore, L. (2021, Jun 2). How Meditation Changes the Brain. PsychCentral. https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-meditation-changes-the-brain.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2019, Aug 13). Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep. National Institute of Health. Retrieved from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep.
Nejati, S., Zahiroddin, A., Afrookhteh, G., Rahmani, S., & Hoveida, S. (2015, Jul 3). Effect of Group Mindfulness-Based Stress-Reduction Program and Conscious Yoga on Lifestyle, Coping Strategies, and Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressures in Patients with Hypertension. The Journal of Tehran Heart Center, 10(3), 140–148.
NYU Langone Health / NYU School of Medicine (2020, Aug 12). Yoga Shown to Improve Anxiety, Study Shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200812144124.htm.
O’Bryan, T. (2018). You Can Fix Your Brain: Just 1 Hour a Week to the Best Memory, Productivity, and Sleep You’ve Ever Had. United States: Rodale Books, 167.
Paturel, A. (2014, Feb/Mar). The Benefits of Sleep for Brain Health. Brain & Life. Retrieved from https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/could-getting-more-high-quality-sleep-protect-the-brain/.
Pascoe, M. C., Thompson, D. R., & Ski, C. F. (2017, Dec). Yoga, Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction and Stress-related Physiological Measures: A Meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 86, 152–168.
Perciavalle, V., et al. (2017, Dec 19). The Role of Deep Breathing on Stress. Neurological Sciences: Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 38(3), 451–458.
Saeed, S. A., Cunningham, K., & Bloch, R. M. (2019, May 15). Depression and Anxiety Disorders: Benefits of Exercise, Yoga, and Meditation. American Family Medicine, 99(10), 620-627.
Sankowski, R., Mader, S. & Valdés-Ferrer, S. I. (2015, Feb 2). Systemic Inflammation and the Brain: Novel Roles of Genetic, Molecular, and Environmental Cues as Drivers of Neurodegeneration. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 9, 28.
Sartori, A. C., Vance, D. E., Slater, L. Z. & Crowe, M. (2012, Aug). The Impact of Inflammation on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Implications for Healthcare Practice and Research. The Journal of Neuroscience Nursing: Journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, 44(4), 206–217.
Schmidt, C. (2022). Inflammation and Brain Health. Harvard Medical School. Retrieved from https://hms.harvard.edu/magazine/aging/inflammation-brain-health.
Scott, T., et al. (2019, Nov). Psychological Function, Iyengar Yoga, and Coherent Breathing: A Randomized Controlled Dosing Study. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 25(6), 437.-450.
Simon, N. M., et al. (2020, Aug 12). Efficacy of Yoga vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Stress Education for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(1):13–20.
Upham, B. (2020, Jul 6). Yoga 101: The Poses, the Types, the Health Benefits, and If You’re a Beginner, How to Get Started on the Mat. Everyday Health. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/yoga/.
Walker, K. A., et al. (2019, Mar 12). Systemic Inflammation During Midlife and Cognitive Change Over 20 Years: The ARIC Study. Neurology, 92(11), e1256–e1267.
Welch, A. (2018, Jun 25). 4 Ways Meditation Changes the Brain. Everyday Health. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/meditation/ways-changes-brain/.
White, M.A. (2020, Oct 27). 12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation. Healthline Media. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation.
Yaffe K, et al. (2004, Nov 10). The Metabolic Syndrome, Inflammation, and Risk of Cognitive Decline. JAMA, 292(18), 2237–2242.
Yashin, A.I. & Jazwinski, S.M. (2015). Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation Connects Aging, Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiovascular Disease. Yashin AI, Jazwinski SM (eds): Aging and Health – A Systems Biology Perspective. Interdiscipl Top Gerontol. Basel, Karger, 40, 99-106.