Yoga, an ancient practice originating over 2,000 years ago in India, has long been celebrated for its physical benefits. However, research now highlights its potential to enhance mental health by altering brain networks and increasing grey matter. This discovery offers hope that yoga could play a pivotal role in addressing conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health challenges.
When I first started practicing yoga, my primary goal was physical fitness—building strength and working up a sweat. But I quickly discovered that yoga is far more than exercise; it is a profound mind-body connection that encompasses movement, meditation, and breathwork.
Yoga’s Role in Healthy Aging
Yoga not only strengthens the body but also promotes healthy aging. Claudia Metzler-Baddeley, a cognitive neuroscientist at Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), explains that yoga’s mindfulness and meditation components can reduce chronic stress and inflammation—key accelerators of aging.
“Stress hormones like cortisol increase inflammation, which raises blood pressure and other risk factors for unhealthy aging,” Metzler-Baddeley says. Yoga helps mitigate this by inducing relaxation and altering brain networks associated with emotional regulation and self-awareness.
Studies show that areas of the brain linked to metacognition and problem-solving are larger in individuals who practice yoga regularly. This indicates that yoga not only promotes mental clarity but may also enhance cognitive functions essential for navigating the complexities of aging.
A Lifeline for Mental Health
Heather Mason, founder of The Minded Institute, credits yoga with transforming her life, helping her manage depression, anxiety, and PTSD. After training in yoga, psychotherapy, and neuroscience, she launched her yoga therapy school in 2009 to bridge the gap between traditional mental health treatments and yoga-based interventions.
“Yoga has often been marketed to young, white, skinny women, which can alienate those who don’t see themselves represented,” Mason explains. “It’s essential to make yoga accessible to everyone, especially those struggling with mental health.”
Yoga therapy, Mason believes, has immense potential when integrated into healthcare systems like the NHS (National Health Service) in the UK, ensuring accessibility for those who need it most.
How Yoga Addresses Stress
Yoga directly impacts the autonomic nervous system by shifting activity from the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) mode to the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) mode. This reduces the production of cytokines, proteins linked to inflammation. Persistent inflammation, often caused by chronic stress, is associated with an increased risk of cancer, depression, and accelerated aging.
Practicing yoga and meditation decreases cytokine production, thereby reducing inflammation-related diseases. This biological mechanism underscores the potential of yoga as a preventative and therapeutic tool.
Yoga and Trauma Recovery
For individuals with PTSD, yoga provides tools to regulate physical and sensory responses to trauma. Rachel Bilski, a yoga therapist and manager of the non-profit PTSD UK, shares how yoga helped her recover after years of ineffective treatments.
“I struggled with panic attacks and nightmares until I tried yoga,” Bilski says. “During relaxation sessions, I felt emotions I didn’t even realize I needed to process. Yoga gave me a sense of safety in my body that I hadn’t felt before.”
Yoga therapy, distinct from general yoga classes, involves one-on-one sessions tailored to individual needs. These sessions focus on grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and self-regulation through body awareness. Trauma-informed yoga teachers are trained to create safe environments that avoid triggering negative responses in participants.
“Yoga therapy allows participants to decouple safety cues from danger cues,” Bilski explains. “It offers a vehicle for exploration and self-regulation, making it a valuable complement to other treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy or medication.”
The Science Behind Yoga
While yoga combines physical poses, breathwork, and meditation, researchers are still unraveling which elements drive its mental health benefits. Metzler-Baddeley notes that mindfulness and breathing practices are often highlighted in studies, but the integration of poses and breath cannot be easily separated.
“Synchronizing movement with breathing is a fundamental part of yoga,” she says. “It’s difficult to pinpoint whether the benefits come from the stretching, the breathing, or the relaxation. But ultimately, it may not matter if the whole package works.”
The Long Road to Transformation
Despite its ancient roots, yoga continues to resonate as a transformative practice for modern challenges. With regular practice, yoga can create profound shifts in the mind-body connection, offering strength, calmness, and presence in the moment.
“Yoga has the power to shift the whole mind-body complex,” Mason reflects. “It’s a long journey, but that’s why it’s been practiced for thousands of years.”
As I stretch into Warrior 2 pose, arms extended and gaze steady, I feel the balance and resilience that yoga fosters. It is not just a practice—it’s a pathway to holistic well-being.
