The Benefits of Yoga for Physical and Mental Health

Much is said about the benefits of yoga, but research backs up only part of it. Below is what scientific reviews say about yoga, what not to expect from it, how children can practice safely and what an online lesson in our course looks like.

What Research Says

Asana practice is credited with a lot: flexibility, strength, balance, less stress and anxiety, and relief from lower back pain. The evidence varies. A 2017 review rated the evidence that yoga eases back pain as moderate in quality. A review that pooled six studies saw a benefit for depression yet flagged weaknesses in their methods, and in 2015 a systematic review asked for stricter trials of how yoga affects mood and stress. So the honest summary is that yoga is good regular exercise that also trains breathing and attention, not a medicine.

Where Modern Yoga Comes From

The yoga practiced today is largely a 20th-century legacy. Much of it goes back to the teacher Krishnamacharya, who is profiled in Krishnamacharya: The Teacher Behind Modern Yoga. The ancient text that describes the eight limbs of yoga is covered in The Yoga Sutras: Patanjali and the Eight Limbs of Yoga.

For Children: Age and Safety

• Our course takes children from age 8 as well as adults, and new exercises are chosen with age and fitness in mind.
• The teacher picks exercises and a pace according to fitness and how the student feels, and offers an easier version if something does not work or feels unpleasant.
• Yoga should not hurt. If your child has a health condition or an injury, talk to a doctor first and tell the teacher about it.

How a child can get started and what you need is explained in Yoga for Kids: Tips for Beginners and Parents.

What an Online Lesson Looks Like

Lessons take place on Zoom or Google Meet. The device is set up so the teacher can see the student on the mat, ideally in a well-lit spot. The first lesson covers experience and goals. Most of each session is asanas and breathing exercises for flexibility, strength and balance: the teacher shows how to do the poses, how long to hold them and how to move into the next. The lesson ends with relaxation exercises and a talk about what to repeat at home.

Our Yoga Course

In our yoga course, students learn the basic asanas, breathing exercises and meditation, build strength and flexibility, and practice focusing on movement and breath. Lessons are open to students from age 8. A trial lesson costs $8: it is individual and lasts 45 minutes. More about the course is on the Yoga page.