How Yoga Supports Mental Health: Evidence-Based Benefits

Jetta Kaimachiande RN, BSN • October 13, 2025

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice that links the body and mind to promote relaxation and exercise, (Wu et al., 2025). The popularity of yoga has expanded across the US over the past 20 years, and especially after COVID-19. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) in 2022, 16.9% of U.S. adults practiced yoga, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). Though Yoga is deemed primarily as a form of exercise for some, yoga practice can also be used to maintain psychological well-being and as an intervention for psychological disorders, (Khalsa, 2013).

Yoga Practice

Yoga has been practiced for over 4,000 years in Eastern cultures and is seen as a form of spiritual development and healing, (Nyer et al., 2018). Yoga aims to unite the body, mind, and spirit and comprises of the following eight components which are called limbs: yamas (ethical practices), niymas(disciplines), asanas(posture), pranayama (breathing practices), pratyahara (sensory awareness and control), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (absorption),(Chawla et al., 2023).

There are various types of yoga, but Hatha Yoga is the most popular and most researched form of yoga in the U.S. Hatha yoga focuses on breath, posture, and meditation, (Nyer et al., 2018). Yoga emphasizes the connection of breath to movement and utilizes the holding of body postures to help people stay in the moment, (Nyer et al., 2018).

Yoga in Mental Health

Yoga is a complementary health practice that can enhance quality of life and improve mental health outcomes, (CDC, 2024). Studies on the psychophysiological benefits of yoga date back to the early 20 th century and demonstrated the consistent effect of improved mood and well-being, improved cognition, stress reduction, and emotional regulation, (Khalsa, 2013). According to studies, yoga supports mental health by doing the following:

  • Stress Reduction : Studies show that after yoga practice, the common physiological markers of stress, such as heart rate variability and cortisol were normalized, (Chawla et al., 2023).
  • Reduce inflammation : Yoga may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which are biological pathwaysassociated with psychiatric illness, (Chawla et al., 2023).
  • Improved Mood : The neurotransmitters GABA and oxytocin are usually impacted by psychiatric illness. Research shows changes in brain structure and function after yoga practice, including normalization of GABA and oxytocin, (Chawla et al., 2023).
  • Improved Sleep : Yoga encourages adaptive thinking and behavioral activation that could help improve
  • lifestyle components that impact mental health, such as sleep, (Chawla et al., 2023).
  • Increased Mindfulness : Yoga facilitates deeper self-understanding and insight in addition to better resilience and self-regulation, (Chawla et al., 2023).
  • Overall Wellness : The physical component of yoga encourages overall wellness and positively impacts mental health, (Chawla et al., 2023).

Impact on Psychiatric Disorders

  • Depression : According to research, yoga offers better benefits than aerobic exercise or relaxation. Studies show that yoga as a treatment for depression was comparable to standard treatment for depression,(Gangadhar, 2023).
  • Schizophrenia : Studies show that yoga in people with schizophrenia, yoga improves positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and quality of life, (Chawla et al., 2023).
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder : With patients recovering from a tsunami disaster, yoga’s breathing techniques helped reduce PTSD symptoms,(Gangadhar, 2023).

Conclusion

Yoga is an ancient Eastern practice that focuses on uniting the body and mind with movement. Though there are several types of yoga, Hatha yoga is the most researched type of yoga and focuses on breath, meditation, and posture. Ultimately, this focus inward can lead to increased mindfulness, improved mood, emotional regulation, stress reduction, and promote overall wellness. According to research, three of the psychiatric disorders that had marked improvement from the addition of yoga as a complementary therapy were PTSD, schizophrenia, and depression. Yoga is a great complementary therapy that could promote improved mental health in patients.

Chief Preceptor of Clinical Practicum Program – Dr. Okah Anyokwu

Director of Clinical Practicum Program – Xavier Hicks

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