What Is Yoga?

Some people can remember a time before yoga studios could be found on almost every street corner in the United States, but yoga has been around for millennia. It is an ancient system of contemplative practice that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. Most people associate yoga with hatha yoga and other body-oriented practices (like Bikram, Vinyasa Flow, and Iyengar yoga). These forms of yoga incorporate various asanas, or physical postures. There are many other types of yoga as well, including jnana (knowledge), karma (action), and bhakti (devotion). One of the main purposes of yoga as originally practiced was to foster greater mindful awareness, to help people achieve states of “higher consciousness.”¹ In fact, it is often referred to as a “science of mind.” The word yoga originates from the Sanskrit yug which means union; it was intended to effectively connect mind and body.

As of 2015, 9.5% of U.S. adults (21 million) had practiced yoga, up from 6.1% in 2007.² According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey,³ 94% of those who practice yoga reported doing it for wellness reasons. 85% reported reduced stress, 55% reported improved sleep, 25% cut back or quit smoking, and 12% cut back or quit drinking alcohol.

How Yoga Works

There are many theories about why yoga is beneficial. Of course, it is a form of physical activity, and many of its benefits probably occur through the same means as they do for other forms of physical activity; some studies find comparable benefits for yoga compared to other forms of physical activity.⁴ In addition, yoga has some novel effects.  t increases mindfulness traits⁵ and decreases stress levels (especially, according to current studies, in the workplace).⁶ It shifts brain waves to more relaxed, focused patterns⁷ and favorably shifts neurotransmitter balance.⁸ It also reduces levels of the stress hormone, cortisol,⁹ and it acts on the medial pain perception system of the brain to produce analgesia.¹⁰

How to Use Yoga

For beginners, it is perhaps best to do yoga in a classroom environment, or to have some personalized training with a certified trainer. It can help to start with assistive devices like yoga blocks and straps.

Who Can Use Yoga

Honoring a person’s physical (and mental) health limitations, yoga can be used by most people. There are entire yoga courses designed for people with wheelchairs.