The Science of Yoga

A recent study published in the Journal of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine found that yoga was effective in treating insomnia - especially in adults older than 60 years old.

Regular yoga sessions resulted in better sleep quality and longer sleep duration. 

One study found that adults with metabolic syndrome who attended restorative yoga classes reported increased energy levels, improved well-being and reduced stress versus those who did not participate in yoga.  

Other research has found that it can lower your cortisol and adrenaline levels helping to improve insulin sensitivity. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that yoga supports stress management and improves mindfulness. 

When you practice yoga, you shift your body's focus from the fight-or-flight response to a relaxation response. This helps you lower your breathing and heart rate, decrease blood pressure and increase blood flow to key organs.  

One study found that 5 year-old children doing yoga twice a week in school showed less inattention and hyperactivity and completed a task faster than 5-year-olds not participating. 

This supports the growing body of evidence showing that yoga and mindfulness can help children improve memory, increase self-esteem and reduce behavior. 

Studies show that yoga can help children build strength and improve flexibility. It may also improve respiratory function, increase their general enjoyment of physical movement and exercise and help improve overall self esteem.

Statistics from the American Psychological Association show that one in five children report worrying "a great deal" and struggle with managing stress and anxiety.  

Did you know yoga and breathing exercises can help by stimulating our relaxation response or parasympathetic nervous system? A 2015 study from the American Journal of Occupational Therapy showed that practicing yoga can help reduce anxiety in children.