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Yoga has long been associated with better physical flexibility and health, and now it is being linked to improved cognition as well, according to growing research.
A recent study also suggests that yoga may benefit some older people at risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
The holistic mind-body practice of yoga provides physical and mental health benefits through four main components: breathing, physical relaxation, mindfulness meditation, and postures.
Together, they make up a “smorgasbord” that allows people to reap benefits and gravitate to what speaks to them the most, said Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and editor in chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy. “It’s about optimizing your functioning and performance as a human being on all levels,” Khalsa said.
Research suggests that yoga may sharpen our minds by honing our ability to regulate stress and use our cognitive resources efficiently. Studies have found that yoga is associated with changes in the brain.
“That’s what yoga is all about. It’s about enhancing psychological and physiological performance,” said Khalsa, who has practiced yoga since he took an undergraduate course on it in 1971.
Yoga may protect against cognitive decline
Yoga has been found to improve attention, processing speed, executive function, and memory in healthy children and adults, according to a 2015 meta-analysis. A 2021 review of randomized controlled trials found that yoga was associated with improved cognition, memory, and executive functions in healthy older adults.
A new study suggests that yoga may also be beneficial for older adults at increased risk for cognitive decline.
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial with 79 women, at least 50 years of age, who self-reported cognitive decline and were at increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease because of menopause or cardiovascular risk factors.
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