How Yoga Changes the Brain

Posted: September 13th, 2017

When many people think about the benefits of yoga, they only think about the way it benefits your physical health. The mind-body connection is something that is seldom discussed. Because this exercise focuses on deep breathing and stretching, it can benefit your mental health in a number of ways.

Slows Down Your Sympathetic Nervous System

This exercise helps benefit your emotional health by slowing down your sympathetic nervous system. Your body will be in a more relaxed state. This helps alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also help alleviate stress.

Reduces the Effect of a Traumatic Experience

A traumatic exercise can wreak havoc on your emotional health. It can cause someone to experience chronic anxiety and depression. There was a study done that involved military veterans who had post-traumatic stress disorder. They were asked to do yoga along with conventional medical treatments. The results of the study showed that this exercise was effective for alleviating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Prevent Cognitive Decline

Cognitive decline is one of the symptoms that come along with getting older. However, performing this exercise and other deep breathing exercises can prevent cognitive decline. Studies have shown that this exercise can increase cortical thickness in the left prefrontal lobes of the brain. This is the part of the brain that is in control of memory, language, and learning. The exercise boosts blood flow to the brain. There was another study done that involved elderly people who did yoga and meditation for three months. The study showed that the subjects noticed an improvement in their memory. The researchers stated that more studies need to be done in order to understand the mind-body connection. However, the results of the study do seem promising.