Yoga for the brain: It may sharpen your mind, protect against cognitive decline

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.

Half of the participants learned Kundalini yoga from a certified instructor for 12 weeks and performed the exercise at home daily. The other group learned memory strategies from a qualified memory training instructor for the same duration.

In a follow-up 24 weeks later, the yoga participants reported significantly less subjective cognitive impairment compared with those in memory enhancement training.

A previous study on a subset of the participants found that yoga seemed to protect against reductions in gray matter volume in the brain.

Intriguingly, the study also reported that the yogis had altered expression in aging-related and inflammatory genes, which may link yoga’s anti-inflammatory effects to changes in cognition.

“Nothing is separate,” said Helen Lavretsky, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA and an author of both studies. “It’s a whole-body benefit.”

The new research has limitations, however; it did not compare yoga or memory training to usual care and may not generalize to other populations.

Yoga alters our brain

Yoga’s brain-boosting and -protecting effects may arise from two underlying biological mechanisms, said Neha Gothe, an associate professor of physical therapy, human movement and rehabilitation sciences at Northeastern University. Gothe said she grew up practicing yoga in India.

First, the different components of yoga – breathing, physical relaxation, postures and meditation – each help reduce stress reactivity. An improved ability to cope may reduce chronic exposure to the stress hormone, cortisol, and inflammatory cytokines, which are associated with cognitive decline. “We know that your brain is going to work better if you’re less stressed,” Gothe said.

Second, consistent yoga practice may improve neurocognitive efficiency, which is our ability to more effectively use limited cognitive resources.

Unlike some other forms of exercise, yoga emphasizes paying closer attention to your body and mind, and what they are doing.

Your “mind wanders, you bring it back, and there’s this ceaseless cycle of awareness and rumination,” Khalsa said. “Nevertheless, you are getting the benefits of focusing your attention.”

Consistent yoga practice is associated with changes in the brain’s attention networks. “The more you are able to attend, the more you are able to be sensitive and aware and more mindful,” Khalsa said.

Brain scans of yoga practitioners have also reported increased gray matter volume in the hippocampus, a key brain area involved in memory, as well as in the insular cortex, an area important for interoception – our ability to sense what is going on in our bodies.

“Yoga is a precise mind-body training when you are trained to pay attention, be more aware of mind-body connection,” said Lavretsky, who reported falling into yoga practice “very accidentally” during a stressful time in 2004.

How to start yoga

Yoga is increasingly popular, with nearly 17% of American adults saying they practice it. And it is an accessible complement or alternative to aerobic exercise and strength training for those who cannot partake. Here is expert advice for people starting out on their yogic journeys.

Find a trained yoga professional. Start with in-person instruction, if possible, to learn the basics correctly and safely. The International Association of Yoga Therapists, which oversees training and certification of yoga instructors, is a good place to search for a qualified teacher, Gothe said.

Try different yoga styles and teachers. Spend time trying different styles of yoga to find the type and a teacher that suits you, Khalsa said.

He recommends styles, such as Kundalini yoga, that feature all four salubrious components: breathing, meditation, relaxation and physical postures. (Hatha yoga, the most commonly practiced form of yoga in the United States, focuses primarily on physical poses, with lesser emphasis on mindfulness and breathing practices, but still provides health benefits, Gothe said.)

Start slow and avoid injury. “You have to pay attention to your body,” Lavretsky said. “You can’t force it to do things. And if there’s pain, discomfort, listen to the body. Stop what you’re doing, consult experts.”

And once you find a style that works for you, “the bottom line really is practice, practice, practice,” Khalsa said. “You don’t practice, it doesn’t work.”