How Yoga Changes Your Brain
Yoga is often celebrated for its physical benefits, such as increased flexibility, improved posture, and enhanced strength. You know at FlowFit we LOVE a booty-kicking good time, and I love teaching advanced postures. However, its impact goes far beyond the physical—yoga also has profound effects on the brain. That’s right! By practicing yoga you are ACTUALLY changing your brain chemistry. How cool is that? By fostering a unique blend of movement, breath, and mindfulness, yoga can reshape your brain and unlock new levels of mental clarity and emotional well-being.
1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Yoga’s focus on deep breathing and mindfulness activates the parasympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the "rest and digest" mode. This counteracts the body’s stress response, which is governed by the sympathetic nervous system. We often live life in a heightened state of stress because of our societal norms and western way of thinking. When in our sympathetic or “stress” nervous system, our body guards itself and cortisol levels run high. Your body thinks that you are in danger, but unlike being in an actual dangerous situation, we often don’t have an off switch when this made-up danger subsides. By living in this part of our nervous system, we are going against our biology and evolution. Living in our thinking brains and completely ignoring our feeling brains. Regular yoga practice has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, but also encourages you to move and breathe into the feeling side of your brain. Personally this is a big reason I love teaching complex postures, if you are focused on how all the pieces of your body are feeling, and moving in creative and difficult ways, you allow yourself to step back into the feeling side of things! This not only calms your mind but also reduces your stress hormone levels, so your brain is quite literally changing as you practice! If you don’t have time for a yoga practice on any given day, the Yoga Journal recommends going for a walk or a run, to again help put yourself into a state where you are focused on sensations.
2. Enhances Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to rewire itself by forming new neural connections. Studies reveal that yoga stimulates neuroplasticity, particularly in regions of the brain associated with learning, memory, and emotional regulation. Think about all the muscle activation that we do in classes like Mobility and even Barre and Yoga Sculpt. When we practice “turning on and off” our muscles, this is what we are doing! We are actually building new neuromuscular pathways in the body. I once had a mentor who could isolate and engage almost every muscle group in her back individually. That not only meant that she had incredible precision in controlling individual pieces of her body, but that she had an abundance of neuroplasticity and neuromuscular control. Our brain body connection is important for working our bodies and doing more difficult postures and transitions, but also keeps both our brain and body healthier as we age, and who doesn’t want that? In addition to this practices like meditation, often integrated into yoga, help strengthen the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher cognitive functions. So is there really a better way to spend an hour than working both your brain and body to increase longevity and wellbeing?! If you want to read more on neuroplasticity, I found this article by the Cleveland Clinic enlightening and easy to read!
3. Boosts Emotional Resilience
The combination of physical movement, controlled breathing, and mindfulness cultivates emotional resilience. Yoga enhances the functioning of the amygdala, the brain’s emotional processing center, and improves the communication between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. This allows you to respond to challenges with greater calm and balance. In Lamin’s terms, and as I like to bring up in class, if you can breathe and stay focused during intensely sensationally postures such as prayer twist or dancer’s pose, you will be able to breathe through challenges off the mat. The act of mindfulness is creating space between the action (the thing that happened) and your reaction, to be able to decide how you want to feel and respond. So instead of feeling that your knee-jerk reaction to a situation is something that you cannot control, you will actually be able to pause and decide if you want to feel or respond in a certain way. Honestly in my opinion this is a SUPER POWER, and how incredible that this is one we can all cultivate and utilize to improve our lives.
4. Improves Focus and Concentration
Yoga sharpens your ability to focus and sustain attention. The practice encourages you to stay present, whether it’s maintaining a pose, following your breath, or observing your thoughts. Over time, this thoughtfulness and patience transfers to other areas of life, helping you stay more focused and productive. Our classes and practices demand our presence and that in and of itself is a form of meditation. It might sound silly, but you can take this practice into the most mundane things, like washing dishes, and experience those tasks in a completely different way. Next time you are washing dishes, close you eyes. Take a deep breath and observe the scent of the soap. Notice the warmth of the water on your hands. Observe the satisfaction that you feel from finishing the task, rather than just the annoyance and anxiety you may feel before doing the chore.
5. Promotes Mental Clarity and Creativity
Yoga helps clear mental clutter, creating space for fresh ideas and perspectives. By reducing mental noise and improving the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain, yoga fosters creativity and problem-solving skills. Many practitioners report feeling more inspired and innovative after a yoga session. How often do you find yourself lost inside your head, spinning your wheels and replaying events over and over, or worrying about the future? If you are like me, the answer is probably a lot! For many years I just thought that mental chatter WAS me. It was something that would always be with me and just “is how it is”. I couldn’t even comprehend empty moments and blank spaces in my mind. Now as a practitioner of 10 years, I find more and more often I feel moments of peace and space. Moments where my mind is not buzzing with the todo lists (okay a lot of time it still is, but these moments of clarity come much more frequently) and I actually feel a deep calm and peace. The journey to recognizing these moments and creating more of them is what it’s all about! And it is so worth the hard work in my opinion.
6. Strengthens Memory and Cognitive Function
Yoga improves brain health by enhancing hippocampal function. The hippocampus is vital for memory and learning, and studies suggest that regular yoga practice can slow or even reverse age-related brain decline. This makes yoga a powerful tool for maintaining cognitive vitality. I am not an expert in anatomy, biology or neuroscience by ANY means, but I did really enjoy learning that the VOLUME of the hippocampus itself actually changes! This article has some cool links that help begin your journey to understanding how all of this works.
7. Encourages Self-Awareness and Compassion
One of the most transformative aspects of yoga is its ability to increase self-awareness. Through mindfulness and introspection, yoga encourages you to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment. This heightened awareness often extends to others, fostering compassion and empathy in relationships. I have for many years, villainized the part of myself that is anxious and quick to react. I have tried to smoosh it down, yell at it, beat it into submission and even drug it. Only recently through extensive yoga practice, therapy and literature have I begun to understand that that part of me is meant to be heard, to be listened to. It doesn’t mean at all that I want to live with that part of myself defining everything that happens in my life, but by hearing it out and accepting it without judgement, it’s almost like it thanks me and then quiets down. Again this is not something that happens over night or all the time, but if inklings of it are possible, then the sky is the limit and I think we hold power beyond our wildest dreams.
How to Start Reaping the Brain Benefits of Yoga
If you’re new to yoga, start with a gentle practice that includes basic poses, breathwork, and short meditations. My favorite meditation when I am short on time or my brain feels too busy is a simple candle meditation. Light a candle and simply watch the flame. If your attention wanders, try to focus more on the details of the flame! Set a timer for one minute, start small and work from there! Classes like Hatha or Yin yoga can be a great starting point as a physical practice, as they are slower and more spacious. For more seasoned practitioners, incorporating mindfulness techniques or exploring new styles of yoga can deepen the brain-boosting benefits. Learn a new pose, try a new format, keep yourself excited and enjoying your practice!
Even dedicating just 10-15 minutes a day to yoga can make a noticeable difference in your mental and emotional well-being. Over time, the changes in your brain will ripple out into all aspects of your life, empowering you to live with greater purpose, clarity, and joy.
The practice of yoga is more than a workout; it’s a journey into self-discovery and transformation. By changing the way your brain functions, yoga equips you with the tools to navigate life’s challenges with grace and resilience. Whether you’re looking to reduce stress, enhance focus, or cultivate deeper emotional balance, yoga offers a holistic path to a healthier mind and a more fulfilling life. Are you ready to start? Book a Yin Yoga class today and let the stress of winter melt into the background noise.