Can yoga actually change your brain?

Does this come from exercise-related hormone changes, the placebo effect, or something else entirely?

A recent pilot study suggests there might be more to Downward Dog, Child’s Pose, and Sun Salutation than just controlled breathing and stretching. Researchers found that following a sequence of yoga poses resulted in shifts in participants’ brain activity associated with attention, relaxation, and focus.

If you’ve ever tried or thought about trying yoga, this may have piqued your interest. You’re in good company, as an estimated 2–3 million people practise yoga—that’s 3–4.5% of the population.

Here’s what showed up on the brain scans and what it could mean for your routine.

How yoga changes brain wave patterns

In the pilot study, published in Scientific Reports, researchers recorded the brain waves of participants before and after yoga by using electroencephalogram (EEG) imaging.

A total of 13 people took part in three 15-minute yoga sessions spread out over consecutive days. Each yoga session included breathing exercises and four rounds of Surya namaskar asanas, also known as Sun Salutation.

The EEGs revealed that after practising yoga, the participants’ brains shifted how they were working. Certain brain waves associated with focus, attention, relaxation, and inward thinking increased, and the participants’ brains appeared to move more smoothly between different microstates. 

What are brain microstates?

Brain microstates are specific patterns of brain activity that some experts have described as “basic building blocks for mental processing” or “atoms of thought.” Transitioning from one microstate to another represents moving from using one group of brain cells to another.

Previous research has suggested that specific microstates are associated with different kinds of mental activity. 

Essentially, the way our brains transition from one microstate to another can influence how we process information and react to the world around us. Smoother transitions could result in greater mental flexibility, attention, and control.

Microstates are visible as patterns on an EEG, giving the study’s authors a way to see how yoga might impact the way the brain works. 

Yoga may boost focus, attention, and relaxation

In the pilot study, researchers observed changes in microstate transitions after yoga in specific parts. 

Changes occurred in the visual network, insular cortex, and frontal gyrus. These brain regions relate to attention, decision making, and sensory processing

According to the researchers, the changes might help support the brain’s functioning in these areas. They also described changes in:

• Beta and gamma brain waves: These are associated with attention and focus.
• Alpha and theta brain waves: These are associated with relaxation and introspection.

This isn’t the first study to look at how yoga might affect the brain. A review of existing research in 2019 suggested that yoga could have a positive effect on both the structure and functioning of parts of the brain known to shrink and weaken as we age.

Another older review from 2015 concluded that participating in yoga could both increase brain activity and the amount of grey matter in the brain. Grey matter is the tissue making up the outer layer of the brain, and it supports how we move, think, and remember things.

What this study can’t tell us yet

This was a small pilot study, so further research is needed to support its findings. However, its findings are intriguing, and they build on existing research telling us that yoga can positively impact brain health.

One key limitation of the study is that the authors only looked at data from 13 people with an average age of 35, examining their brains over the course of just three days. This is a small and specific group, making it much less certain that the results would be the same for the wider population.

In addition, there was no control group for the researchers to compare their yogis to, meaning there was no baseline to tell how much of the benefit really came from yoga.

And while the researchers observed what changes appeared in the brain, they didn’t do anything to measure their effects or see how long they lasted. This means that we don’t yet know if these changes impacted things like the participants’ focus, attention, or levels of relaxation.

The authors acknowledge that a longer study with more participants might be needed to work out how the brain networks change both over time and in people in different age groups.

Still, the study serves as a useful starting point for researchers looking to dig deeper into exactly how yoga might affect the body and mind.

How to add some yoga to your routine

While there are some clear limitations to this research, there are already plenty of documented benefits for regularly practising yoga. Even if it turns out that yoga doesn’t always lead to the beneficial changes in the brain this study has suggested, there are other things you can gain.

The NHS classifies yoga as a muscle-strengthening and flexibility activity, which adults should do at least two sessions per week. Exercises like this can help with building strength, increasing mobility, and improving balance—all of which are important for our current and long-term health.

Yoga is fairly accessible and, unlike other forms of strength training, it doesn’t require much in the way of equipment for people to give it a go. Many video practices are available online for free, and they can be done at home and in short chunks of time.

• Start small: You don’t need a studio membership or even a mat. Get started with free, beginner-friendly YouTube videos and a towel rolled out on the floor.
• Try 5 minutes, then increase: A short Sun Salutation sequence (the same one used in this study) takes around five minutes and works as a standalone movement practice. Try squeezing it into your morning routine, and pay attention to how it makes you feel.
• Pair it with something you already do: If you’re not sure where yoga fits into your life, try tacking a short session onto an existing habit like after a run, before your morning shower, or when winding down before bed.

Takeaway

Yoga might affect how your brain works, but more research is needed to confirm exactly how. This pilot study suggests that yoga could potentially increase activity in certain parts of the brain and allow it to move from one kind of mental activity to another more smoothly.

Disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional first if you have concerns about your health.