May 27, 2026, 3:28 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
In recent years, few physical activities have gained as much popularity as yoga. Stressed city dwellers, in particular, swear by its relaxing effects on body and mind. Now researchers have discovered how yoga also affects our brains.
How Good Is Yoga for the Mind and Brain Really?
A few years ago, yoga was considered an alternative sport for those who weren’t interested in strength or endurance training. Today, yoga is firmly established as a holistic fitness concept and is attracting more and more people. Even strength athletes benefit from it, as yoga improves flexibility, coordination, and balance. At the same time, the practice helps focus the mind and deal more consciously with constant distractions like smartphones. But what effects does yoga actually have on the mind and brain?
This question was the focus of a meta-analysis by researchers at the University of Seville, who evaluated 23 international studies on the impact of yoga on the brain. Yoga, a practice for body and mind that originated in India thousands of years ago, has gained significant importance in the West in recent decades. In parallel, scientists have increasingly studied the health effects of the exercises. In addition to positive effects on the body, there is evidence that yoga can reduce stress, regulate neurotransmitters, promote brain blood flow, and influence brain structure and function. Various neuroimaging and neurophysiology methods such as MRI, fMRI, and EEG were used for the analysis. However, the results are not clear-cut in all areas–there are several reasons for this.1
Characteristics of the Studies Examined
The researchers did not impose restrictions on the age range of participants, the minimum duration or intensity of yoga practice, or the year of publication to create a comprehensive summary of the available neuroimaging findings on yoga. This resulted in the following study composition:
- most studies predominantly included female participants
- in only six of the 23 studies were more men than women represented
- the average age ranged from 16.4 to 66.5 years, depending on the study
- yoga experience ranged from minimal before the study training to a maximum of 30 years of practice
- Sahaja Yoga Meditation (SYM) was the most frequently represented form of yoga (in five of the studies)
What the Data Analysis Revealed
The biggest challenge was making the results of the different studies comparable. When interpreting the neural effects, individual characteristics of the participants had to be considered, as well as practice-related factors such as the duration of yoga experience or the intensity of the training.
The key finding of the analysis: The effects of yoga on the brain vary depending on the level of experience, duration and intensity of practice, age of the participants, and the specific yoga style studied. Studies with long-term practitioners and very experienced yogis consistently reported structural and functional changes in the brain. Observed changes included alterations in the so-called Default Mode Network (DMN), increased gray matter volume in areas such as the insula and hippocampus, and stronger connectivity between different brain regions.
The DMN (Default Mode Network) is considered the biological basis of our mental inner life. It is involved in self-reflection, mind-wandering, memory, future planning, and empathy.2 Long-term and intensive yoga practice seems to have a positive effect on these areas.
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Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Yoga
However, the researchers observed not only long-term effects but also short-term changes in yoga beginners. Training programs lasting from a few days to several weeks were analyzed. Among other things, a reduction in anxiety and negative emotions, decreased amygdala reactivity, and temporary changes in activity in the Default Mode Network (DMN) were observed.
The age of the participants also apparently influenced the results. Studies with older adults showed stronger effects on network efficiency, resilience, and the maintenance of cognitive abilities. In contrast, studies with younger or mixed-age groups more frequently reported changes in emotional regulation, attention control, and self-referential processing.
It also became particularly clear that the type of yoga practiced has a significant impact on the observed effects. Yoga forms with a stronger meditative focus were more often associated with changes in the Default Mode Network. Physically intensive yoga styles, on the other hand, were more associated with changes in the hippocampus and the sensorimotor area. The hippocampus plays a central role in memory, learning ability, spatial orientation, and the processing of emotions.
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Conclusion and Limitations of the Study
In summary, the meta-analysis of the 23 studies shows that yoga can have positive effects on the brain. However, the extent of these effects largely depends on the type of yoga practiced, the duration of practice, and the age of the participants. The results suggest that yoga styles with a meditative focus particularly influence the Default Mode Network, promoting processes such as self-reflection, memory retrieval, future planning, and empathy. Physically oriented yoga forms, on the other hand, were more often associated with improvements in memory, learning ability, spatial orientation, and emotional regulation. Notably, even after just a few hours of yoga practice, beginners were able to reduce negative emotions such as anxiety and stress.
Nevertheless, this meta-analysis has a significant limitation. The individual results of the studies examined regarding the effects of yoga on brain structure and function in healthy individuals are inconsistent due to methodological differences. The researchers therefore recommend that future studies refine the definition of yoga and establish a more uniform methodology among studies of the same type of neuroimaging procedure. Another recommendation is to distinguish between the different components of yoga, as postures, breathing exercises, and meditation have different effects.