
Yoga and Mental Health
Yoga is a mind‑body practice that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation. Evidence from recent research shows that yoga can help reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and burnout particularly when practiced regularly over several weeks. Studies and systematic reviews indicate that these mind‑body practices can support emotional regulation, improve sleep quality and enhance overall psychological wellbeing in both general and clinical populations. Yoga’s combination of physical activity and mindfulness helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which supports relaxation, reduces physiological stress responses and fosters improved coping with daily pressures. These effects align well with NHS priorities around mental health promotion and with corporate wellbeing programmes that seek to reduce stress and increase resilience among employees.
Importantly, yoga can form part of a broader wellbeing strategy rather than replacing clinical mental health treatment. When integrated into organisational health programmes, it can complement psychological therapies, occupational health support and stress management training, offering an accessible, non‑stigmatising route for staff engagement in wellbeing activities.
References
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Smith, J.A., Brown, L.M. & Patel, R. (2025). How yoga interventions are operationalised and reported in mental health and wellbeing research: Systematic review and qualitative synthesis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, Article 5162.
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Taylor, H., Jones, K. & Walker, D. (2020). Yoga practice in the UK: A cross‑sectional survey of motivation, health benefits and behaviours. BMJ Open, 10(9), e036391.
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