Physical fitness and spirituality were a great interest in the 1970s, an era that made yoga a cultural sensation. The ancient Hindu spiritual discipline aims to “bring harmony between mind and body”, but what is the real science behind this practice, and what are the benefits?

While the practice of yoga is commonly known to be based on the perennial cycle of breath, and the different positions adopted, there is a scientific explanation as to how it actually works, and serves your body.

Before giving any additional information, picture this: there is one very large cranial nerve (i.e. relating to the skull), called the vagus nerve, that is responsible for the regulation of internal organ functions such as digestion, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

According to a 2012 study conducted at Boston University School of Medicine, yoga works by regulating the nervous system, and that is by increasing vagal tone - the body’s capacity to victoriously respond to stress.

Vagal tone is not a constant. It can be lost or gained, and that change can be measured by tracking certain biological processes. A person can know his/her vagus nerve is toned when his/her body functions optimally. Good vagal tone helps ease the transition from active or stressful states to relaxed states. The researchers’ hypothesis at the start was that yoga stimulates vagal tone. The results revealed that breathing deeply and evenly, as well as chanting ‘Om’ out loud, increased the relaxation response. Breathing also increased heart rate variability, which is an indicator of resilience to stress. The studies on the ‘science of yoga’ are still ongoing, but obtaining those results is already a great advancement.

Having now understood how yoga contributes to increasing resilience, it’s time to walk through the benefits brought to the body through yogic practices.

The most well known outcomes are increased flexibility and muscle strength. Of course, the different poses will stretch the body’s muscles, hence increasing flexibility with time, while using the body weight as tension. As a bonus     , the body will build more muscle. Moreover, the stretching consequently helps the body regain balance and aids in preparing it for meditation.

As for the mental benefits, yoga helps in stress management. Stress can be revealed in many ways, such as      neck pain, headaches, sleeping problems, or the inability to concentrate. Thus, practicing yoga has shown to create mental calmness. It has additionally resulted in the thickening of the layers of a part of the brain, linked to higher learning, known as the cerebral cortex. Furthermore, yoga increases neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form and reorganize connections, associated with “positive traits” like better communication and stronger physical endurance.

Interestingly, it seems that during quarantine, people not only became professional bakers, but a lot of them also became beginner and master yoginis. Now that we have an idea on how yoga impacts the body, we will be able to make a wiser decision as to why we should or shouldn’t run to our mats right away!