Yoga and Its Impact on Immunity and General Health

**Stress Relief, Resilience, and
Well-Being through Yoga**

Recent research highlights the benefits of yoga for stress relief and
overall well-being. A notable study conducted in 2007 involved 16 healthy
individuals new to yoga. Participants attended a 50-minute yoga class daily
for a week, with significant reductions in cortisol levels‚Äîthe body’s
stress hormone—observed post-session. This effect contrasted sharply with
the control group, which spent the same duration reading and writing without
any notable cortisol changes. Dr. Vijayendra Pratap, president of the Yoga
Research Society, asserted that even novice yoga practitioners can achieve
normalized cortisol levels through practice. These findings echo a 1995 study
by Dr. George Brainard, who noted similar significant drops in cortisol
following yoga poses. Given the results, future research may focus on yoga’s
effects in populations with chronic illnesses characterized by elevated
cortisol levels, such as depression and type 2 diabetes.

In a separate randomized controlled trial from 2006, 135 healthy seniors
practiced yoga over six months, resulting in improved physical capabilities
like balance and flexibility. Participants in the yoga group reported
enhanced quality of life, energy, and reduced fatigue compared to both
exercise and wait-list control groups. In 2017, another study indicated that
individuals with better interoceptive awareness‚Äîone’s ability to recognize
internal bodily sensations—were more resilient to stress. Yoga, promoting a
mind-body connection, can enhance this awareness and subsequently improve
stress resilience. Mind-body exercises have also shown reductions in
inflammation and stress, leading to better mood regulation and cardiovascular
health.

A comprehensive review of 37 randomized controlled trials published in the
European Journal of Preventive Cardiology underscored yoga’s effectiveness in
improving cardiovascular health. It demonstrated that yoga can effectively
reduce BMI, lower blood pressure, and decrease cholesterol levels, similar to
traditional exercises. Furthermore, three studies in the Journal of
Alternative and Complementary Medicine reinforced yoga’s role in improving
balance, regulating blood pressure, and enhancing cardiovascular health,
ultimately suggesting a marked decrease in healthcare service usage by 43%
when incorporating relaxation techniques such as yoga.

Yoga also benefits sleep quality, especially for populations dealing with
stressors like cancer treatment. A 2014 study found that breast cancer
patients engaging in yoga reported better sleep quality and reduced daytime
disturbances compared to a control group. Another randomized clinical trial
involving 50 older adults demonstrated that mindfulness meditation
significantly improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia symptoms when
compared to standard sleep hygiene practices.

The immune system also appears to benefit from yoga, as studies suggest
that yoga practice leads to molecular changes that enhance immune function.
Research published in 2013 observed participants at a week-long yoga retreat,
finding immediate genetic changes linked to improved immune response.
Additionally, a 2018 study drew connections between stress-related disorders
and autoimmune diseases, indicating that yoga may serve as an effective
self-care strategy for managing stress and related disorders.

For more information on yoga’s impact on immunity and general health,
please visit [Ashtanga
Tech](https://ashtanga.tech/study-guide/research-inspiration/research-on-the-impact-of-yoga/yoga-research-immunity-general-health/).