What is yoga and how does it work?
Yoga is an ancient and complex practice, rooted in Indian philosophy. It began as a spiritual practice but has become popular as a way of promoting physical and mental well-being.
Although classical yoga also includes other elements, yoga as practiced typically emphasizes physical postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dyana). Yoga and two practices of Chinese origin—tai chi and qi gong—are sometimes called “meditative movement” practices. All three practices include both meditative elements and physical ones.
Research suggests that yoga may:
worried about a health issue
take a testWhat are the health benefits of yoga?
Why do People practice yoga?
National survey data from 2012 showed that 94 percent of adults who practiced yoga did it for wellness-related reasons, while 17.5 percent did it to treat a specific health condition. The numbers add up to more than 100 percent because some people reported doing both.
The majority of adults who practiced yoga said that it helped in these wellness-related ways:
Smaller numbers of people reported other benefits: