Yoga has been around for over 5,000 years, originating in ancient India as both a physical practice and a philosophical system. These days, most people in the West encounter it as a form of exercise involving breathing techniques, meditation, and various postures (called asanas). Walk into any gym or community centre and you’ll likely find a yoga class on the schedule.

But does it actually do anything beyond making you more flexible? I’ve looked at the clinical research to separate what’s genuinely supported by evidence from what’s mostly marketing hype.

What Is Yoga, Exactly?

There are over 100 different styles of yoga, from gentle restorative sessions to intense hot yoga classes where the room temperature hits 40°C. Most sessions combine three elements: breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation or mindfulness, and physical postures that stretch and strengthen various muscle groups.

The American Osteopathic Association describes yoga’s purpose as “building strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body” 1. That sounds rather vague, but the idea is that the combination of movement, breathing, and focused attention creates effects you wouldn’t get from, say, jogging alone.

Whether that’s actually true depends on which specific benefit we’re talking about.

1. Depression and Anxiety

Depression and anxiety affect roughly 4.7% to 7.3% of the global population, which translates to over 300 million people dealing with some form of mental health imbalance. More than half don’t receive adequate treatment. If yoga could meaningfully help even a fraction of these people, that would matter quite a lot.

A randomised controlled trial followed 110 participants with depression or anxiety over six weeks 2. Those who combined yoga with their standard treatment showed greater improvements in depression, anxiety, and overall mental wellbeing compared to those using standard treatment alone.

The mechanism appears to involve stress reduction. Yoga has been shown to decrease cortisol, the primary stress hormone, in multiple studies 3, 4. One study of 24 women who considered themselves emotionally distressed found that after three months of yoga, they had significantly lower cortisol levels along with reduced stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression 5.

My take: The evidence for yoga helping with mild to moderate anxiety and depression is reasonably solid. I wouldn’t suggest replacing medication or therapy with yoga alone, but as an add-on to conventional treatment, there’s decent support for its usefulness. If you’re looking for other approaches to mental health, you might also explore natural supplements for PMS-related mood changes.

2. Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes used to be called “a disease of wealth” because historically only those with enough food to overeat would develop it. Now, with sedentary lifestyles becoming the norm across all income levels, the population affected has grown dramatically. In Asian populations specifically, the incidence rate runs about 40% higher than in other ethnic groups, and complications like cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and kidney damage are common when blood sugar isn’t well controlled.

A systematic review examining 37 studies with 2,170 participants found that yoga helped improve several markers related to type 2 diabetes: blood glucose control, blood lipid levels, insulin resistance, and body mass index 6.

The catch: The review authors noted that the quality of existing studies was variable, and more rigorous research is needed. Yoga alone isn’t going to reverse diabetes, but it might help at the margins when combined with proper medical management.

If you’re interested in dietary approaches to diabetes, the article on health foods beneficial to diabetes covers some additional options.

3. Migraine

Migraines involve pulsating pain on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound. About 13% of people globally experience migraines, and the condition has been linked to changes in blood vessel structure and function, which may explain why migraine sufferers have elevated risks for stroke and heart disease.

A randomised controlled trial of 72 migraine patients over three months found that yoga training reduced both the frequency and severity of attacks, improved depression and anxiety scores, and even decreased medication use compared to a self-management control group 7.

Another controlled trial with 42 female migraine patients over 12 weeks showed that adding yoga to medication improved vascular function (measured by vascular cell adhesion molecules) beyond medication alone 8.

Reality check: These are small studies, so I’d temper expectations. But if you suffer from migraines and find medication only partially effective, yoga might be worth trying as a complementary approach. See also our article on complementary therapies for migraine.

4. Stress (This One Is Worth Noting)

Everyone talks about stress, but living with chronic stress from work or family pressure genuinely does cause measurable harm. Long-term stress can lead to anxiety disorders, insomnia, digestive problems, and eating disorders. The body isn’t designed to stay in fight-or-flight mode indefinitely.

A randomised controlled study followed 44 people experiencing physical and mental stress over 12 weeks. The yoga group showed reductions in stress and anxiety along with improvements in self-reported health compared to those receiving only standard treatment 9.

The reason this finding matters more than it might seem: yoga directly targets the autonomic nervous system. By activating the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) system through controlled breathing and relaxation, yoga may help counteract the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) response that chronic stress keeps switched on.

Worth noting: This is probably yoga’s strongest suit. The combination of breathing exercises, physical movement, and meditation creates multiple pathways for stress reduction that you won’t get from, say, taking a supplement. If stress is your main concern, yoga has better evidence supporting it than many other interventions.

For those also interested in alternative approaches to insomnia, which often accompanies chronic stress, there are several options worth exploring.

5. Premenstrual Symptoms

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects 80% to 95% of women of childbearing age during the luteal phase of their cycle. Symptoms range from bloating, breast pain, and fatigue to mood swings, irritability, and depression. For about 5% of women, symptoms are severe enough to significantly disrupt daily life and work.

A study following 64 women with premenstrual discomfort over 12 weeks found that yoga training improved abdominal cramps, bloating, breast pain, body function, and cold sweats. Participants also required less anti-inflammatory medication 10.

My assessment: The evidence is limited to a single decent-sized study, but the results are encouraging. Given that yoga is low-risk and the potential benefits extend beyond just PMS symptoms (stress reduction, flexibility, general wellbeing), it seems reasonable to try if you’re dealing with cyclical discomfort.

Who Should Be Careful: Contraindications and Precautions

Yoga is generally safe for most people, but it’s not risk-free for everyone. Here are the groups who need to take particular care:

People with bleeding or clotting disorders: Many yoga poses involve stretching and inversions that promote blood circulation. If you have a coagulation disorder or take blood-thinning medication, some poses may not be appropriate.

Those with osteoporosis: Certain poses require supporting your full body weight on your hands or require deep forward bends. These can potentially cause fractures in people with significant bone density loss. The NHS recommends that people with osteoporosis avoid poses involving deep spinal twists or heavy loading on the spine 11.

People with herniated discs: Excessive forward bending at the waist can compress spinal nerves and worsen disc problems. If you’ve been diagnosed with a herniated disc, get specific guidance from your doctor or physiotherapist about which movements to avoid.

Those with cardiovascular disease, epilepsy, or brain injury: These conditions warrant extra caution, and yoga should ideally be performed under guidance from an instructor who understands your limitations. For people with conditions like pelvic floor dysfunction or stress urinary incontinence, certain poses may actually be helpful while others could worsen symptoms.

High intraocular pressure or severe myopia: Inverted poses (where your head is below your heart) can increase pressure in the eyes. If you have glaucoma or very high myopia, avoid headstands and similar inversions.

General timing considerations: Don’t do intensive yoga immediately before or within an hour after a large meal. Your body needs blood flow for digestion, and certain poses compress the abdomen in ways that can cause discomfort when your stomach is full.

Practical Recommendations

If you’re new to yoga, start with a beginner class led by a qualified instructor rather than following videos at home. An instructor can correct your form and suggest modifications for any physical limitations you have.

Tell your instructor about any health conditions before class begins. This isn’t oversharing; it’s necessary information that helps them keep you safe.

Don’t push through pain. The “no pain, no gain” mentality doesn’t apply here. Yoga should involve stretching and mild discomfort as you build flexibility, but sharp pain or joint stress means you’re doing something wrong.

Consider what you’re hoping to achieve. If stress reduction is your goal, a gentle or restorative yoga class will serve you better than an athletic power yoga session. If you want physical fitness benefits, a more vigorous style might be appropriate, provided you don’t have contraindications.

The Honest Summary

Yoga has legitimate evidence supporting its use for stress reduction, anxiety, depression, and possibly migraine prevention. The evidence for type 2 diabetes and PMS is encouraging but less robust. It’s not a miracle cure for anything, but it’s also not just stretching dressed up in spiritual language.

The people most likely to benefit are those dealing with chronic stress or anxiety who need tools for relaxation that go beyond “just relax.” The breathing and mindfulness components give yoga something that pure exercise lacks.

The people who should be most careful are those with significant musculoskeletal problems, bleeding disorders, or conditions that make certain movements risky. For most healthy adults, though, the main risk is overdoing it or choosing a class that’s too advanced for your current fitness level.

If you’re curious, try a class. The worst outcome is that you find it’s not for you.

References

Woodyard C. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. Int J Yoga. 2011;4(2):49-54.
Cramer H, et al. Yoga for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Depress Anxiety. 2017;34(3):223-233.
Michalsen A, et al. Rapid stress reduction and anxiolysis among distressed women as a consequence of a three-month intensive yoga program. Med Sci Monit. 2005;11(12):CR555-561.
Pascoe MC, Bauer IE. A systematic review of randomised control trials on the effects of yoga on stress measures and mood. J Psychiatr Res. 2015;68:270-282.
West J, et al. Effects of Hatha yoga and African dance on perceived stress, affect, and salivary cortisol. Ann Behav Med. 2004;28(2):114-118.
Innes KE, Selfe TK. Yoga for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials. J Diabetes Res. 2016;2016:6979370.
Kisan R, et al. Effect of Yoga on migraine: A comprehensive study using clinical profile and cardiac autonomic functions. Int J Yoga. 2014;7(2):126-132.
John PJ, et al. Effectiveness of yoga therapy in the treatment of migraine without aura: a randomised controlled trial. Headache. 2007;47(5):654-661.
Smith C, et al. A randomised comparative trial of yoga and relaxation to reduce stress and anxiety. Complement Ther Med. 2007;15(2):77-83.
Tsai SY. Effect of Yoga Exercise on Premenstrual Symptoms among Female Employees in Taiwan. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016;13(7):721.
NHS. Osteoporosis - Living with. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/living-with/