Yoga as an Adjunct in Epilepsy Management: A Narrative Review

Introduction: Epilepsy affects approximately 50 million individuals worldwide, with nearly one-third experiencing inadequate seizure control despite optimal pharmacotherapy. Growing interest in mind–body interventions has positioned yoga—a practice integrating physical postures, controlled breathing, and meditation—as a promising adjunct to conventional antiseizure medications. This review examines the evidence base for yoga’s role in epilepsy management. Methods: A systematic narrative synthesis was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases (2000–2024). Search terms included “yoga,” “epilepsy,” “seizure,” “mindfulness,” and “complementary therapy.” Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective studies, and high-quality observational studies published in English were included. Studies reporting seizure frequency, electroencephalographic (EEG) outcomes, quality of life (QoL), anxiety, or autonomic parameters were prioritized. Results: Twelve studies ( n = 896 participants) met inclusion criteria. Yoga-based interventions, ranging 8 to 24 weeks in duration, demonstrated statistically significant reductions in seizure frequency in six studies (up to 86% reduction vs. controls). Improvements in vagal tone, cortisol levels, and EEG normalization were reported, suggesting neuromodulatory mechanisms. Standardized QoL instruments (Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31) showed meaningful gains in four RCTs, with concurrent reductions in depression and anxiety scores. Discussion: Yoga may confer benefit in epilepsy via autonomic modulation, reduction of stress-triggered seizure susceptibility, and enhancement of psychological resilience. Limitations include heterogeneous study designs and small sample sizes. Yoga appears safe when appropriately supervised and holds promise as a low-cost, accessible adjunct—particularly for drug-resistant epilepsy. Larger, well-powered RCTs with standardized protocols are warranted to inform clinical guidelines. Publication History Article published online: 15 July 2026 © 2026. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Limited A-13A, Graphix Tower 1, 6th floor, Sector 62, Noida 201309, Uttar Pradesh, India