Key result
Frequent home yoga practice is associated with better well-being, BMI, and sleep than class frequency.
Why the study?
Relationships between yoga practice and health outcomes are underexplored despite yoga's promise as a therapeutic intervention.
Does the frequency of home yoga practice predict health outcomes in yoga practitioners?
Cross-Sectional (n=1,045)
Yes
Does the frequency of home yoga practice predict health outcomes in yoga practitioners?
p-value: p=<.001
Home practice of yoga is a stronger predictor of positive health outcomes than years of practice or class frequency.
Home yoga frequency was associated with better outcomes; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
Background. Yoga shows promise as a therapeutic intervention, but relationships between yoga practice and health are underexplored. Purpose. To examine the relationship between yoga practice and health (subjective well-being, diet, BMI, smoking, alcohol/caffeine consumption, sleep, fatigue, social support, mindfulness, and physical activity). Methods. Cross-sectional, anonymous internet surveys distributed to 4307 randomly selected from 18,160 individuals at 15 US Iyengar yoga studios; 1045 (24.3%) surveys completed. Results. Mean age 51.7 (± 11.7) years; 84.2% female. Frequency of home practice favorably predicted (P < .001): mindfulness, subjective well-being, BMI, fruit and vegetable consumption, vegetarian status, sleep, and fatigue. Each component of yoga practice (different categories of physical poses, breath work, meditation, philosophy study) predicted at least 1 health outcome (P < .05). Conclusions. Home practice of yoga predicted health better than years of practice or class frequency. Different physical poses and yoga techniques may have unique health benefits.
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Ross et al. (2012) conducted a cross-sectional in Yoga practitioners (n=1,045). Frequency of yoga practice was evaluated on Health outcomes including mindfulness, subjective well-being, BMI, diet, sleep, and fatigue (p=<.001). Frequency of home yoga practice favorably predicted mindfulness, subjective well-being, BMI, diet, sleep, and fatigue (P<.001), outperforming years of practice or class frequency.
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