How Yoga Affects Your Brain: Mental and Physical Benefits

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How Yoga Affects Your Brain

So, we know that yoga (including asana, breathwork, meditation and more) helps to calm and centre us. But is there something more?

What does yoga do for the brain?

Yoga creates both structural and functional changes in the brain. ‘Structure, too?’, you say. Yes! Read on.

Having a yoga practice increases gray matter density in certain areas of the brain and reduces it in other areas and, interestingly, both work out in our favour.

So what is gray matter?

Gray matter is responsible for learning, memory and interpreting your senses. It, also, plays a role in muscle control and self-awareness.

The thicker the volume of gray matter in a region of your brain, the more cells are present there and the more likely you are to perform better as a result.

In what areas, of the brain, does yoga increase gray matter?

Yoga creates a thicker cerebral cortex (responsible for information processing) and increases gray matter in the hippocampus (the area of the brain involved in learning and memory) and the prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain associated with self-regulation).

This results in better focus and concentration, memory and learning, increased attention and self-regulation, more self-awareness and improved decision-making and reaction time.

These areas of the brain tend to thin or shrink with age but a yoga practice counteracts these age-related declines, suggesting that having a practice can keep your memory and other cognitive skills functioning well into old age.

Is there more? Yes!

Yoga, also, increases the cortical folds (or gyrification) of your brain. These folds increase the surface area of the brain, making space for more brain cells. Long-term meditators show more gyrification and the longer they have been meditating, the more folds there are.

Your cerebral cortex is responsible for language, reasoning, perception, information processing, memory, and voluntary movement, and so the increase in gyrification allows for improved functioning and speedier information processing.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Yoga decreases the volume of gray matter in the amydala (the message processing centre of your brain). This area plays a critical role in your emotions and how you react to them, especially fear.

This reduction of gray matter in your amygdala means that there is less activity in this part of your brain, making you more capable of handling your emotions and dealing with any fear that arises.

So, what’s the take away?

Not only does yoga help us to chill out but it turns back years on our brain. It keeps us sharp well into old age, significantly improving our quality of life and we haven’t even mentioned the bliss. So, fyi, there’s a whole lot of bliss that comes too.

If you are feeling ready to lean in, to open up to something new, then practice the Brain Bija kriya with Saraswati on Sattva Connect. The way to start living a better life is to start Now!