A short practice of hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation can significantly improve brain function and energy levels, according to a new study from the University of Waterloo.
According to a report by Medical Express, the study found that practicing just 25 minutes a day of Hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation can improve the brain’s executive functions, the cognitive abilities associated with goal-directed behavior, and the ability to control reflexive emotional responses and habitual thought patterns and behaviors.
“Both Hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation focus the brain’s conscious processing power on a narrow focus, such as the breath or a posture, reducing the processing of unnecessary information,” said Peter Hall, associate professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems.
“These two features may have some positive impact in the short term after the session, such as helping people to more easily focus on the things they want to focus their attention on in their daily lives.”
Thirty-one study participants completed 25 minutes of hatha yoga, 25 minutes of mindfulness meditation, and 25 minutes of silent reading (the control task) in random order. After both the yoga and meditation activities, participants performed significantly better on the executive function task compared to the reading task.
“This finding suggests that there may be something special about meditation, as opposed to physical postures, that explains many of yoga’s cognitive benefits,” said Kimberly Lu, lead author of the paper.
The study also found that while mindfulness meditation and hatha yoga were both effective in increasing energy levels, hatha yoga had a significantly stronger effect than meditation alone.
“There are many theories as to why exercise like yoga might improve energy levels or performance on cognitive tests,” Lu says, “including the release of endorphins, increased blood flow to the brain, and reduced focus on ruminative thoughts. But ultimately, it’s still an open question.”
Better than meditation
Hatha yoga is one of the most common styles of yoga practiced in the Western world. It combines physical postures and breathing techniques with meditation. Mindfulness meditation involves observing thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations with an open and receptive attitude.
“While the meditative aspects may be even more important than the physical postures in improving executive function, Hatha yoga offers additional benefits, such as improved flexibility and strength,” Hall says. “These benefits may make Hatha yoga superior to meditation alone in terms of overall health benefits.”
Many people report positive health effects from practicing yoga or meditation and feel they benefit both mentally and physically from these practices, but there is still much to learn about how these practices affect our mental and physical health.
Another study published last month in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience reported that the practice had positive effects on brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling, the cortisol awakening response, and immune markers, as well as improved subjective well-being.
In the study, retreat participants were assessed before and after taking part in a three-month yoga and meditation retreat that included daily meditation and Isha yoga, as well as a vegetarian diet. Yoga practices consisted of physical postures, controlled breathing techniques, and seated meditation, in which participants focused on repeating mantras, breathing, emptying the mind, and bodily sensations.
The data showed that participation in the retreat was associated with a reduction in both self-reported anxiety and depression, and an increase in mindfulness. In light of previous research on the positive effects of meditation on mental health, autonomic homeostasis, and inflammatory status, the researchers believe their findings are related to the meditation practices undertaken by the retreat participants. However, some of the observed changes may also be related to physical aspects of the retreat, such as yoga practice and diet, and the researchers suggest that the pattern of observed changes may reflect a sense of well-being and mind-body integration.
