Video Looks at the Science of Yoga

Millions of people in the U.S. roll out their mats to practice yoga. They work on physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation or relaxation techniques. Scientists, meanwhile, are studying how this mind and body therapy can affect your health and well-being.

A new online video from NIH sheds light on the research and science behind the practice of yoga. It highlights some of the latest studies examining how yoga affects your health, particularly difficult-to-treat problems such as chronic low back pain. Viewers can also learn about research into the safety of yoga and how certain yoga poses specifically affect a person’s body. The video offers valuable “dos and don’ts” for people who are thinking about practicing yoga.

To watch the video, Scientific Results of Yoga for Health and Well-Being, go to nccam.nih.gov/video/yoga. This is the second installment in the NIH-produced “The Science of Mind and Body Therapies” video series.