If yoga was dramatically anti ageing, something undeniably measurable and with guaranteed results for all, well, I’d be typing this from my retirement compound full of dogs with an ageing portrait of myself in the attic. However, there IS evidence that yoga in both its physical and philosophical forms does have some pretty positive impact on some of the things that normally accelerate ageing.
Studies show yoga can: improve mitochondria integrity, reduce inflammation, reduce stress, slow down the rate of cellular aging, reduce biological age, enhance antioxidants and improve memory and learning functions.
Three groups were tested by Prof Rima Dada in New Delhi. It was found that half an hour of yoga a day can switch on programs that enhance DNA repair, slow cellular level aging by protecting the mitochondria and functional decline also improved.
A 2011 pilot study revealed that yoga has a positive effect on the mental well-being of practitioners and was useful for mild to moderate depression. The slower breathing, relaxing and reducing cortisol also lowered inflammatory markers, a positive fact for the nervous system.
60% of participants were classed as no longer clinically depressed and it also predicted a reduced risk of developing lifestyle diseases, which are the type of statistics that can be extremely misrepresented. The work also showed that yoga helped to decrease inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, helped restore balance deficits and saw a symptomatic decrease in pain, joint stiffness and therefore an increase in quality of life.
So we know yoga feels good, does good, can be a useful part of our lives and can help us in biological and mental health, but it is also worth noting the type of yoga was consistent, steady, but not intense.
