IMPACTS OF YOGA, BREATHWORK & MINDFULNESS PRACTICES ON BRAIN CHEMISTRY AND FEELINGS OF WELLBEING
Yoga has been gaining popularity as a complementary and alternative therapy for a variety of health conditions, and has been studied as a potential adjunctive treatment for epilepsy, depression and PTSD. One of the ways in which Yoga may exert its therapeutic effects is through its impact on the autonomic nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls the body's involuntary functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure and digestion. The sympathetic branch of the ANS upregulates activity ready for action, and the parasympathetic branch downregulates activity so that we can rest, digest our food and our body’s can make vital repairs. Yoga practices, such as pranayama (breathing exercises) and mindful asana (postures), have been shown to have a calming impact on the ANS.
For example, studies have found that yoga can lead to a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as an increase in ‘vagal tone’ (the activity of the vagus nerve, the largest in our body connected to all our organs), which is a measure of the activity of the parasympathetic (‘rest and digest’) nervous system. This can lead to a state of relaxation and reduced stress and increased capacity for ‘allostasis’, or the ability of the body to adapt to stressors to maintain a state of balance in the face of external instability – vital for our capacity to thrive in an ever-changing world.
In recent years, research led by Christ Streeter, Associate Professor, Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, and Patricia Gerbarg, Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry, New York Medical College, has deepened our understanding of some of the biochemical mechanisms at work in producing these effects. Their papers include Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, GABA, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and PTSD, published in the journal Medical Hypotheses in 2012, and Effects of Yoga on Thalamic GABA, Mood and Depression, published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry in 2018.
GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is a neurotransmitter (molecules used by the nervous system to transmit messages between neurons) that plays a critical role in reducing sympathetic (activating) nervous system activity and therefore regulating mood. Low levels of GABA have been linked to conditions such as anxiety and depression. Yoga has been found to increase GABA levels in the brain, thereby leading to a reduction in stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression, and an overall improvement in mood.
Moreover, further research by Streeter, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, compared the effects of Yoga versus a (similarly metabolically demanding) walking exercise – also known to have positive effects on mental health – on brain GABA levels. It found that the yoga subjects reported greater improvement in mood and greater decreases in anxiety than the walking group, with correspondingly higher brain levels of GABA in their MRI scans. So, it seems there is something very unique about mindful movement and breathing in terms of regulating mood and building resilience to stress.
More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind these effects, but the evidence suggests that yoga may be a valuable complementary therapy for a range of conditions thanks to its overall calming effect on our nervous system. It is always important to talk to a qualified Yoga teacher and/or doctor as necessary before starting a Yoga practice as a therapeutic support.
