Page 8 - BBC - The Scientific Guide to a Healthier You

And breathe...

A crowd gathers under the Eiffel Tower in

Paris to mark International Yoga Day on
21 June 2015. Yoga originated in India around
5,000 years ago. At first, it was practised by
religious ascetics. Today, chances are you
pass at least one yoga studio on your way
to work. And where once you might have
laughed at bizarre terms like ‘downward
dog’ and ‘cow face pose’, now they’re part
of our everyday vocabulary.
The millions who practise yoga say it
delivers a host of benefits, including
increased strength and flexibility, stress
relief and heightened energy levels. But
what does the science say? Well, yoga seems
to alleviate depression caused by insomnia,
as it regulates melatonin levels in the blood,
which aids sleep patterns. Research has also
found that ‘yogis’ have more grey matter in
their brains, which correlates with increased

pain tolerance. Furthermore, MRI scans
have shown differences in a number of brain
regions, which could explain why the grey
matter of yogis declines more slowly.

PHOTO: REUTERS