Anxiety is a daily companion for so many, especially in high-pressure environments like academia. The good news? Yoga is an effective - and scientifically backed - method for managing anxiety both in the moment and over the long term. Here’s how.

1. Instant Stress Relief Through Breath and Movement

Research consistently shows that yoga’s combination of mindful movement and breathwork can provide immediate stress relief. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that practising Hatha yoga for just 12 weeks significantly reduced anxiety and increased overall well-being in participants. This is largely due to yoga’s focus on deep, slow breathing paired with mindful movement, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, or “rest and digest” mode, helping you feel calmer right away.

Similarly, certain breathing techniques in yoga - or Pranayama - are shown to slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure. According to a 2012 review in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, the breath control practices used in yoga can lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and create a sense of groundedness that helps to manage anxiety on a moment-to-moment basis.

2. Reducing Anxiety Over Time

While yoga can offer quick relief, it’s also effective as a long-term strategy. Practising yoga regularly helps cultivate greater mindfulness and emotional awareness, two key tools for managing anxiety. Yoga encourages tuning into the body’s sensations or focusing your attention on the breath, which can break the cycle of anxious thoughts by grounding you in the present.

More high-quality studies on yoga and anxiety are needed but the existing research points to the effects of yoga interventions being similar to those of traditional anxiety treatments, like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - at least in the short term, making yoga a beneficial complement to other therapeutic methods.

3. Detaching from Thoughts with Yoga Philosophy

Beyond the physical and mental benefits, yoga offers a deeper philosophy that helps us relate to our thoughts and emotions with more detachment and compassion. According to yoga’s Kosha system, we are composed of five layers, or “sheaths”- physical, energetic, mental, intuitive, and spiritual. Thoughts and emotions belong to the mental layer or Manomaya kosha, but they are just one part of our entire being, or rather, one of the "sheaths" covering our true self. Yoga teaches us that we are not defined by our thoughts or emotions any more than we are defined by the physical body; these are simply layers we can observe. By recognizing thoughts as temporary aspects of the mind rather than absolute truths, we can respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity and resilience.

Another teaching in yoga philosophy that is important to remember here is one of the verses from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, one of the foundational texts on yoga philosophy: "Yogaḥ citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ", or “Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.” This phrase reminds us that ultimately, yoga is about creating a sense of steadiness, helping us learn to calm and focus the mind rather than being swept away by every thought or feeling. When we practice yoga, we’re training ourselves to observe our mental patterns and let them pass by, rather than letting them dictate our inner peace.

Viewing our thoughts as temporary fluctuations of the mind rather than absolute truths, and learning to observe them without attachment is especially beneficial for managing anxiety, as it helps to create mental space and reduces the need to engage with every anxious thought.

Quick Tip: A Simple Yoga Practice for When You’re Feeling Anxious

Try the Sama Vritti Pranayama (also known as "box breathing"). Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, find a quiet spot and try this simple breathing technique:

• Inhale slowly for a count of 4.
• Hold your breath gently for another count of 4.
• Exhale slowly for a count of 4.
• Hold your breath for the count of 4.

Repeat this for a few rounds. Notice how you're feeling and try to release any tension in your face, jaw and shoulders with every exhale. This breathing pattern helps slow the heart rate, release physical tension, and calm the nervous system - bringing a quick sense of grounding when anxiety hits.

(Note holding your breath after the inhale and especially after the exhale can be uncomfortable, especially if you never practised breath retention before. You can start with a variation of this breath technique where you don't hold your breath at all, or hold it for shorter periods - e.g. a count of 2).

The Takeaway

Yoga isn’t a one-time fix for anxiety, but it offers valuable tools for both immediate stress relief and long-term resilience. By slowing down and connecting with the body and breath, yoga can become a daily practice for reducing anxiety, and it can help you become less reactive to stress over time. If you’re ready to feel calmer and more grounded, give yoga a try - it might be the support you need for the pressures of daily life.

Ultimately, yoga is not just a self-care strategy, productivity hack, or stress relief tool (although all these can be great “side effects” of the practice!); it’s a thorough system of practices and ideas that help us develop greater self-awareness and self-mastery. At its core, yoga offers a way to step back from our thoughts and emotions and reconnect with who we truly are, even in moments of anxiety.

Key references

Streeter et al., 2010 (The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine)

Novaes et al., 2020 (Frontiers in Psychiatry)

Sengupta, 2012 (International Journal of Preventive Medicine)

Simon et al., 2020 (JAMA Psychiatry)

P.S. I’m here to help you balance the demands of academic life with mindfulness and personal growth. If you want to experience the benefits of yoga yourself, you can join me for a class or schedule a free chat about other ways I can support you!