Academic life can be a lot to handle. Long, unpredictable hours, high expectations, low pay, and uncertainty about the future can leave you feeling drained - both mentally and physically. And that’s just the start. Throw in imposter syndrome, the guilt of taking a break (“I love what I do, so shouldn’t I be working all the time?”), or managers who think bullying is a leadership style, and you've got the perfect recipe for burnout. This constant pressure can easily lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and even depression, creating a cycle where you’re not just overworked but feeling undervalued and emotionally wiped out. What was once your passion starts to feel like pure survival mode.

The stats back this up, too. A study from UC Berkeley found that PhD students are twice as likely to struggle with mental health issues like anxiety and depression compared to the general population. Similarly, research from Harvard shows that graduate students are among the most stressed groups of highly educated people. While mental health conversations in academia are finally becoming more open, there’s still a long way to go in providing enough resources to prevent these struggles or truly support those going through them. Research from other parts of the world paints a similar - or sometimes even bleaker - picture.

I’ve been there - I know firsthand the mental health challenges that come with a career in academia. I’ve experienced it all, the loneliness, the constant uncertainty about the future, the lack of mentorship, and the overwhelming absence of resources when my mental health started to decline. It’s exactly because of these struggles that I do what I do now. I want to be the resource I once needed, and I’m committed to helping drive the change in how we support mental health in academia. This is why I’m passionate about sharing the benefits of yoga and mindfulness with fellow scientists - it’s a way to find balance and thrive, even in a tough environment.

How yoga can help

Yoga offers a variety of scientifically demonstrated benefits that can help ease the burden of academic life. For starters, it’s great for releasing physical tension. Many of us hold stress in our bodies - tight shoulders, stiff necks, or clenched jaws -which can further contribute to mental strain. Yoga’s physical aspect - the practice of postures (Asana), combined with mindful breathing, helps release that tension, aiding in overall relaxation and promoting a general sense of well-being.

Yoga has also been shown to lower stress and anxiety. Studies have found that regular practice can reduce stress hormone cortisol levels and calm the nervous system. Some research even suggests that yoga might be effective in alleviating symptoms of depression, offering a natural way to improve mood and emotional balance. The practice enhances emotional regulation, helping you respond to challenges with more ease rather than reacting out of stress or frustration. Yoga is also linked to increased positive affect, which means that with regular practice (or even after one yoga class!) you might feel more joy, optimism, and contentment.

Building resilience is another crucial benefit. In a field where rejection, setbacks, and uncertainty are frustratingly common, yoga can help you stay grounded and bounce back more quickly when things don’t go according to plan. It also boosts mental clarity and focus, which can lead to greater productivity. Even a short yoga session - particularly certain breathing practices and meditation - can help refresh your brain and get you back to your work feeling more clear-headed.

(In my future blog posts, I’ll dive deeper into some of these topics—how yoga directly affects your brain, why it’s so effective at lowering anxiety, and ways you can incorporate yoga and mindfulness into your daily life, even when your schedule feels jam-packed.)

But ultimately, yoga is not just a self-care strategy, productivity hack, or stress relief tool (though those are pretty great side effects!). It’s a comprehensive system of practices and ideas that help us develop greater self-awareness and self-mastery.

When we practice yoga, we're not just stretching our bodies or calming our minds. We’re learning to tune into ourselves - our thoughts, our emotions, and our physical sensations. Yoga helps us become more mindful of how we react to stress and challenges, giving us the tools to respond with greater clarity and intention. Over time, this self-awareness leads to self-mastery - the ability to make choices that align with our values and to navigate life’s ups and downs with more ease and resilience. In academia, where the pressure is high and the stakes feel even higher, this kind of inner strength can make all the difference.

So while yoga can certainly help you feel less stressed, more productive, and even happier, its true value lies in its ability to help you cultivate a deeper relationship with yourself - a relationship rooted in balance, awareness, and self-compassion. And that’s a skill worth investing in.

Curious and want to give yoga a go? I’m here to help you balance the demands of academic life with mindfulness and personal growth. Check out my online classes or let’s chat about how I can support you! No flexibility required - just an open mind.

We also discussed the mental health crisis in academia in Episode 2 of the “Moms, Mats, and Manuscripts” podcast! You can listen to it here.