At some point between the 1st and 5th century CE, the Hindu sage Patañjali began to codify

the ancient, meditative traditions practiced throughout India.

Ét som póint bituín dhã fãrst en fífth séntchãri CI-Í, dhã hindu seidj Patãndjalí biguén tu
coudãfai dhi einxãnt, médãteitiv trãdíxiãns préktãst thruaut Indiã.

He recorded techniques nearly as old as Indian civilization itself in 196 manuals called the
Yoga Sutras.
Hi ricórdãd tékniks nírli éz ould éz Indiãn civilizeixãn itsélf in uãn hãndrãd nainiti six méniuãls
kóld dhã iougã sutras.

These texts defined yoga as the ‘yoking’ or restraining of the mind from focusing on external
objects in efforts to reach a state of pure consciousness.
Dhis téksts difaind iougã éz dhã ioukin ór ristreining óv dhã maind from foucãzing ón
ikstérnãl óbdjécts in éfãrts tu ritch ã steiróv piúr cãnxãsnãs.

Over time, yoga came to incorporate physical elements from gymnastics and wrestling.
Ouver taim, iougã keim tu incórpãreit fízicãl élãmãnts from djimnéstiks én résling.

Today, there are a multitude of approaches to modern yoga— though most still maintain the
three core elements of Patañjali’s practice: physical postures, breathing exercises, and
spiritual contemplation.
Tãdei, dhér ar a moltãtud óv ãproutchãs tu módãrn iougã— dhou moust stil meintein dhã thri
cór élãmãnts óv Patãndjalis prétkãs: Físicãl póstchãrs, bridhin ékzãrsaizãs, én spiritchuãl
kóntãmpleixãn.

This blend of physical and mental exercise is widely believed to have a unique set of health
advantages.
Dhis blénd óv fízicãl én méntãl ékzãrsaiz iz uaidli bilívd tu hév ã iúnik séróv hélth édvéntidjs.

Such as improving strength and flexibility, boosting heart and lung function, and enhancing
psychological well-being.
Sãtch éz impruving strenkth én fléksãbilãri, busting hart én lãng fãnkxãn, én énhénsing
saicãlódjicãl uélbing.

But what have contemporary studies shown regarding the benefits of this ancient tradition?
Bãt wót hév cãntémpãréri stãris xôun rãgarding dhã bénãfits óv dhis einxãnt trãdixãn?

Despite attempts by many researchers, it's tough to make specific claims about yoga's
advantages.
Dispait ãtémpts bai meni rissãrtchãrs, its tóf tu meik spãcífic cleims ãbauriougãs édvéntidjs.

Its unique combination of activities makes it difficult to determine which component is

producing a specific health benefit.
Its iuník cómbãneixãn óv éktívãris meiks it difãcãlt tu dãtãrmãn uitch cãmpounãnt iz prãducin
ã spãcífic hélth bénãfit.
Additionally, yoga studies are often made up of small sample sizes that lack diversity, and
the heavy reliance on self-reporting makes results subjective.
Ãdíxãnãli, iouga stãris ar ófen meirãp óv smól sémpãl saizãz dhét lék daivãrsiri, én dhã hévi
rilaiãns on sélf ripóring meiks rizãlts sãbdjéktiv.

However, there are some health benefits that have more robust scientific support than
others.
Hauévãr, dhér ar som hélth bénãfits dhét hév mór roubãst saiãntífik sãpórt dhén ódhãrs.

Let’s start with flexibility and strength.

Léts tart uith fléksãbilãri én strenkth.

Twisting your body into yoga’s physical postures stretches multiple muscle groups.
Tuísting iór bari intu iougas físicãl póstchãrs strétchãs moltãpãl mãssãl grups.

In the short term, stretching can change the water content of these muscles, ligaments, and
tendons to make them more elastic.
In dhã xórt tãrm, strétching kén tchendj dhã wórãr cãntênt óv dhíz mãssãls, ligãmãnts, en
téndãns tu meik dhem mór iléstik.

Over time, regular stretching stimulates stem cells which then differentiate into new muscle
tissue and other cells that generate elastic collagen.
Ouvãr taim, réguiãlãr strétching stimiãleits stém séls uitch dhén difãrénxieit intu nú mãssãl
tíxu én ódhãr séls dhét djénãreit ilástic cólãdjãn.

Frequent stretching also reduces the body’s natural reflex to constrict muscles, improving
your pain tolerance for feats of flexibility.
Frikuãnt strétching ólsou ridussãs dhã baris nétchãrãl rifléks tu cãnstrikt mãssãls, impruving
iór pein tólãrãns fór fits óv fléksãbilãri.

Researchers haven’t found that any one form of yoga improves flexibility more than another,
so the impact of specific postures is unclear.
Rissãrtchãrs hévãnt faund dhét eni uãn fórm óv iougã impruvs fléksãbilãri mór dhén
ãnódhãr, sou dhã impékt óv spãcífic póstchãrs is ãnklír.

But like other low-impact exercises, yoga reliably improves fitness and flexibility in healthy
populations.
Bãt laik ódhãr lou impékt ékzãrsaizãs, iouga rilaiãbli impruvs fitness én fléksãbilãri in hélthi
pópiãleixãns.

The practice has also been shown to be a potentially powerful therapeutic tool.
Dhã préktis héz ólsou bin xôun tu bi ã pãtenxiãli pauãrfãl thérãpiuric túl.
In studies involving patients with a variety of musculo-skeletal disorders, yoga was more
helpful at reducing pain and improving mobility than other forms of low-impact exercise.
In stãriz invólving peixãnts uith ã vãraiãri óv mãzkiulã-skélerãl disórdãrs, iougã wóz mór
hélpfãl ét ridussing pein én impruving moubílãri dhén ódhãr fórms óv lou impékt ékzãrsaiz.

Adding yoga to an existing exercise routine can improve strength and flexibility for hard to
treat conditions like chronic lower back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis.
Éding iougã tu ãn igzísting ékzãrsaiz rútin kén imprúv strenkth én fléksãbilãri fór hard tu trit
cãndixãns laik crónik louãr bék pein, rumatóid arthraitãs, én óstiópãrousis.

Yoga’s mix of physical exercise and regimented breathing has proven similarly therapeutic
for lung health.
Iougãs miks óv fízicãl ékzãrsaiz én rédjãmentid bridhin héz pruven simãlãrli thérãpiutik fór
lãng hélth.

Lung diseases like chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma shrink the passageways that
carry oxygen, while weakening the membrane that brings oxygen into the blood.
Lang dizízãs laik crónik bronkairãs, émfãzíma, én ézmã xrink dhã péssãdjueis dhét kéri
ókssãdjãn, uail uikãning dhã mémbrein dhét brings ókssãdjãn intu dhã blãd.

But breathing exercises like those found in yoga relax the muscles constricting those
passageways and improve oxygen diffusion.
Bãt bridhing ékzãrsaizãs laik dhous faund in iougã riléks dhã mãssãls cãnstrikting dhous
péssãdjueis én impruv óksãdjãn difíujãn.

Increasing the blood’s oxygen content is especially helpful for those with weak heart muscles
who have difficulty pumping enough oxygen throughout the body.
Incrísing dhã blãd óksãdjãn cóntent iz ãspéxiãli hélpfãl fór dhous uith uik hart mãssãls hu
hév difãcãlt pãmping inóf óksãdjãn thruaut dhã bari.

And for those with healthy hearts, this practice can lower blood pressure and reduce risk
factors for cardiovascular disease.
Én fór dhous uith hélthi harts, dhis préktãs kén louer blãd préxãr én ridús risk féktãrz fór
cardiouvéskiulãr dizíz.

Yoga’s most widely celebrated benefit may be the most difficult to prove: its psychological
effects.
Iougãs moust uaidli sélãbreirãd bénãfit mei bi dhã moust difãcãlt tu pruv: its saikãlódjicãl
ifékts.

Despite the longstanding association between yoga and psychological wellbeing, there’s
little conclusive evidence on how the practice affects mental health.
Dispait dhã lóngsténding ãssoucieixãn bituin iougã én saikãlódicãl uélbing, dhérs lirãl
cãnclúsiv évãdãns ón hau dhã préktãs ãfékts méntãl hélth.
One of the biggest claims is that yoga improves symptoms of depression and anxiety
disorders.
Uãn óv dhã bíguest cleims iz dhét iougã impruvs simptãms óv dipréxãn én éngzaiãri
disórdãrs.

Since diagnosis of these conditions varies widely as do their origin and severity, it’s difficult
to quantify yoga’s impact.
Síns daiãgnousis óv dhis cãndíxãns véris uaidli éz du dheãr órãdjãn én sivériri, its difãcãlt tu
kuantifai iougãs ímpékt.

However, there is evidence to suggest that yoga can help reduce the symptoms of stress, as
well as meditation or relaxation.
Hauévãr, dhérs évãdãns tu sãdjést dhét iougã kén hélp ridus dhã simptãmz óv stréss, éz uél
éz médãteixãn ór riléksseixãn.

Research on the effects of yoga is still evolving.

Rissãrtch ón dhi ifékts óv iougã is stil ivólving.

In the future, we’ll need larger studies, incorporating diverse participants, which can measure
yoga’s impact on heart attacks, cancer rates, cognitive function and more.
In dhã fíutchãr, uíl níd lórdjer stãriz, incórpãreiring daivérs partíssãpãnts, uitch kén méjãr
iougãs impékt ón hart ãtéks, kénssãr reits, kógnitiv fãnkxãn én mór.

But for now, yoga can continue its ancient tradition as a way to exercise, reflect, and relax.
Bãt fór nau, iougã kén cãntíniu its einxãnt trãdixãn ézã uei tu ékzãrsaiz, riflékt, én riléks.