How yoga helps to boost your immune system

admin March 10, 2020

How yoga helps to boost your immune system - Scientifically back evidence to keep you healthy!

Ahead of winter a lot of people are naturally worried about getting sick. But fighting off colds, the flu and viruses isn’t just about avoiding the places where nasties hide! Your body needs to be in tip top shape and looking after yourself is priority one. This is where yoga can help and is uniquely beneficial in multiple ways. The result is that classes not only help to reduce your chances of getting sick but also help how you body fights infections. These findings are backed by science.

Yoga effectively helps to lower levels of stress that suppress the immune system.

There is growing evidence that psychological stress can impact the body’s ability to fight disease. In a review of over 300 studies into stress and the immune system, stress lasting a few days or more lowered all aspects of immunity.[1] A factor which effects the body's ability to fight off infections. As such managing stress is critical to helping your body fight off nasties. Yoga has been found to effectively reduce and lower this type of stress. [2]

Yoga helps to lower inflammation that weakens immune response.

Research published in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine found that people who took part in a yoga class once a week to daily had lower levels of inflammation. [3] Inflammation is part of the body’s natural mechanism to fight off infection, but prolonged inflammation weakens the immune system as well as the body’s ability to fend for itself.

Yoga can help increase antibodies present in the body.

A systemic review of literature studies looking into the effect of yoga on the immune system found that regular yoga practice appears to aid in the increase of antibodies present in the body and reduce the inflammatory response.[4] This means the parts of your body responsible for fighting infections are prone and ready to respond. This could help your body get onto of something before it becomes an issue.

Yoga classes can help to lower your risk of getting sick.

Exercise of moderate intensity for a minimum of 60 minutes (such as that done in Yin, Bikram or Hot Pilates classes) is associated with a lower level of risk of illness. The same review of literature highlights that this exercise also improves the body’s defence activity. Regularly keeping up this exercise is important as it helps to regulate the immune system. This aids in maintaining a consistently strong defence against the intensity and frequency of diseases.[5]

So don't miss your class!

So as we head into the winter season make sure you keep your practice up! This will hep you stay strong both for your sake and that of those you care about.

However remember also that if you’re feeling unwell it’s better to rest! The best thing to do is to stay at home until you’re feeling 100% again (we'll extend or hold your pass while your away). This helps to prevent the spread of viruses and makes sure others can’t make an excuse to skip their immune building classes ?