Our Founder, Heather Mason, recently presented at the Integrative Medicine and Personalised Care Conference in London with Paul Fox, CEO of the Yoga in Healthcare Alliance (YIHA), and Dr Rupal Dave, consultant psychiatrist and co-director of YIHA. Together, they explored the growing place of yoga in medicine and the clinical, physiological and psychological mechanisms that make yoga increasingly relevant to modern healthcare.
Below is the full talk.
Why Yoga in Medicine Matters
If an intervention regulated the autonomic nervous system, supported neuro-remodelling, reduced systemic inflammation, improved mental health outcomes, alleviated pain, increased balance, strength and flexibility, enhanced cognitive function, supported long-term wellbeing and was adaptable to people of all ages and health statuses with minimal side effects, most of us would view it as a major medical breakthrough.
This intervention already exists. It is yoga.
Although the benefits listed above are supported by hundreds of clinical trials and thousands of personal accounts, yoga is still not always recognised as a legitimate element of medicine. This view is beginning to shift as research grows and healthcare systems expand their interest in practices that address both physiology and psychology.
Professor Murali Doraiswamy of Duke University captured this clearly in 2013 after reviewing yoga’s impact on mental health:
“If the promise of yoga on mental health was found in a drug, it would be the best-selling medication worldwide.”
Today, the evidence base is stronger than ever. At the same time, the integration of yoga in medicine is increasing across a wide range of settings, from community health to specialist care.
Evidence, Experience and the Case for Yoga in Medicine
Heather, Paul and Dr Dave each draw on extensive experience in this field. While research is essential for shaping best practice and guiding safe implementation, the commitment to bringing yoga into healthcare also comes from personal experience. Each speaker has witnessed the transformative impact of yoga in their own lives and in the lives of the people they support. This combination of evidence and lived insight informs their shared belief that yoga should be accessible to a wider range of patients and staff.
Beyond Exercise: Yoga as a Biopsychosocial System
Many still view yoga primarily as a form of exercise, although public understanding is gradually shifting. What remains less visible is that yoga is not a single technique but a system composed of eight interconnected elements. Each of these elements contributes to mental, emotional and physical regulation.
The yamas
Principles that cultivate self-reflection and shift habitual rumination toward patterns linked with wellbeing.
The niyamas
Structures for behavioural change and disciplined self-development.
Asana
Postures that relieve tension, build strength and improve proprioception and interoception. These mechanisms help explain why yoga is widely used in trauma-informed care.
Pranayama
Breath practices that support emotional regulation and autonomic flexibility. Yoga contains the most comprehensive set of breathwork methods within any contemplative tradition.
Pratyahara
The reduction of sensory input to support presence, internal focus and the development of an internal locus of control.
Dharana
Attentional control.
Dhyana
Meditation.
Samadhi
A state of reduced self-referential thinking and deep peace. It can also be understood as engaging in activities that generate profound connection and joy.
Together, these elements form a complete biopsychosocial system. This breadth helps explain why yoga is gaining recognition in healthcare environments that seek to address the complex realities of human distress.
Examples of Yoga in Medicine Around the World
The integration of yoga in medicine is increasingly visible across international healthcare systems.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs offers therapeutic yoga for PTSD, chronic pain and mental health conditions.
In Sweden, more than a quarter of healthcare units include yoga following significant research at the Karolinska Institute.
In India, the Ministry of AYUSH supports yoga-based prevention and treatment programmes, particularly in rural areas and regions with limited access to medical professionals.
Yoga and yoga therapy are also available at leading medical centres such as the Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic and within various NHS hospitals.
In the United Kingdom, yoga is entering healthcare primarily through social prescribing. The Yoga in Healthcare Alliance has played a significant role in this process and has collaborated with NHS teams who became interested in offering yoga to staff. This led to the development of Yoga4NHS, a dedicated wellbeing programme that has already enrolled nearly seven hundred staff members within its first year.
