Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Watch

“Yoga has mental health benefits because its teachings deal with the mind in several ways. Modifying the way one thinks and behaves through yoga is similar to the practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy. The yoga concept of mindfulness is used in some behavioral treatments.

Many people use yoga to help control stress, increase self-awareness, and decrease feelings of anxiety or depression by releasing tension from the large muscles, improving concentration, through focused breathing and creating emotional stability and clear thoughts.”