How Much Yoga is Enough Yoga?

The research is IN: Yoga is a unique mind/body/spirit practice that has benefits that go beyond flexible hamstrings! You probably already know this, especially if you’ve been practicing yoga, but it’s always nice to hear that the research backs up your experience. In the West, we have a tendency to categorize and separate things: I go to the gym to work out my body; I go to therapy* to work on my anxiety; I read self-help books to get in touch with my spirit. The magic of yoga is that, when done well, it can work on mind, body and spirit all in one class. (And when I say “done well,” I certainly don’t mean the postures are done to perfection…I mean that you are taking a class with a teacher who brings all of these elements in or in your own home practice you are bringing all of the elements in.) 

This study, which analyzes 35 research studies on the therapeutic effects of yoga, found that yoga has the potential for a wide range of physical, mental and spiritual benefits. 

One of the outcomes of the study was this answer to the question: how much yoga should a person practice?  Here’s what they determined: 

While no concrete guidelines exist regarding the frequency of practice, the more you practice the more you benefit. Yoga is a personalized practice and as such, frequency and duration are personal questions with individual answers. Practice should happen with wisdom and should be modified to meet individual needs and goals. Individuals should practice as often as possible

I would add that a little  goes a long way when we practice yoga. You don’t need to practice a full 60-90 minute class every day. Like most things, it is better to do some yoga everyday than a lot of yoga once or twice a week. 

Interested in creating a regular yoga habit but not quite sure where to start? Join my FREE Yoga Habit 2023 Challenge in January and get everything you need to create your yoga habit! 

*To be clear, I’m not suggesting a yoga class or yoga practice replaces therapy, but it is a lovely complement to therapy and many licensed therapists recommend yoga to their clients.