The transformative power of yoga in mental health recovery

March 27, 2025
11:23 am

We are here to help

"*" indicates required fields

Your Details:

First Name*

Last Name*

Date of Birth

Email Address*

Contact Number*

Country

How can Orchestrate Health support you?

Please select your subject of your enquiry…*

Notice: Unauthorised Use of Our Company Name for Clinical Trials

It has come to our attention that adverts are circulating, claiming to represent our company in paid clinical trials. We wish to inform you that these adverts are unauthorised and do not originate from Orchestrate Health.

We take the unauthorised use of our company name seriously and are actively taking measures to have these misleading adverts removed. We want to emphasise that any adverts relating to paid clinical trials using our company name are in no way affiliated with us.

However, we are always here to help. If you would like support for your mental wellbeing we would be happy to help you in any way we can.

Please contact us if you have any concerns.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Show If Not Clinical Trial

Tell us about yourself…*

This optional section helps us get back to you more efficiently and with better accuracy

Preferred contact date

Please answer the following spam prevention question.

What’s the 4th letter of the alphabet?

Private*

I understand that Orchestrate Health is not affiliated with the NHS or private healthcare schemes and is a private self-funded service

Brochure

I would also like to receive a digital brochure relating to my subject of enquiry

Marketing

We’re committed to mental health awareness and often like to share stories and information. If you would rather not receive this feel free to untick this box

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Usha Chadha

When most people think of yoga, they picture flexibility, fitness, or the perfect ‘downward dog’ on the mat. But the true power of yoga lies far deeper – it offers transformative tools for mental health recovery. Regular yoga practice offers the physical benefits that come with movement of course, but it’s also a practice that integrates mind, body, spirit and breath to nurture emotional resilience and lasting wellbeing.

In my years of sharing this ancient practice, I have seen the profound therapeutic impact that yoga has when practiced regularly. Combining somatic movement with the traditional principles of hatha yoga, I guide individuals to connect with their breath, observe their sensations, and truly sit with themselves. These practices are more than exercises; they are a truly embodied experience to help regulate emotions, reducing anxiety or depression to foster healing from within.

As more research highlights the benefits of this practice – with roots in ancient Indian culture – for mental health recovery^1-2, it’s clear that this natural approach has the potential to change lives.

A whole-person approach to healing

Yoga is often seen as just a series of physical poses but, for me, it’s more about fostering a profound connection between the mind and body. Drawing on my training in India and years of experience teaching therapeutic yoga practices, I’ve seen how deeply healing this approach can be. It’s not just about movement; it’s about encouraging yoga students to slow down, observe their breath, and reconnect with themselves in ways they’ve often never explored before.

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a constant. Many people can feel overwhelmed, caught in cycles of anxiety or disconnection. Through yoga for somatic healing, I help patients discover the power of breathwork (pranayama) and mindful movement to reconnect with themselves.

By blending ancient principles with modern insights, my work encourages patients to learn the art of detaching from external pressures and to focus on inner stability and stillness. The benefits of breathwork – from regulating emotions to easing physical tension – offer an easily accessible technique to build emotional resilience and improved wellbeing.

Building resilience and emotional regulation through yoga

Yoga can help to build emotional resilience by harmonising the nervous system, helping patients to master discomfort through calming and balancing techniques. In my practice, I guide patients with a range of asana or poses connected to the breath; not as a test of strength, but rather as a way to explore their response to discomfort. This, for me, holds up a mirror to life’s emotional challenges, and it helps individuals tolerate distress, process emotions, and develop long-term coping mechanisms. Over time, this can develop stronger self-coping strategies that extend beyond the mat.

Yoga’s impact on the body’s biological stress response is also becoming increasingly recognised. Certain poses can gently compress and decompress specific glands, helping to regulate hormonal secretions³. It can also improve metabolic profiles, increasing insulin sensitivity and aiding glucose uptake⁴. This highlights yoga’s unique ability to address both physical and emotional health challenges simultaneously.

On an emotional level, yoga enhances attention regulation through the prefrontal cortex, helping patients develop an improved sense and deeper understanding of their emotions⁵, as well as helping them stay present and calm⁶. By focusing on the breath, patients can reduce anxiety, avoid getting caught in negative thought cycles, and elevate GABA levels – each helping to improve mood and emotional stability⁷. These benefits make yoga a valuable tool for emotional resilience and mental health recovery.

When working with aging populations, yoga fosters acceptance and internal wisdom, improving joint mobility, balance, and strength while encouraging a calm perspective on life’s transitions. For example, menopausel yoga – which includes a focus on breathwork – can offer very effective complimentary tools to help women manage symptoms like hot flushes and emotional instability, empowering them to heal holistically⁸.

Yoga, however, isn’t a quick fix. Consistent and regular practice creates a foundation for lasting benefits. Patients who embrace daily rituals discover profound improvements, both mentally and physically, as they integrate body and mind for complete healing.

Yoga as an educational and healing experience

For me, yoga is a journey of self-education and self-healing. My approach is less about instruction, and more about guiding and partnering with patients to empower them to understand the “why” behind each practice. For example, belly breathing isn’t just about relaxation; it’s a powerful tool for regulating the nervous system and improving emotional resilience, as well as increasing oxygen levels in the bloodstream, having a positive physiological impact on the function of our bodily processes. This simple awareness helps patients engage more deeply with their practice, making it both meaningful and transformative.

Grounded in the philosophical roots of the Vedas, transmitted thousands of years ago by Indian sages, I bring the wisdom of ancient texts into my sessions, offering patients a deeper understanding of what yoga is. This spirituality can allow individuals to experience a more profound sense of alignment and grounding, promoting recovery at a core level.

Through a compassionate and light-hearted tone, I offer a practice that is fun and accessible for everyone. By incorporating humour and encouragement, patients feel supported in their journey to rediscover themselves – mind, body, and spirit – making each session an uplifting step toward healing.

The science of breathwork and its mental health benefits

Breathwork or pranayama is an important part of my sessions, as it is a powerful, evidence-based practice that plays a vital role in mental health recovery. Mastering the breath not only reduces anxiety but also directly impacts the endocrine system, promoting emotional balance and resilience. One report⁹ published in JCEM (the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism) outlined that slow, deliberate breathing techniques stimulate the vagus nerve, reducing sympathetic activity – our body’s “fight/ flight/freeze/fawn” response – and enhancing the calming influence of the parasympathetic system¹⁰. This balance fosters a state of emotional regulation and can support healing in conditions like PTSD¹¹.

In my practice, I have witnessed how focused breathwork becomes a cornerstone for recovery. Patients often describe feeling calmer, more grounded, and even physically stronger as they explore techniques that align the mind and body. It is particularly effective for managing feelings of overwhelm and anxiety, helping patients regain control over their emotions in stressful situations.

There is no shortage of research supporting the intersection of traditional yoga practices with modern neuroscience, demonstrating how breathwork improves emotional resilience by enhancing oxygen flow, regulating hormones, and even aiding digestion^12-14.

By integrating these techniques, my goal is always to empower patients to harness their body’s natural healing potential, opening the door to true recovery that can be sustained life-long when embraced as a part of a daily self-care routine.

A natural path to mental wellbeing

Yoga offers a transformative yet deeply personal journey toward mental health recovery. It’s not a quick fix, but a gradual regular practice of aligning the mind and body to achieve emotional resilience and a profound sense of grounding. By embracing yoga, patients can reconnect with their own innate ability to heal, building a foundation for long-term wellbeing.

In today’s fast-paced world, we are often conditioned to seek external solutions for inner struggles. But I believe that yoga invites us to slow down, be comfortable with stillness, breathe mindfully, and rediscover the wisdom within ourselves. It reminds us that our bodies and minds are incredibly intelligent systems capable of healing when given the space and tools to do so.

Through therapeutic yoga practices, we empower individuals to integrate these principles into their daily lives, transforming not just mental health but overall wellbeing.