In today’s fast-paced world, where children and teenagers are often overwhelmed by academic pressures, social media, and the relentless pace of life, finding effective ways to promote mental and physical wellbeing is more crucial than ever. Yoga, an ancient practice that unites mind, body, and spirit, has shown itself to be a powerful tool for young people. Research increasingly highlights the many benefits of yoga for children and teens, from enhancing focus and emotional regulation to improving physical health and increasing resilience.
This blog provides a brief overview of how current research is showing that incorporating yoga into the lives of young people can not only support their overall development, but also empower them to navigate the complexities of growing up with greater ease and confidence.
Physical Health
Research has demonstrated that yoga interventions can significantly improve physical coordination and enhance body satisfaction among children who initially struggled with motor skills.
For children and adolescents with asthma, yoga and mindfulness interventions may effectively reduce stress and anxiety while improving quality of life and lung function.
Yoga has shown promising results in reducing abdominal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
A study has revealed that yoga is more effective than conventional physical exercise in improving glucose metabolism among adolescent girls diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
Mental and Emotional Wellbeing
Therapeutic breathing is particularly effective for children and adolescents due to its accessibility and convenience. Many yogic breath techniques can calm and soothe the nervous system, which is especially beneficial for psychiatric disorders that include symptoms of anxiety, agitation, or emotional dysregulation. As one expert puts it:
“The simple act of teaching children how to stop, focus, and just breathe could be one of the greatest gifts you give a child”.
There have been increased symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; doctors say yoga and meditation can help children manage stress. Research has also demonstrated that yoga can improve self-esteem and self-regulation in children coping with stress.
These practices can lead to important rest for the mind, body, and spirit which could help prevent physical and mental health challenges that could occur if stress is left unaddressed.
Yoga addresses the whole child, emphasising a social and emotional learning model. A review of 47 publications found that yoga in the school setting is a viable and potentially efficacious strategy for improving child and adolescent health and has been shown to enhance students’ resilience, mood, and self-regulation skills related to emotions and stress.
In my experience, children & teens report that yoga practices help them feel less stressed, depressed, and anxious. They share stories about how the breathing & mindfulness techniques they’ve learned lead to calm and success at home, school, and in real life situations.
Yoga for Special Populations
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
In boys with ADHD yoga has demonstrated improvements in attention and emotional control and reductions in emotional lability, restlessness and impulsive behaviour; the results of which were further increased when also practising at home.
Research also confirms that restorative yoga can sharpen memory and brain function as well as support rest and healthy sleep patterns. Getting more rest can have a significant impact on a child’s expression of emotions, coping skills and overall wellness. Restorative yoga targets the vagus nerve, supporting deep relaxation, providing a feeling of being safe and supported and a sense of letting go.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Research has shown that yoga therapy interventions can lead to positive changes in communication, social, cognitive, and adaptive skills in children with ASD. Short-term yoga interventions have resulted in increased tolerance of sitting, adult proximity, and subsequent socialisation. Moreover, yoga can enhance focus, attention, sensory information processing, and motor control.
As ADHD and Autism may present alongside other postural, sensory or emotional challenges, the beauty of yoga therapy is that practices given can be adapted and scaled to each individual child.
Children with Cancer
In integrative oncology programs, yoga therapists may follow a child from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and sometimes to end of life. They work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide consistent whole-person care that addresses physical, mental-emotional, and spiritual needs. Yoga has been shown to help a child manage their chemo-induced nausea and vomiting as well as re-establishing trust in the very tired bodies that they may feel have failed them.Diabetes
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes (DM2) has become more common in children, largely due to rising rates of childhood obesity and poor dietary habits. Research highlights the potential of yoga as a therapeutic intervention for diabetes management, showing promising results across various health markers. Key areas where yoga demonstrates positive effects include glycaemic control, insulin resistance, lipid profiles, body weight and composition, and blood pressure.
Eating Disorders
Recent studies confirm yoga’s efficacy as part of treatment and management for eating disorders. Studies have shown improvements in such areas as body awareness & dissatisfaction and emotional regulation & mood, and the potential of yoga therapy to form part of a multidisciplinary approach in eating disorder care.
At-Risk Youth and Trauma Survivors
Yoga has shown promising results in helping incarcerated teenage girls, survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and traumatised adolescents. It can increase assertiveness, foster empathy, and help individuals feel safer in their bodies.
In cases of self-harm within these populations, yoga allowed children and teens to connect with their bodies in a way that gave them some mastery and control over their bodies. This sense of physical mastery paves the way for a more broadly applied sense of control over their behaviours.
Yoga as a Therapeutic Tool
Yoga therapy scientifically applies the tools of yoga to target stress, emotional symptoms, and problem behaviours in children and adolescents. It’s a practical, effective, and cost-effective modality with no known side effects and can be done alongside other therapies and medications.
Yoga therapy can be offered in a quiet and safe environment to prevent sensory overloading and allow for exploration of tolerance on the client’s own schedule. As a multimodal movement therapy, it is independent of language skills or cognitive abilities. It allows the child a sense of control and choice – unlike a school environment, in which they are told what to do and how to act all day usually with little or no movement for prolonged periods.
The beauty of yoga as a therapy in mental health is that it works via both “top-down” and “bottom-up” regulation. Top-down regulation occurs through practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and yogic concepts, while bottom-up regulation is created using breathwork and yoga postures.
Empowering Children Through Yoga
This piece does not intend to provide an exhaustive overview of every physical, mental, and emotional challenge faced by children and teens, nor does it aim to cover the extensive research on yoga for these age groups. It is apparent however, that incorporating yogic tools into daily activities can be a profound way to support children of all ages, bodies, brains and abilities.
Teaching children that the peace they experience after a yoga practice is a feeling they created themselves is empowering.
Giving them new tools that are effective and easy to use builds confidence, which in turn builds hope and resilience.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my teacher, Shawnee Thornton-Hardy, for being an inspiring role model and for her invaluable teachings aimed at children and teens, particularly those with complex needs. I also want to acknowledge my greatest teacher, my son.
Sources & Resources
Ehleringer, Jennie. Yoga for Children on the Autism Spectrum. Int J Yoga Therap (2010) 20 (1): 131–139.
Hagen I & Nayar US. Yoga for children and young people’s mental health and well-being: Research review and reflections on the mental health potentials of yoga. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2014;5:1-6. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00035/full
Harris, Danielle Arlanda; Malone, Stephanie. A Process Evaluation of the Art of Yoga Project Mentor Program for Incarcerated Teenage Girls. Int J Yoga Therap (2014) 24 (1): 97–108.
Harri, Danielle Arlandas; Fitton, Mary Lynn. The Art of Yoga Project: A Gender-Responsive Yoga and Creative Arts Curriculum for Girls in the California Juvenile Justice System. Int J Yoga Therap (2010) 20 (1): 110–118.
Khalsa SBS & Butzer B. Yoga in school settings: A research review. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2016;1373:45-55.https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nyas.13025
Lack S, et al. An integrative review of yoga and mindfulness-based approaches for children and adolescents with asthma. Journal of Pediatric Nursing 2020;52:76-81.
Lilly, Mark & Hedlund, Jaime. Healing Childhood Sexual Abuse with Yoga. Int J Yoga Therap (2010) 20 (1): 120–130.
Longaker, Kiranjit ; Tornusciolo, Gabriel. Yoga Group Therapy with Traumatized Adolescent Males . Int J Yoga Therap (2003) 13 (1): 75–82.
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Thornton-Hardy, S (2015) Asanas for Autism & Special Needs. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishing.
Thornton-Hardy, S (2023) Yoga Therapy for Children and Teens with Complex Needs. Great Britain. Singing Dragon.
Trethewey E, McIver S, Evans S, O’Brien J, O’Shea M. Yoga as an adjunct treatment for the eating disorders: A qualitive enquiry of clinician perspectives. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2023 Nov;53:101796. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101796. Epub 2023 Sep 10. PMID: 37741064.