Researcher Professor Rima Dada shares groundbreaking discoveries on yoga's benefits, showing how it can slow down aging at a cellular level, boost brain health, and reduce depression. The podcast explores the link between yoga and mitochondria, its healing power for arthritis patients, and the transformative effects of trying out the warrior pose.
Regular yoga practice can increase grey matter density in the brain, aiding learning and memory.
Yoga helps reduce inflammation, pain, and stress, promoting overall well-being and mental health.
Deep dives
Benefits of Yoga for Brain Health
Regular yoga practice, specifically hatha yoga, has been shown to increase grey matter density in the hippocampus, a brain region associated with learning and memory. Additionally, yoga helps reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and regulates the body's stress response, contributing to decreased anxiety and depression. Studies have indicated that yoga may also enhance mitochondrial function, the energy powerhouses of cells, leading to improved overall functioning and potentially slowing down cellular aging.
Impact of Yoga on Inflammatory Diseases
Research demonstrates that yoga can significantly decrease inflammation and pain in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, by reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Individuals practicing yoga alongside conventional treatments experienced improved quality of life, reduced joint stiffness, and alleviation of depression symptoms. The practice of yoga, comprising postures, breathing exercises, and meditation, promotes relaxation, lowers cortisol levels, and enhances neuroplasticity, contributing to improved emotional resilience.
Recommendations for Daily Yoga Practice
To integrate yoga into daily life effectively, experts suggest practicing simple yoga asanas, breathing exercises, and meditation for at least 25 to 30 minutes a day. Learning from a qualified instructor and adapting practices to specific ailments can optimize the benefits of yoga. Prioritizing regular yoga sessions can potentially prevent the onset of lifestyle diseases and promote overall well-being by reducing stress, enhancing resilience, and improving physical health.
Although yoga is thought to have been practised for over 5,000 years, its myriad benefits for our health and wellbeing are still being uncovered. Professor Rima Dada from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi reveals the extraordinary findings into the benefits of yoga - how half an hour a day can slow down ageing at a cellular level by protecting your mitochondria and your DNA. It can also improve your brain health and even reduce symptoms of depression. Just a few sessions are enough for our volunteer James to catch the yoga bug!
Series Producer: Nija Dalal-Small
Editor: Zoë Heron
A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode