Yoga is a mind-body practice that involves a series of physical postures (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranayama). It helps individuals to shift their focus from day-to-day tasks to noticing how their body feels and moves. This guides awareness away from worries, and studies show this mind-body practice makes a difference how we perceive stress. The stress-relief benefits of yoga can be achieved in the comfort of your own home with on-demand options that optimize convenience.
One of the most common things that comes to mind when you ask someone about yoga is flexibility. And yes, one of the proven outcomes of attending regular sessions is flexibility. But one of the big outcomes highlighted by recent studies is that we feel differently after yoga. We invariably feel better! And we develop skills in managing stress along the way.
Take the skill of noticing the breath, for example. Or adjusting posture during challenging moves. Both of these are mindfulness skills in yoga that help us regain a calm state of mind. Consider how your body feels when you are stressed: We tend to tense our shoulders, neck muscles, and assume poor postures. Yoga gives us a chance to hit the reset button on our stress perception.
Studies on those with stressful jobs suggests that yoga may be a solution to building mental and physical resilience. For instance, research on those with difficult work schedules has used yoga interventions to find that yoga can provide relief for stress-related muscle tension.
Similar tests conclude that working adults benefit when they add yoga to the schedule. And authors do not mince words, stating that “yoga appears to be effective in the management of stress” in working adults. Related to stressful work environments, other studies indicate that yoga is an effective intervention for feelings of burnout in individuals facing high occupational stress. 
A 2023 study in full-time working adults reported that on-demand yoga sessions reduce stress and anxiety. Compared to those in a waitlisted control group, participants in an 8-week yoga group reduced their perceptions of stress and decreased their symptoms of anxiety. The stress relief benefits had a moderate to large effect size.
Stress can impair cognitive performance, making it difficult to pay close attention and retrieve memories. Mental accuracy on memory-related tasks was also tested by researchers. Once again, the yoga group showed advantages, with significantly improved working memory compared to control groups who had not yet tried on-demand yoga. Chronic stress can be mentally exhausting, so stress relief is a critical target for those seeking optimal mental performance.
This quote is from a yoga participant describing one of the most positive elements of yoga sessions from home. It touches on an advantages of on-demand sessions that in-studio options cannot match. Indeed, research suggests that on-demand yoga sessions create a comfortable, non-judgmental atmosphere.
Comfort matters because many individuals delay taking action in pursuit of health or wellness goals for fear of leaving their comfort zone. Being home means less conscientiousness about body image. On-demand options can help participants ease concerns about body image and fear of judgement. Body image is “a significant factor” in the amount of exercise young adults achieve, so yoga from home can provide a helpful option that mitigates fear of judgment.
On-demand yoga sessions mean that users can start a session whenever they like. And by choosing details of which yoga sessions interest them, they get to select among different lengths and difficulties. This act of autonomy, getting to choose what’s right for you, identifying some of the details of the session, is associated with higher exercise enjoyment.
Positive exercise experiences are crucial for creating an enduring exercise habit. On-demand options can offer a range of shorter or easier classes to better match the person to the challenge. This is important because it removes the tendency to feel overwhelmed when starting out with exercise.
Of course, there are many reasons we may not feel up to the challenge of an exercise session. Maybe we’re recovering from a previous workout or injury. Or maybe we’re just getting back into regular exercise. There are several distinct ways that low intensity workouts deliver health advantages.
Active people who make it to in-studio classes have little control over the length of classes. Instructors aim to help everyone enjoy the class, but diverse physical capabilities can be difficult to accommodate. Most instructors suggest easier variations of certain poses, but some participants may not have the baseline fitness necessary to persist. And when a class participant feels too fatigued to continue, leaving a session early can be embarrassing and ego-depleting.
Yoga in the home, on one’s own terms, means we can reduce fears about judgment, body image, and workout attire. On-demand options help participants take control of their environment and focus on taking better care of themselves.
On-demand sessions are an inclusive option for those who may live far from studios or who may desire more control over session attributes. Commuting to a gym or studio can present yet another motivational hurdle.
Digital health technology offers scalability in ways that make it more affordable. Cost is a major barrier to yoga participation, in fact, yoga studios currently range from $15 to 25 dollars per session! The scalability of digital options makes it more cost-effective, assuaging concerns over session cost.
One of the most appreciated moments of every yoga session is the ending. The final resting pose (known as savasana) offers a chance to lay down and relax. Studies have asked about initial perceptions for those new to yoga on-demand. Their comments confirm that no matter how you enter a yoga session, you leave feeling better! Other research asks why the savasana pose specifically is so helpful for stress, showing that it shuts down the stress response in the body for at least 35 minutes after the session!
In the search for stress and tension relief, one may wonder how yoga compares to traditional relaxation training. Studies have directly compared 10-weeks of yoga or relaxation sessions matched for the same amount of time. The result? “Yoga was found to be as effective as relaxation in reducing stress, anxiety and improving health status… and yoga was more effective than relaxation in improving mental health.” Both interventions offered stress relief, but only yoga offered gains in strength, fitness and flexibility.
We know life gets busy and it’s not always easy to schedule time for self-care, stress relief, or exercise. That’s why Treo provides teams with the tools necessary to make progress on their health goals, with on-demand fitness options including yoga accessible anytime, from anywhere. Mind-body exercises continue to be one of our most popular options. Ready to learn more? Email us at info@treowellness.com to connect!
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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