Chronic substance use causes significant neurological deficits from cognitive dysfunction to balance and coordination issues. Yoga is used in many addiction recovery programs as it helps the brain release chemicals that not only help those with substance use disorders (SUDs) relax but lower stress levels. However, the benefits of yoga go far beyond promoting relaxation. Thanks to functional MRI scans, we are now able to see how yoga targets the brain. Research is now finding how the ancient practice can help rebuild new neural pathways and restore cognitive functions, such as memory and reward processing. This article spotlights compelling studies showing the neurological benefits of yoga and reveals how one yoga teacher uses the practice to help those in addiction recovery restore their mind and body.
Neurological Impacts of SUDs
Cognitive impairment can result when substances of any kind are misused or abused. For example, excessive alcohol consumption can damage the cerebellum, increasing the risk of cognitive dysfunction, balance and coordination issues, and dementia. During treatment, patients suffering from balance and coordination issues, also referred to as ataxia, will slowly begin to regain some motor skills over time – but only if they abstain from substances. However, depending upon the duration and amount of alcohol or drugs consumed, some patients may suffer from ataxia for years after recovery.
Long-term substance use can also cause the destruction of brain cells. For example, chronic exposure to opiates reduces the creation of new neurons in the hippocampus, affecting learning and memory. To aid those with these debilitating issues, addiction professionals utilize cognitive training programs as well as medication to help patients build new neural pathways. However, researchers now believe that any form of physical movement, including mind-body exercises like yoga, may also help restore physical coordination and brain health.
The Positive Effects of Yoga on Brain Health
Research suggests in addition to motor functioning, the brain’s cerebellum is also responsible for controlling cognitive functions, such as learning and attention. With this information, scientists believe that this area could also regulate reward-processing and addiction. The good news is that researchers are now looking at ways yoga can be instrumental in improving cognitive function, emotional regulation, and overall brain health. One study shows compelling evidence that yoga enhances many of the same brain structures and functions that benefit from aerobic exercise. The review, published in Brain Plasticity, focused on 11 studies of the relationship between yoga practice and brain health. Five of the studies engaged individuals with no yoga practice background in one or more yoga sessions per week over several weeks, comparing brain health at the beginning and end of the intervention. The other studies measured brain differences between individuals who regularly practice yoga and those who don’t. Each of the studies used brain-imaging techniques, such as functional MRI (fMRI). The results found,
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An increase in hippocampus size over time, which is involved in memory processing.
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The amygdala, a brain structure that contributes to emotional regulation, tends to be larger in yoga practitioners than in those who do not practice yoga.
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The prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, and brain networks such as the default mode network also tend to be larger or more efficient in those who regularly practice yoga. These areas of the brain are essential to planning, emotional regulation, decision-making, memory, and multitasking.
Another study had children (ages 10-12) participate in yoga sessions, led by a registered yoga teacher, 1–3 times per week for 8 weeks. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, the sit and reach test, and the 90/90 hamstring flexibility test were administered before and at the end of the 8 weeks. There was a significant difference and improvement from pre-test to post-test for balance, sit and reach, and hamstring flexibility. In athletes, research shows marked improvement in subjects who participated in yoga over a 10-week period, compared with athletes who took no part in yoga activity. Significant gains were found in flexibility and balance in the athletes who practiced yoga compared to the non-yoga group. As these studies suggest, yoga has significant positive impacts on the brain and balance and coordination. These findings support the fact that yoga should be utilized as more than “complementary therapy” – but as a powerful clinical tool to help patients during addiction recovery.
Yoga, Coordination, & Balancing Life in Recovery
Katy Cryer is the founder and director of Square One Yoga, an independent chain of yoga studios in the Oakland, California area. She is also the author of Yoga for Addiction: Using Yoga and the Twelve Steps to Find Peace in the Present Moment. Katy’s founding mission is to teach yoga in a way that is accessible for every person who enters her studio, including those recovering from addiction. Cryer’s journey to teaching yoga to those in sobriety stems from her own battle with addiction. After attending many 12-Step programs, Cryer found herself needing something more to stay sober. Over time, Cryer noticed that yoga, combined with the 12-Step program, helped her to finally exist peacefully within her body. From that point forward, she decided to teach the practice to those in addiction recovery. Endominance asked Cryer to share her thoughts on how yoga helps students with both the psychological and neurological aspects of their recovery journey.
According to Cryer, “Yoga reinforces what’s already happening in addiction recovery, which is the engagement of self-examination. This is where we start to connect the motivations for our actions. Just like in yoga, when we are ‘off-base’ in our life, making simple corrections can make all the difference in staying on track.” In terms of cognitive issues, Cryer states, “Yoga definitely improves balance and coordination. There is a large category of poses that are done on one leg, precisely for that reason. Also, as those in recovery who practice yoga become stronger and have more body awareness, they become more agile.” When asked if yoga helps with emotional dysregulation in recovery, Cryer believes the practice, “helps across the board when it comes to withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Yoga is designed to calm the sympathetic nervous system.” She also believes the lessons from yoga can also be carried over into other areas of life, “When we are active in our addiction, we are easily swayed by emotions and life events. We lack steadiness or a sense of having a rudder to guide us. Learning to balance on one leg teaches stability in the body, and once those in recovery have experienced this in the body, many naturally find themselves more emotionally balanced in the mind as well.”
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