Can Yoga Improve Cardiovascular Health? What Research Says

Yoga has been connected with many health benefits. Physically, it can boost muscle strength, increase flexibility, and helps support active recovery. Mental health benefits of a regular yoga practice include reduced stress, better focus, and improved clarity.

But does yoga have any impact on cardiovascular health? And if it does, how does it work, and which poses are best for a healthy heart? Let’s answer all of these questions now, based on the research.

Can Yoga Improve Cardiovascular Health?

The American Heart Association (AHA) shares that, according to some studies, mindful practices such as yoga may help improve heart health. But how does it work? While the AHA stresses that more research is needed, yoga may provide this benefit in several ways. Among them are its effects on body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart rate. 

Yoga, BMI, and Heart Health

Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement often used to assess a person’s level of health. There are some questions as to whether BMI is a good health measure. However, studies have connected a higher BMI with poorer heart health.

One such study involved 51,451 subjects. It found that if a person’s BMI was above the normal range (25 or more), they had a higher risk of heart failure. Conversely, lower BMIs were associated with a lower heart failure risk.

In a 2017 study, practicing yoga for one month decreased BMI by slightly more than one point. While this may not seem like much, Johns Hopkins shares that the risk of heart failure increases 32% for every five-point increase in BMI. So, every little bit counts.

The Connection Between Yoga and Blood Pressure

The 2017 study mentioned above also found that yoga helps reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure. In this research, diastolic blood pressure was reduced from 84.7 mmHg to 82.34 mmHg after one month of yoga. Systolic dropped from roughly 136.9 mmHg to 133 mmHg.

High blood pressure contributes to poor cardiovascular health. When blood pressure is elevated, it can damage the arteries. This makes them less elastic. Since they aren’t as flexible, blood flow to the heart is diminished. This can potentially lead to heart disease.

Yoga and Your Cholesterol Level

High cholesterol can also negatively impact blood circulation. When your cholesterol is elevated, your blood vessels could become blocked with fatty deposits. In some cases, these deposits suddenly release. This can cause a blood clot to form, leading to a heart attack or stroke.

In one case study, a 33-year-old male had a total cholesterol level of 229. This is elevated considering that the recommendation is to stay below 200. After one month of yoga, total cholesterol dropped more than 20 points, reducing to 206. 

How Heart Rate is Affected by Yoga

Yoga can also positively affect heart rate variability (HRV). This also leads to greater cardiovascular health. HRV measures the time changes between heartbeats. People with cardiovascular disease often have low HRV. 

A 2016 comprehensive review noted that yoga raises HRV. It also increases vagal tone. Vagal tone refers to vagus nerve function. This is a measurement of how well the cardiovascular system works. 

Yoga’s Impact on Cardiovascular Disease

Research has also found that yoga can help people better manage cardiovascular disease. It does this, in part, through its positive impacts on inflammation and stress. Yoga also has favorable effects on cardiovascular risk factors.

This is important because heart disease is the leading cause of death according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This disease takes the life of one person in the U.S. every 34 seconds. Every 40 seconds, someone has a heart attack.

Other Cardiovascular Benefits of Yoga

Harvard Health adds that yoga doesn’t just help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, increase HRV, and reduce heart disease or cardiovascular risk. It also provides other benefits that are good for the heart. Among them are:

• promoting relaxation

• improving sleep quality

• increasing fitness overall

• greater ability to stay calm in times of stress

• more mind-body awareness

• higher sense of purpose

Some of these effects are a result of yoga’s deep breathing. Others are caused by the meditation aspect of yoga or because yoga exercises increase physical activity levels. It’s also possible that yoga’s positive effects on the heart are a synergistic effect of all of these. 

What’s the Best Style of Yoga for the Heart?

Different styles of yoga can benefit the heart in different ways. Restorative yoga, for instance, can improve heart health by promoting relaxation. Research has also found that hot yoga is associated with improved vascular health.

When deciding which style is best, it’s more a matter of preference. Find a yoga style that you enjoy. At the same time, don’t be afraid to try others. They all provide benefits, even if in different ways.

15 Yoga Poses that Can Promote Greater Heart Health

If you’re interested in using yoga exercise for a healthier heart, you may wonder which poses to do. Here are 15 yoga postures to consider, along with some of their other benefits:

1. Big Toe pose – stretches muscles in the legs, reduces stress and anxiety

2. Bridge pose – strengthens the whole body, improves balance, reduces stress

3. Chair pose – expands the chest, stimulates the respiratory system

4. Child’s pose – opens the hips, lengthens the spine

5. Cobra pose – stretches the shoulders and spine, reduces stress and fatigue

6. Corpse pose – promotes relaxation, lowers stress

7. Downward Facing Dog pose – improves balance, promotes feelings of calm

8. Easy pose – increases feelings of calm and relaxation, improves postural awareness

9. Extended Triangle pose –strengthens the legs, stretches the hips and spine

10. Head to Knee pose – stretches the groin and spine, relieves anxiety and depression

11. Legs Up the Wall – relieves tired feet, stretches posterior muscles (hamstrings, back)

12. Mountain pose – improves posture, strengthens the abs and legs

13. Seated Forward Bend – promotes relaxation, improves immunity

14. Standing Forward Bend – relaxes and calms the body, increases flexibility 

15. Tree pose – stretches the shoulders, improves posture

Additional Ways to Lower Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Although yoga can do a lot of good things for the heart, it isn’t a magic solution. In other words, you can live an unhealthy lifestyle and expect a yoga intervention to undo all the damage.

There are several actions one can take to lower cardiovascular risk. Among them are quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, getting good sleep, and managing stress. It’s also important to get recommended health screenings. This way, if an issue does exist, it can be found in the early stages. This can help improve treatment outcomes.

If you’d like to help your clients gain the many health benefits associated with yoga—including greater heart health—ISSA offers yoga instructor certification. Our Yoga 200 course teaches you how to break a yoga pose down. You also learn how to lead a yoga class. This online course is approved by Yoga Alliance. It even comes with live training, enabling you to interact with your yoga instructor directly.

References

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2. Pandey, A., LaMonte, M., Klein, L., Ayers, C., Psaty, B. M., Eaton, C. B., Allen, N. B., de Lemos, J. A., Carnethon, M., Greenland, P., & Berry, J. D. (2017). Relationship between physical activity, body mass index, and risk of heart failure. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 69(9), 1129–1142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2016.11.081 

3. Semwal, D. K., Chauhan, A., Mishra, S. P., & Semwal, R. B. (2017). Yoga practice improves the body mass index and blood pressure: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Yoga, 10(2), 103. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_46_16 

4. Weight: A silent heart risk. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021, November 3). Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/weight-a-silent-heart-risk 

5. S Nanduri, V., & Vasavda, A. (2020). Successful healing treatment of high blood cholesterol levels and asthma using Yoga Prana Vidya (YPV) system: A case study of self-healing. Panacea Journal of Medical Sciences, 9(3), 131–137. https://doi.org/10.18231/j.pjms.2019.028 

6. Cohen, M., & Tyagi, A. (2016). Yoga and heart rate variability: A comprehensive review of the literature. International Journal of Yoga, 9(2), 97. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.183712 

7. Guddeti, R. R., Dang, G., Williams, M. A., & Alla, V. M. (2019). Role of yoga in cardiac disease and Rehabilitation. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention, 39(3), 146–152. https://doi.org/10.1097/hcr.0000000000000372 

8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, October 14). Heart disease facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm 

9. How yoga may enhance heart health. Harvard Health. (2019, April 1). Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-yoga-may-enhance-heart-health 

10. Hunter, S. D., Laosiripisan, J., Elmenshawy, A., & Tanaka, H. (2018). Effects of yoga interventions practised in heated and thermoneutral conditions on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation: The bikram yoga heart study. Experimental Physiology, 103(3), 391–396. https://doi.org/10.1113/ep086725