The Benefits of Yoga for Teens
Adolescence is a crucial time of life where young people learn to develop their coping, problem-solving and Interpersonal skills, and learn to manage their emotions. It has always been a time of great change, and great challenge!
Whilst research into the scientific benefits of yoga for teens is in its infancy, some VERY exciting findings are coming out already about how yoga can support adolescents navigate this challenging ol’ time of life!
Here are 5 ways that yoga can help teens (and Teachers… and parents… and caregivers!);
Emotion Regulation
When we don’t know how to regulate our emotions, they can overwhelm us and that is when things can get complicated! Learning to tune in, listen to and understand feedback from our physical bodies when we practise yoga, we harness the skills to become emotion regulators.
One study looked at the impact of a yoga intervention on the emotion regulation of high school students as compared to a physical education class (PE) over 16 weeks. The results showed that emotion regulation increased significantly in the yoga group as compared to the PE group. (Daly et al., 2015)
Yoga has so many breath and movement practises that teach us how to turn in and tune out – as Rolf Gates said, yoga is not a work out, it is a work in.
2. Resilience to stress
Emotion regulation and resilience are connected- when we can regulate our emotions, we then have more ability to deal with challenging situations that come our way. Through mindfulness practises such as positive affirmation setting, breath work and gratitude exercises, yoga can really help change the way we think.
One study had a controlled group of students participate in a mindful yoga program that ran for 12 weeks. The study found that the yoga program led to significant reductions in students’ problematic responses to stress, such as experiencing repetitive negative thoughts and strong, intrusive emotions. (Mendelson et al., 2010)
More yoga, less stress!
3. Respect for peers and others
Yoga can help to reduce feelings of stress- stress is a key contributing factor to behavioural issues that can lead to bullying behaviours. By learning breathing techniques and mindfulness activities that take students out of an immediate emotional response, they are better able to deal with conflict with others. Yoga exercises where students co-create shapes with their bodies and breathe together builds trust, communication skills and respect.
One study analysed a group of 100 students who participated in a ten-week yoga intervention. Results showed a significant reduction in stress and bullying behaviours among participants. (Centeio et al., 2017).
Students who breathe together, stay together!
4. Physical well being
According to the world health organisation, adolescents should be participating in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on a daily basis. Globally, only 1 in 5 adolescents are estimated to meet these guidelines. (van Sluijs et al., 2021).
Considered a form of mindful movement, yoga is a great option for students to increase their physical activity in a non-competitive way that also helps their mind. Win win!
A study in Brazil that analysed students participating in a 12 week yoga program concluded that the students demonstrated significant and positive changes in overall motor abilities scores (balance, flexibility and strength). (Folleto et al., 2016).
Being more flexible as a result of stretching properly may lead to less sports injuries, a quicker recovery and improve athletic performance. Studies also show that overall good flexibility in adolescence may contribute to a decreased risk of tension neck and lower back pain in adulthood. (Mikkelsson et al., 2006)
Move young, move for life!
5. Academic performance
When we are less stressed, we are more focused, and when we are more focussed, more information can go into our brains- it really is that simple! Teens can get very distracted because these days, there are lots of things to distract them! Through movement and mindfulness exercises, students are taught how to concentrate on one thing at a time, helping to increase their ability to focus off the mat too.
A study of 800 students analysed their academic performance in Mathematics, science, and Social Studies. Results showed that the experimental group who participated in the 7 week yoga program performed better academically than the controlled group (Kauts, 2009). Results in this study also showed that low-stress students performed better than high-stress students- stress affects EVERYTHING!
So there you have it, 5 ways that yoga benefits teens, as backed up by da Science! Yoga does not just benefit Teens of course- yoga would benefit Teachers too, so really…. Just roll out your mats!
More and more schools being asked to help address the issue of an increasingly inactive, unhealthy adolescent population. But with a full curriculum, that is a challenge. Luckily, The Teen Yoga Project has got you!
With a major focus on regulation skills that can be incorporated into any classroom, The Teen Yoga project aligns with the Australian Well-being Framework and Personal and Social Capability, by supporting students to have a sense of self-worth, self-awareness and personal identity that enables them to manage their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing.
With over 70 activities on the portal that range from 5 minutes to 31 minutes in length, you can find a classroom exercise that suits your timetable, your needs and your sanity levels! So, sign up for a free trial and see how The Teen Yoga Project can help your school get regulated!
(Hagen I, Nayar US., 2014)
Bibliography
Centeio, E.E., Whalen, L., Thomas, E., Kulik, N. and Mc- Caughtry, N. (2017) Using Yoga to Reduce Stress and Bullying Behaviors among Urban Youth. Health, 9, 409-424. https://doi.org/10.4236/health.2017.93029
Daly, L. A., Haden, S.C., Hagins, M., Papouchis, N., Ramirez, P. M. (2015). Yoga and Emotion Regulation in High School Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial", Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2015. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2015/794928/#
Folleto JC, Pereira KR, Valentini NC. (2016) The effects of yoga practice in school physical education on children's motor abilities and social behavior. Int J Yoga. 2016 Jul-Dec;9(2):156-62.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4959326/
Hagen I, Nayar US. (2014) Yoga for Children and Young People's Mental Health and Well-Being: Research Review and Reflections on the Mental Health Potentials of Yoga. Front Psychiatry. 2014 Apr 2;5:35. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3980104/#!po=46.4286
Kauts A, Sharma N. Effect of yoga on academic performance in relation to stress. Int J Yoga. 2009 Jan;2(1):39-43. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3017967/
Mendelson T, Greenberg MT, Dariotis JK, Gould LF, Rhoades BL, Leaf PJ. (2010) Feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a school-based mindfulness intervention for urban youth. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2010 Oct;38(7):985-94. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20440550/
Mikkelsson LO, Nupponen H, Kaprio J, Kautiainen H, Mikkelsson M, Kujala UM. (2006) Adolescent flexibility, endurance strength, and physical activity as predictors of adult tension neck, low back pain, and knee injury: a 25 year follow up study. Br J Sports Med. 2006 Feb;40(2):107-13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2492014/
Van Sluijs EMF, Ekelund U, Crochemore-Silva I, Guthold R, Ha A, Lubans D, Oyeyemi AL, Ding D, Katzmarzyk PT. (2021) Physical activity behaviours in adolescence: current evidence and opportunities for intervention. Lancet. 2021 Jul 31;398(10298):429-442. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7612669/
Introducing the Teen Yoga Project!