A 2012 study at the University of Illinois tested 30 undergraduate women after a 20-minute yoga session versus 20 minutes of treadmill jogging at 60-70% max heart rate. After yoga, participants showed significant improvements in reaction time, accuracy, and working memory. After aerobic exercise, there were no significant cognitive improvements.
The yoga session included postures, deep breathing, and a meditative pose at the end. The combination of physical movement with focused attention and breath awareness appears to prime the brain for cognitive tasks in ways that pure cardio does not. This has implications for anyone who needs to think clearly after exercise.
Twenty minutes of yoga may be a better pre-study or pre-work warm-up than a run. The cognitive boost was immediate and measurable.
Source: Yoga Research: Brain Structure & Function on ashtanga.tech. Original research.
