Yoga and meditation may do more than just help you feel relaxed in the moment. A new scientific review suggests that these and other mindfulness exercises can actually reverse stress-related changes in genes linked to poor health and depression.
In a new paper, published in Frontiers in Immunology,
British researchers analyzed the findings from 18 previously published
studies—involving a total of 846 people—on the biological effects of
meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, Qi gong and Tai Chi. Together,
the authors say, the studies show that these mind-body exercises appear
to suppress the expression of genes and genetic pathways that promote
inflammation.
Inflammation can temporarily
boost the immune system, and can be protective against infection and
injury, the authors write in their paper. But in today’s society, in
which stress is primarily psychological, the body’s inflammatory
response can become chronic and can impair both physical and mental
health.
Researchers found that people
who practiced these activities regularly had fewer signs of
inflammation, including a decrease in their production of inflammatory
proteins. This signals “the reversal of the molecular signature of the
effects of chronic stress,” they wrote, which may translate to a reduced
risk of inflammation-related diseases and conditions.
Environment and lifestyle can both affect which genes are turned on and off, and that can have real effects on disease risk, longevity and even which traits get passed on to future generations.
Stressful events, for example, can activate the fight-or-flight
response and trigger a chain reaction of stress-related changes in the
body—including activating specific genes involved in making proteins
that produce inflammation.
Lead author Ivana Buric, a PhD
student in Coventry University’s Brain, Belief and Behaviour Lab in
England, says her team was surprised to see that different types of
mind-body techniques had such similar effects at the genetic level.
“Sitting meditation is quite different than yoga or Tai Chi,” she said
in an email, “yet all of these activities—when practiced regularly—seem
to decrease the activity of genes involved in inflammation.”
This is a relatively new field of research, she adds, and it’s likely that similar benefits could be obtained from other lifestyle changes
like healthy eating and exercise. There aren’t yet enough studies to
know how activities like yoga compare to other types of physical
activity in terms of altering gene expression.
Buric says the existing studies
suggest that mind-body interventions “cause the brain to steer our DNA
processes along a path which improves our well being.” She also
emphasizes that inherited genes are not static and that DNA activity can
depend on things people can control. “By choosing healthy habits every
day, we can create a gene activity pattern that is more beneficial for
our health,” she says. “Even just 15 minutes of practicing mindfulness
seems to do the trick.”