The first few minutes on the mat always tell me more than I expect. Sometimes I arrive there after a long day, shoulders creeping up towards my ears, my neck at a funny angle, and a to-do list still humming in the back of my mind. I move through a few familiar poses, a downward dog, a pigeon stretch, and somewhere between the breath and the movement, I notice that something has shifted. Not just in my body, but in my mind. The noise starts to fade.
I used to think yoga was simply a combination of stretching and breathing. A softer form of exercise for when you didn’t fancy sweating it out in the gym. But over time, it’s become something far more layered. It is a quiet toolkit for movement, focus, and stress relief.
Movement matters
There’s a big difference between stretching and moving with intention. In yoga, every motion, however small, has a purpose. When I sink into pigeon, it’s not only my hips that open, but something internal too – it often evokes an emotional awareness and reminds me to listen to what my body is telling me. Another favourite posture of mine, downward dog, unravels tension through my calves and hamstrings, but it also allows my mind to lengthen out, as if I’ve just given it space to breathe.
So, I am not disputing the physical benefits – and they are well-documented. A large UK study titled, Yoga practice in the UK: a cross-sectional survey of motivation, health benefits and behaviours, describes yoga as an “effective multi-component health intervention that reduces stress, increases physical activity, and improves wellbeing.”Among the 2,434 participants who took part in their nation-wide survey, the strongest reported outcomes weren’t about fitness at all, rather they were about mental wellbeing and spirituality.
That said, the yoga world still reflects a certain imbalance. In the same study, 87% of participants were women, 91% white, and 71% university-educated. And these are the participants of this survey alone. It can feel like a privileged, female-dominated space, and yet it doesn’t have to be. My brother, dad, and boyfriend all practise, and it’s a reminder that yoga isn’t about gender, flexibility, or lifestyle. It’s a movement practice that belongs to anyone with a body and a breath.
Another 2024 paper, Attitudes, Knowledge and Understanding Towards Mind-Body Practices as an Asset for Social Prescribing, highlights how yoga is being recognised within the NHS as a social prescription, utilised as a tool for wellbeing and mental health, not just exercise. It also calls for a return to yoga’s Indian-rooted, holistic vision: one that balances fitness with spirituality and inner awareness. This research echoes what many of us already feel, that yoga is more than a workout. It’s a way of moving that brings body, mind, and breath back into dialogue.
Breath and the nervous-system reset
If we move beyond the purely physical, our attention turns to the breath. In Indian Sanskrit, breathing and its techniques are known as pranayama. When I first started focusing on my breath, it felt a little strange. Initially it felt like I was trying too hard to control something that usually happens on its own. But as I learned techniques like Ujjayi breath (often called the “ocean breath”), it added a new dimension to practice. The breath became an anchor, a quiet metronome guiding movement and focus. And of course, sometimes I lose control and connection to my breath entirely, but a soft awareness or restorative posture can help me reset.
The difference between moving with the breath and without it becomes noticeable when you gain a little bit of experience with your practice. When the two sync, something clicks – tension softens, awareness heightens, and the whole practice can become a moving meditation. Science backs this up too. A 2023 systematic review, Reducing Stress with Yoga, found that yoga’s combination of postures, controlled breathing, and meditation promotes both physical and mental relaxation, reducing anxiety and lowering stress biomarkers. Essentially, by working with the breath, we work directly with the nervous system. It helps us to shift from the wired ‘fight or flight’ state into one of calm and recovery.
Movement as a habit, lifestyle, and toolkit
Movement has always been an important part of my life, from hockey to running to long walks, but it isn’t always something I’m motivated to do. I know that I’m not alone in this feeling, sometimes the last thing you want to do is put on your gym gear and put in the effort. But yoga is different. It became less about chasing endorphins and more about tuning in. There’s an empowering feeling in being able to move your body in strong, grounded ways, and there’s just as much power in learning to soften and slow down. For me, yoga strikes that balance: the strength of plank and the surrender of child’s pose; the stretch and the stillness.
I might not get the same post-run high, but yoga ticks boxes that other forms of exercise don’t. It’s something I can do anywhere, in ten minutes or sixty, and nine times out of ten, leaves me calmer and clearer. It’s also deeply complementary, it improves my posture and mobility and helps aids recovery from more intense training.
It is a surprise to nobody that modern life fractures the connection between mind and body. We sit for hours, scroll endlessly, move less than we were designed to. And, in some respects we have little choice – people’s livelihoods are online, we can’t turn away from the digital world completely. Yoga is a powerful antidote. It is a chance to come home to the mind and body again – and even a few mindful stretches between emails can remind you you’re not just a head behind a screen.
Why you should do yoga now
Yoga’s quiet resurgence isn’t just anecdotal: it’s cultural. We live in an age of burnout and overstimulation, so naturally people are gravitating toward slower, more mindful forms of movement. Yoga fits perfectly within that shift, at a foundational level, it asks for nothing but presence.
It’s also more accessible than ever. You don’t need expensive equipment or a studio membership – just a mat (or even a towel) and a bit of space. Platforms like Yoga with Adriene, Cat Meffan, and Bre & Flo have made high-quality classes available to anyone with Wi-Fi. Apps like FIIT bring yoga into the same space as fitness, while teachers like @scotteeisfat are redefining what a “yoga body” looks like with inclusive, joyful online communities. These platforms and creators can help guide you through movement and meditation, but even simple ten-minute flows, micro-sessions, and desk-friendly stretches are a great way to start. They are quick, easy ways of weaving yoga into daily life – and in a world that often celebrates doing more, yoga reminds us that doing less is often better.
Small practices, big shifts
If you take anything from this, let it be this: yoga doesn’t have to be profound every time. Some days, it’s just a stretch. Other days, it’s a full reset – and both are equally valuable.
When I’m mid-week and tense, I’ll pause for a few rounds of deep breathing or a short hip opener at my desk. Sometimes I’ll flow for ten minutes before bed or do a few gentle twists after a run. It is the small moments that add up. After a tougher class, shavasana, often the final relaxation pose, always feels like the best part. That quiet stillness at the end isn’t laziness; it’s integration. It’s where movement meets meaning.
So next time you step on the mat, don’t ask how flexible you are or how long you can hold a pose. Ask instead: what is this movement teaching me about how I move through life? In the end, yoga is stretching and breathing – but it’s also awareness, alignment, and a sense of coming back to yourself (even if that does sound a little pretentious…)! I like to see it as a moving mirror for how we meet stress, stillness, and everything in between.
And maybe that’s the real point: not to get better at yoga, but to get better at listening – to the breath, to the body, and to the moment you’re in.
Life of Becky 