TL;DR
In a randomized trial, 139 healthy adults were assigned to a 45-day standardized yoga program or a waitlist control. The yoga group reported better mood and sleep and scored higher on selected short-term verbal memory measures; scans from a smaller subgroup showed changes in connectivity across several brain networks. The study does not establish how long the effects last or whether they apply beyond the adults studied.
A 45-day standardized yoga program was associated with improved self-reported mood and sleep, better performance on selected short-term verbal memory tests, and changes in resting-state brain connectivity in a small imaging subgroup, according to a randomized controlled study published in Scientific Reports. The trial assigned 139 healthy adults to yoga or a waitlist control, but the brain scans covered only a subset of participants.
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The intervention followed India’s Common Yoga Protocol, a routine combining loosening exercises, postures, breathing practices, guided relaxation known as yoga nidra, and meditation. Participants attended sessions averaging 50 minutes under one instructor over 45 days. The control group received general advice to stay active and was offered yoga later.
Of the 139 adults assigned to the two groups, 125 completed the study. Compared with controls, the yoga group had positive-affect scores about four points higher and negative-affect scores about 3.5 points lower on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Its sleep-quality score was about 1.2 points lower after adjustment for baseline scores; the researchers interpreted the lower score as better self-reported sleep.
On memory testing, the yoga group did better at repeating number strings in the forward order and on the combined score. The groups did not differ on the backward version of that test or on a symbol-matching task. Resting-state functional MRI data from 43 participants showed changes in connectivity across networks associated with movement, attention, language and the cerebellum. These findings describe differences in how brain regions’ activity was connected during scans; they do not, by themselves, establish that yoga caused lasting changes in brain structure or function.
Mood, Sleep and Memory Findings
The study adds evidence from a randomized comparison to research on yoga and mental functioning. It assessed reported mood and sleep, specific cognitive tasks and brain connectivity within one trial, rather than relying on a single outcome. The findings may be relevant to researchers examining whether a consistent mind-body routine can affect several measures over a short period.
The results are not evidence that yoga prevents or treats a mental or neurological disorder. Participants were healthy adults aged 18 to 55, and the observed memory benefit was limited to selected test scores: there was no difference on two other measures. The results also do not show whether the changes persist after the program ends or translate into meaningful benefits in everyday life.
Because the imaging analysis involved just 43 people, its network findings should be treated as preliminary. The study reports connectivity patterns, not a direct measure of improved intelligence, a diagnosis, or proof of a particular biological mechanism. Larger studies with longer follow-up would help establish how reproducible and durable the results are.
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How Researchers Tested the Protocol
The research was conducted in Pune, India, by investigators affiliated with Dr D Y Patil Vidyapeeth, Savitribai Phule Pune University, the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, and HealthCare Global Enterprises. The trial ran between October 2023 and January 2025 and was open-label: participants knew whether they were practicing yoga or waiting for it.
Researchers recruited adults aged 18 to 55 through campus appeals and flyers. People with prior yoga experience or current exercise training, as well as people with certain health conditions and other listed factors, were excluded. The team randomly selected 25 people from each group for imaging, though the reported scan analysis included 43 participants. The study’s main outcome was mood; other assessments covered processing speed, short-term memory and sleep.
The researchers said studies of yoga and brain function have used different styles and assessment methods, making results hard to compare. Their trial focused on one standardized routine, the Common Yoga Protocol. That design makes the findings specific to this program and study population rather than to every form of yoga.
“The study examined whether 45 days of the Common Yoga Protocol could improve mood and sleep and change brain connectivity.”
— The study authors, as described in the report
Limits of the Brain Scan Results
The study report describes changes in connectivity, but the available findings do not establish whether those patterns persisted beyond the 45-day program or affected participants’ daily functioning. The imaging subgroup was small, and the trial was open-label, meaning expectations or awareness of group assignment could have influenced self-reported mood and sleep.
The report does not establish whether the observed effects would apply to people outside the study’s selected group of healthy adults, including people with neurological or psychiatric conditions, older adults, or experienced yoga practitioners. It also does not show which elements of the combined routine—postures, breathing, relaxation or meditation—were associated with particular outcomes. The source material does not provide long-term follow-up results or enough detail to assess the practical size of every reported score change.
Longer Follow-Up Is Needed
The published report presents results measured at the beginning and after 45 days. The source material does not identify a scheduled follow-up or a next stage of the trial, so it is unclear whether researchers will track participants after the intervention or repeat the imaging analysis in a larger sample.
Further studies could test whether the mood, sleep and selected memory differences continue over time, whether they appear in broader populations, and which parts of the protocol matter most. Until such evidence is available, the findings are best read as short-term results from one standardized program and a specific group of healthy adults.
Key Questions
What changed after 45 days of yoga?
Compared with the waitlist group, participants in the yoga group reported higher positive affect, lower negative affect and better self-reported sleep. They also scored higher on the forward number-repetition task and its combined score, but not on the backward task or symbol matching.
Did the study show that yoga changed the brain?
Scans from 43 participants showed differences in resting-state functional connectivity across several brain networks. The finding concerns connectivity during scanning; it does not prove lasting structural change or show that every participant had the same pattern.
How many people took part?
139 adults were randomly assigned to yoga or a waitlist control, and 125 completed the study. The imaging analysis included 43 people from the smaller scan subgroup.
Can these findings be applied to everyone?
The participants were healthy adults aged 18 to 55, and the trial excluded people with prior yoga experience and several other conditions or circumstances. The results do not establish whether the same outcomes apply to other populations or yoga styles.
Do the benefits last after the program?
The reported assessments compared the start of the trial with the end of the 45-day program. The source material does not report longer-term follow-up, so the duration of any effects is unknown.
Source: news-medical.net
