This research studies review by Alyson Ross, M.S.N., R.N., and Sue Thomas, F.A.A.N., Ph.D., R.N., of the School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD., compared the effects of yoga and exercise on a variety of health outcomes and conditions. The authors used 81 studies that met their criteria and found that "yoga interventions appeared to be equal or superior to exercise in nearly every outcome measured except those involving physical fitness."
The studies reviewed documented previous research that showed yoga is equal or superior to exercise in relieving certain symptoms associated with diabetes, multiple sclerosis, menopause, kidney disease, and schizophrenia. And as with exercise, yoga has been found to benefit blood glucose levels in individuals with diabetes. In addition, yoga has been shown to be effective in relieving symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia.
The review concluded that "in both healthy and diseased populations, yoga may be as effective as or better than exercise at improving a variety of health-related outcome measures." Abstract: PubMed. Article: "The Health Benefits of Yoga and Exercise: A Review of Comparison Studies," Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine [2010 Jan;16(1):3-12]. Photo by The U.S.Army.
