6 ways yoga helps you heal after cancer
Being physically active after cancer helps your well-being and outcomes.
Among physical activity options, yoga offers unique benefits.
- It reconnects your body and mind. The combo of controlled breathing and precise poses builds a bridge from mind to body.
- It improves sleep quality. Cancer survivors who do yoga at least twice a week sleep better than those who don't do yoga.
- It can relieve stress and depression. Yoga trains you to keep your attention in the present. This is a balm for mental health.
- It increases overall fitness. Yoga helps you gently regain balance, flexibility, range of motion and strength.
- It reduces fatigue. By improving your sleep, mood and fitness, yoga also helps increase your energy.
- It can be tailored to your needs. Poses can be modified to honor limitations related to cancer treatment. Ask your instructor.
Guidance from the experts at Mayo Clinic.