What’s The Best Exercise For Sharp Thinking?

Imagine if there was a simple, relaxing activity that could not only calm your mind but also protect your memory, increase brain volume, and even slow down aging.

A groundbreaking study from UCLA reveals that one unique form of exercise does exactly that—offering powerful benefits for brain function, especially in women at risk for Alzheimer’s. Here’s the story

Key Takeaways

• Kundalini Yoga Enhances Brain Function – This unique form of yoga improves memory, increases brain volume, and enhances connectivity in the hippocampus, a region critical for learning and memory.
• Reduces Inflammation & Slows Aging – Practicing Kundalini yoga was linked to improved gene expression of anti-aging molecules and reduced inflammatory markers, which are associated with Alzheimer’s risk.
• More Effective Than Memory Training Alone – While memory training was beneficial, Kundalini yoga offered additional advantages, suggesting that a combination of both is ideal for long-term brain health.

Forget Brain Games—This Simple Yoga Practice May Be Even More Effective!

Yoga continues to grow in popularity, with more and more Americans taking up this ancient practice. There are multiple benefits to yoga, and many studies have looked specifically at its effects on brain health.

There are also many forms of yoga, and each has their own particular focus depending of what physical, mental, or spiritual goal you’re aiming for. But if you’re female, and want to protect yourself against Alzheimer’s, there’s one form of yoga that stands out from the rest.

Although the most practiced form of yoga in the U.S. is Hatha, which focuses on physical poses, researchers at UCLA Health tested the effects of a less well-known form of yoga because it’s more likely to impact the brain. That’s because it includes all four main components of yoga: breathing, physical relaxation, meditation and postures. It’s called Kundalini yoga.

Could Kundalini Yoga Rewire an Aging Brain?

Since women are twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer’s, only women over 50 were included in the study. To really put Kundalini yoga to the test, all the women were recruited from a UCLA cardiac unit, having not only cerebrovascular risk factors, but also self-reported memory issues.

Researchers divided the 79 participants into two groups. The first group took twelve weekly 60-minute in-person classes with a certified instructor. The other group underwent twelve weekly memory enhancement training sessions with a qualified instructor. In addition, all participants received daily homework assignments.

When the study began and again at 24 weeks, researchers gave them a battery of cognitive tests. They also had a range of subjective memory tests and anxiety/depression assessments at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks.

In addition, researchers performed blood draws at these times to test for gene expression of aging markers and for molecules associated with inflammation, which are contributing factors to Alzheimer’s disease. The team also assessed a small number of patients with MRIs to study changes in brain matter.

As you can see, this was an in-depth study that really put Kundalini yoga through its paces. ¹

What would the results show?

Increased Brain Volume and Memory

Both interventions improved the frequency of forgetfulness, but the Kundalini yoga group saw improvements not seen by the memory enhancement training group. These included:

• Significant improvement in subjective memory complaints and seriousness of forgetting
• Prevention of grey matter volume decline
• Increased volume and connectivity in the hippocampus, which manages stress-related memories
• Improvement in peripheral cytokines and gene expression of anti-inflammatory and anti-aging molecules.

“That is what yoga is good for -- to reduce stress, to improve brain health, subjective memory performance and reduce inflammation and improve neuroplasticity,” said Dr. Helen Lavretsky, senior author of the study published in Translational Psychiatry. It’s best, she added, if yoga and memory training are used in tandem.

“Ideally, people should do both because they do train different parts of the brain and have different overall health effects. Yoga has this anti-inflammatory, stress-reducing, anti-aging neuroplastic brain effect which would be complimentary to memory training.” ²

Will Kundalini yoga also benefit men?

Absolutely. In fact, the UCLA team carried out a previous study back in 2017, testing this form of yoga on both men and women over the age of 55 with mild cognitive impairment. They found it significantly improved memory and executive functioning in both genders. ³

Summary

A UCLA study has uncovered that Kundalini yoga, a form of yoga that incorporates breathwork, meditation, relaxation, and postures, provides unique brain-boosting benefits. Researchers found that women over 50 who practiced Kundalini yoga for 12 weeks experienced improved memory, increased hippocampal connectivity, and reduced inflammation, all of which are critical in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. The study also showed that this practice helps prevent grey matter decline and enhances neuroplasticity. While memory training also provided cognitive benefits, Kundalini yoga offered distinct advantages, reinforcing its role as a powerful tool for brain health.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What makes Kundalini yoga different from other types of yoga? Kundalini yoga combines breathing exercises, meditation, relaxation, and physical postures, making it a holistic practice that benefits both the mind and body.
• How does Kundalini yoga improve brain function? Studies show that it helps increase grey matter volume, strengthens hippocampal connectivity, reduces inflammation, and promotes neuroplasticity—all of which are essential for memory and cognitive health.
• Can Kundalini yoga help prevent Alzheimer’s disease? While no single practice can guarantee prevention, research suggests that Kundalini yoga can significantly reduce Alzheimer’s risk factors by lowering inflammation, improving memory, and increasing brain resilience.
• Is Kundalini yoga only beneficial for women? No! While the recent study focused on women over 50, previous research has shown that Kundalini yoga improves cognitive function in both men and women over the age of 55.
• How often should I practice Kundalini yoga for brain health? The study participants practiced once a week for 12 weeks, along with daily at-home exercises. Regular practice is recommended to maintain and maximize benefits.