Should Yoga Be Taught in All Schools? It Can Ease Kids’ Anxiety, Study Finds

School can be stressful for kids even in elementary school where the standards of learning have changed drastically in the last few decades. So what’s the solution to helping de-stress our kids? Yoga. A new study has found that yoga can help ease anxiety in kids, which could make it a powerful tool in the classroom.

Researchers at Tulane University School of Public Health found that practicing yoga and participating in mindfulness activities at school helped anxious third-grade students improve their mental well-being. The study was conducted at a public elementary school in New Orleans, where researchers introduced a yoga and mindfulness program into the curriculum. A group of 20 students participated in the activities for eight weeks, which included breathing exercises, yoga poses and guided relaxation.

The researchers evaluated the students before, during and after the program to assess their emotional well-being. The results showed that the program had improved the students psychosocial and emotional quality of life compared to those who were not participants.

“We also heard from teachers about the benefits of using yoga in the classroom,” explained principal study author Alessandra Bazzano, associate professor of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences at Tulane University School of Public Health. “They reported using yoga more often each week, and throughout each day in class, following the professional development component of intervention.”

Do you think yoga and mindfulness activities should be part of the regular school curriculum? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured Photo: Getty Images

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