Jan. 19, 2026

Yoga & Health

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Show Notes

Stan, Clarence, Barry, and the Health Chatter team chat with Tory Schafer, Senior Director of Yoga at Life Time and nationally recognized meditation, yoga, and sound healing practitioner, about yoga and health.

Tory Schafer brings a rich, multidisciplinary perspective shaped by years of teaching and leadership across North America. With specialties in Vinyasa, Yin, Yoga Nidra, pranayama, and vibrational therapy, his work blends yogic wisdom, somatic awareness, and trauma-informed practice. Drawing from a background in music and performance, Tory creates immersive experiences that emphasize presence, intention, and attunement—helping individuals reconnect with their inner harmony through embodied practice and sound.

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Brought to you in support of Hue-MAN, who is Creating Healthy Communities through Innovative Partnerships.

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Research

Yoga - Yoga is a mind and body practice that combines movement, meditation, and breathing.

Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in Hinduism.
Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines three key elements:

movements, or postures (asana)
breathing (pranayama)
meditation (dhyana)

Types of Yoga

Some types and styles of yoga include:

Hatha yoga -This is a generic term for any type of yoga that focuses on physical poses. Hatha classes usually serve as a gentle introduction to the basic poses of yoga.
Ashtanga yoga -Ashtanga yoga is a rigorous type of yoga that involves following sequences of postures while synchronizing the breath. It is more physically demanding than some other types of yoga.
Bikram yoga - Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga, is an intense form of yoga created in the 1970s. It involves following a precise sequence of 26 poses and two breathing exercises, at a temperature of nearly 105°F (40.5°C)Trusted Source and 40% humidity, for 90 minutes.
Iyengar yoga -This type of yoga practice focuses on finding the correct alignment in each pose, using props such as blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, and bolsters.
Kripalu yoga - This type teaches practitioners to know, accept, and learn from the body. A student of Kripalu yoga learns to find their own level of practice by looking inward.

The classes usually begin with breathing exercises and gentle stretches, followed by a series of individual poses and final relaxation.

Kundalini yoga - Kundalini yoga is a system of meditation that aims to release pent-up energy at the base of the spine. A Kundalini yoga class typically begins with chanting and ends with singing. In between, it features asana, pranayama, and meditation that aim to create a specific outcome.

Sivananda - This system uses a five point philosophy as its foundation. This philosophy maintains that proper breathing, relaxation, diet, exercise, and positive thinking work together to create a healthy yogic lifestyle.
Yin yoga - Yin yoga focuses on holding stretching poses for long periods of time. This style of yoga targets deep tissues, ligaments, joints, bones, and fascia.
Restorative yoga - This is a relaxing form of yoga. In a restorative yoga class, a person spends time in a few simple poses, using props such as blankets and bolsters to sink into deep relaxation without exerting any effort when holding the pose.

Health Benefits

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Trusted Source, research suggests that yoga has many physical and mental benefits, including:

reducing stress
improving sleep
improving balance and flexibility
reducing muscle tension, tension headaches, neck pain, and back pain
relieving menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes

There is also some evidence that yoga may be a beneficial complementary therapy for some health conditions, such as:

anxiety
depression
asthma
chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder

It is advisable to consult a medical professional, if possible, before starting a yoga practice.

Yoga for People With Chronic Diseases

Cancer. Quite a few studies have been done on yoga for people with cancer, especially on women with breast cancer. These studies have produced some evidence that yoga can help improve quality of life and reduce fatigue and sleep disturbances. Other forms of exercise may have similar benefits.
Multiple Sclerosis. A small amount of research in people with multiple sclerosis found that yoga has short-term benefits on fatigue and mood, but it doesn’t affect muscle function, reasoning ability, or quality of life. The effects of yoga on fatigue are similar to those of other kinds of exercise.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Studies in people with COPD have shown that yoga may improve physical ability (such as the capacity to walk a certain distance in a specific length of time), lung function, and quality of life.
Asthma. Studies of yoga in people with asthma have shown that it probably leads to small improvements in symptoms and quality of life

Yoga for Other Conditions

Anxiety or Depression. Yoga may be helpful for anxiety or depressive symptoms associated with difficult life situations. However, the research on yoga for anxiety disorders, clinical depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), although mildly positive, is still very preliminary.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Stress and a sedentary lifestyle increase people’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Because yoga involves physical activity and may help reduce stress, it might help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, not much research has been done on this topic. Some studies have suggested that yoga may improve some risk factors, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but the findings aren’t definitive.
Diabetes. Some research has suggested that participating in yoga programs is associated with better blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, at least on a short-term basis.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Some research has suggested that yoga may help to decrease IBS symptoms and severity, but the findings aren’t strong enough for definite conclusions to be reached.
Menopause Symptoms. Growing research indicates that yoga may help to reduce some menopause symptoms, and it’s at least as effective for menopause symptoms as other types of exercise.
Sleep Problems. Some research has indicated that practicing yoga may improve sleep in a variety of groups of people, including people with cancer, older adults, people with arthritis, pregnant women, and women with menopause symptoms.