Yoga & Health
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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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.
References
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286745#history
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-benefits-beyond-the-mat
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/yoga-for-health-science
Health Chatter Podcast Transcript: The Practice and Benefits of Yoga
Host: Stanton Shanedling
Co-Host: Clarence Jones
Guests: Tori Schaefer (Senior Director of Yoga at Life Time)
Medical Advisor: Dr. Barry Baines
I. Introduction and Guest Welcome
Stanton Shanedling: Hello, everybody! Welcome to Health Chatter on this cold day in Minnesota. Today's show is all about yoga and meditation. We have a wonderful guest, Tori Schaefer, who happens to be my own yoga instructor—and he’s really good.
I want to thank our crew: Maddy Levine-Wolf for research, Erin Collins on recording, Deondra Howard for background research, Matthew Campbell on production, and Sheridan Nygard for marketing and transcribing. My co-host Clarence Jones is here, along with our medical advisor Dr. Barry Baines. Our sponsor is Human Partnership, a great community health organization you can find at HumanPartnership.org. You can also see all 140 of our previous shows at HealthChatterPodcast.com .
Tori, welcome. Tori is the Senior Director of Yoga at Life Time, which has nearly 200 clubs across the country . He is a nationally recognized meditation and yoga practitioner with a background in music and performance.
II. The History and Philosophy of Yoga
Stanton Shanedling: Let's start with history. Yoga goes back quite a way, doesn't it ?
Tori Schaefer: What most Westerners consider yoga today—the physical bending—is actually quite new, becoming popular around the early 1900s . Prior to that, yoga dates back thousands of years to the Hindu faith and the Rig Vedas . The word "yoga" loosely translates to "yoke" or connection.
From a scientific perspective, you could say yoga started with the Big Bang. We are all made of stardust, frequency, and vibration . Our practice today is about remembering that connection. Often, we get so caught up in our jobs and titles that we disconnect and segregate ourselves.
Stanton Shanedling: It’s remarkable how yoga provides an opportunity to slow down and realize those connections within our own bodies . Can you reflect on the "trifecta" of breathing, meditation, and movement ?
Tori Schaefer: Prior to the 1900s, yoga was primarily about meditative states—calming the mind. The Buddha taught that the root of suffering is our attachments, which are caused by the mind . If we become conscious of the stories we tell ourselves, we can liberate ourselves.
There are thousands of techniques, and they are all useful . If you try one style and don't like it, keep looking . The Buddha taught Annapanasati, or breath-focused meditation. It trains the mind to be singular-focused so you can eventually feel the vibrations and sensations of your body . When you connect to that, you’re no longer driven by the reactions of your mind.
III. What to Expect in a Yoga Class
Tori Schaefer: A typical class at Life Time starts with two to three minutes of just "showing up". We use somatics, which is mindfulness centered on the sensations of the body and breath. When your mind starts telling a "soap opera" story about why your knee aches, you just acknowledge the thought and return to the sensation itself .
We move from a "fight-or-flight" sympathetic state to a "parasympathetic" state of radical self-acceptance . In a Hatha-based class, which focuses on physical forms, we explore oppositions—like how pressing your fingers into the ground creates stability in your rotator cuff . These micro-engagements act as an extra pump for your heart, helping circulation reach your extremities. Your body is a vehicle, and breath is the quality fuel that makes it run .
IV. Community, Religion, and Music
Clarence Jones: As a non-practitioner, I have to ask: do people resist yoga because they fear it's a religious practice ?
Tori Schaefer: That doesn't happen as much as it did 20 years ago . If someone is worried about conversion, I ask them: "Are you breathing? Is that a Catholic breath or a Jewish breath?" . We are just teaching you how to breathe.
Yoga can be a spiritual practice—like the awe you feel standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon—but it isn't dogmatic . It’s an inclusive practice that helps you connect to yourself and your community . Even the Sanskrit language used in class, like Utitta Trikonasana, usually just translates to a simple direction .
Stanton Shanedling: You also use music very effectively in your classes.
Tori Schaefer: Music touches the soul and the nervous system in a unique way. Sometimes I use silence as a container, which makes the music more profound when it does play. Whether it's calming music at the start or something more exciting during stretches, it should always be chosen with purpose .
V. Closing Thoughts
Stanton Shanedling: Tori, what do you want our listeners to take away today?
Tori Schaefer: If yoga is doing its job, it helps you do what you love in life for longer. If you’re looking to start, there are short, accessible practices on the Life Time app . Take whatever easy step feels accessible to you.
Stanton Shanedling: Thank you, Tori. This has been a great session. To our audience, stay safe, stay healthy, and keep health chatting away!
