ARCHIVES
VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 (2026)
Yoga and cognition: Exploring its benefits for elderly population
Authors
Kiran Yadav, Dr. Udham Singh
Abstract
Cognitive decline is a well-known consequence
of ageing, affecting multiple domains including memory, attention and
processing speed among others. Global ageing combined with a threefold increase
in the number of people suffering from dementia by 2050 presents an exigent
demand for effective, safe and accessible approaches to supporting cognitive
health. Medications offer only modest benefits and are often inappropriate in
frail older adults, while non-drug approaches such as yoga have garnered
increasing interest. This narrative review summarizes evidence from randomized
clinical trials, quasi-experimental studies and long-term observance research
on the effect of yoga-based interventions on cognitive function in older
governance. The searches were performed across full-text English articles using
the keywords such as "Yoga" and "Cognitive functions," with
considerations towards some other word variations associated to cognitive
function (cognition) in elderly population related aging from PubMed,
ScienceDirect, Scopus, Shodhganga and Google Scholar. Screening and eligibility
assessment resulted in the selection of twelve studies for qualitative
analysis. Results Top-line results indicate that yoga enhances executive
function and attention, working memory, processing speed as well as episodic
memory to some extent. Grouped yoga practices (asanas practising, pranayama
methods, meditation and the accompanying trataka and relaxation) reliably
improved cognitive function in both healthy elderly individuals and patients
with mild cognitive impairment. Multiple studies also show that yoga has
specific benefits over regular exercise in the areas of mood, resilience and
overall wellbeing. Evidence trends support yoga as a holistic, cost-effective
and accessible strategy to promote healthy cognitive aging with respect type of
intervention duration studied. The application of structured yoga programs in
elder care facilities, or as a part of home routine may potentially counteract
age-associated cognitive decline and increase the quality-of-life among older
adults.
Download
Pages:34-39
How to cite this article:
Kiran Yadav, Dr. Udham Singh "Yoga and cognition: Exploring its benefits for elderly population". International Journal of Advanced Scientific Research, Vol 11, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 34-39
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.