“Yoga is an important tool for children and teens to help cope with stress and self-regulation.”

There’s been a lot of research about the overall positive health benefits of yoga, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information looked at some of the studies that explored those benefits—for kids. They note more children and youth are being diagnosed with conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and more psychological problems like excessive worrying, sleep problems, and feelings of hopelessness and stress.

The article, published in Front Psychiatry, discussed the potential for yoga to be a training tool that might give our children the ability to “listen inward, to their bodies, feelings, and ideas” thus contributing to healthy development and good mental health. Among the potential benefits they list:

• Improved attention
• Greater self-esteem
• A sense of empowerment
• An ability to self-regulate

One study cited in the article says yoga can be a good scientific intervention in childhood and youth as a stress alleviator, especially when it’s practiced at school. It notes that yoga for children is not a simplified version of yoga for adults—it’s a unique practice that should be fun! It suggests yoga for younger people focus on strengthening self-esteem and their consciousness of themselves.

Here’s one, simple breathing exercise that Harvard Health recommends:

Simple breath exercise (repeat five times)

1. Take a deep breath and hold it in for a count of three

2. Breathe it out with force—pretend you’re blowing out a candle

Stay tuned to the Carebook blog for more yoga moves for kids!