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MT Yoga

The Healing Practice: Yoga as a Tool for Medical Student Well-Being

By: Charlotte Cheng, OMSI

The International Day of Yoga, observed annually on June 21st, serves as a global reminder of yoga’s power to nurture both individual and collective wellbeing. This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” emphasizes the deep connection between personal wellness and the health of our planet.3 Inspired by this message and my own journey as a certified yoga instructor, I’m writing this blog to share how yoga can support the physical, mental, and emotional health of medical students and the broader RVU community.

Health Benefits of Yoga 

As medical students, we juggle demanding schedules with frequent exams while balancing extracurricular activities, research, and other personal and academic responsibilities. It can be difficult to find time to care for your physical and mental health, but a simple daily yoga practice can help enhance your mindfulness in navigating these challenges. Some of the benefits of yoga include strengthening the body, managing chronic pain, alleviating stress, and improving well-being and mood.1,2,4 

Practicing Yoga as a Medical Student 

This year’s theme serves as a reminder that yoga is more than just a physical exercise. Prioritizing your physical and mental well-being helps you take steps toward living a healthier life overall. In honor of International Day of Yoga, here are some ideas of how you can start:  

  1. Practice yoga at home or join a class: Follow an instructional video online or join a community flow. This can help improve flexibility, reduce stress, and provide a sense of connection, whether you’re practicing alone or with others.  
  2. Meditate and Breathe: Set aside 10 minutes to meditate or breathe to cultivate mindfulness and enhance self-awareness. This short daily ritual can help you manage overwhelming emotions by calming your nervous system and improving your focus.  
  3. Set an Intention: Write down a purpose and actionable steps to follow along with your daily routine. By defining a goal or value, you create an anchor and sense of direction for the day.  

There are many ways to celebrate and honor the International Day of Yoga. Remember, this is your practice – on and off the mat – to support your work, studies, and personal well-being that makes it all possible.  

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Articles Referenced 

Wieland LS, Skoetz N, Pilkington K, Harbin S, Vempati R, Berman BM. Yoga for chronic non-specific low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Nov 18;11(11): CD010671. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010671.pub3. PMID: 36398843; PMCID: PMC9673466. 

Büssing A, Michalsen A, Khalsa SB, Telles S, Sherman KJ. Effects of yoga on mental and physical health: a short summary of reviews. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:165410. doi: 10.1155/2012/165410. Epub 2012 Sep 13. PMID: 23008738; PMCID: PMC3447533. 

Kocyigit BF, Sagtaganov Z, Yessirkepov M. The effectiveness of yoga as a form of exercise in the management of rheumatic diseases. Rheumatol Int. 2023 May;43(5):795-801. doi: 10.1007/s00296-023-05291-9. Epub 2023 Mar 1. PMID: 36856817. 

Permanent Mission of India to the UN. (2025, June 14). 11th International Day of Yoga 2025. https://pminewyork.gov.in/IDYatUN.