Year: 2025 | Month: December | Volume: 15 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 232-242
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20251229
Role of Yoga Practices on Academic Stress with Reference to Neurophysiological Mechanisms: A Review Study
Hemant Kumar Kaushik1, Dr. Chintaharan Betal2, Ishan Chauhan3
1Research Scholar, Dept. Naturopathy and Yoga, HNB Garhwal A Central University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand.
2Assistant Professor, Dept. Naturopathy and Yoga, HNB Garhwal University (A Central University), Srinagar, Uttarakhand.
3Research Scholar, Dept. Naturopathy and Yoga, HNB Garhwal A Central University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Chintaharan Betal
ABSTRACT
Academic stress is now a significant challenge for students, impacting their performance, emotional regulation, cognitive functions and psychological as well as physiological well-being. Various conventional techniques like psychotherapy, counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), have been used and applied to remove the problem but no effective results have been achieved so far. Yoga, on the other hand, is recognized as a practical approach to stress management, its neurobiological mechanisms in the academic context are less explored so far. This review study investigated the effects of yoga on the brain and nervous system which have been conceived as a prime factor in reducing academic stress. Key mechanisms included the modulation of the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) axis, reduced cortisol secretion, increased serotonin and elevated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), all of which support neuroplasticity, memory and cognitive flexibility, which is essential for academic success under stressful situation. The findings suggested that yoga practices such as asana, pranayama and meditation have positively influenced and thereby slowed down the mechanisms of stress. Asanas improve autonomic balance, pranayama regulates the HPA axis and meditation enhances mindfulness and thus promotes the cognitive regulation and self-control capacity of students. The study of neuroimaging, biochemical and electrophysiological studies also highlighted that yoga is an evidence-based intervention that improves stress resilience, mental efficiency and academic performance in students. Therefore, the study concluded that Yoga practices are the most potent and promising tool to alleviate academic stress.
Key words: Academic Stress, Yoga, Neurophysiology, HPA axis, Neuroplasticity, Biochemical