Both quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the benefits of online yoga outweighed its barriers, with small but significant associations between yoga practice and mental health, and participants reporting low levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared to general population norms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Findings
Results
Yoga practitioners reported lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared to general population norms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sample included 1,185 participants (511 yoga students, 586 yoga teachers) who completed an online survey during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Psychosocial health indicators measured included social isolation, depression, anxiety, and stress.
Participants' scores were compared against general population norms established during the pandemic period.
Results
More frequent yoga practice (days per week) was significantly associated with lower depression scores.
Hierarchical regression controlling for age and gender showed days per week was associated with lower depression (β = -.10, p = .011).
The association was described as small but statistically significant.
Age was also inversely associated with depression, anxiety, and stress.
Results
Greater years of yoga practice was significantly associated with lower anxiety scores.
Hierarchical regression controlling for age and gender showed years of practice was associated with lower anxiety (β = -.07, p = .045).
The association was described as small but statistically significant.
Days per week of practice was not significantly associated with anxiety in the same model.
Results
Age was inversely associated with depression, anxiety, and stress among yoga practitioners.
Age was included as a covariate in hierarchical regression models alongside gender.
The inverse association was observed across all three mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, and stress.
This pattern held after controlling for yoga dosage variables.
Results
Key perceived benefits of online yoga included social connectedness, increased accessibility and convenience, improved mental and physical health, and opportunities for personal practice.
Benefits were identified through inductive thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses.
Both student and teacher perspectives contributed to the qualitative findings.
Both quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the benefits of online yoga outweighed its barriers.
Results
Key reported barriers to online yoga included reduced group connection, limited personalized guidance, and practical challenges related to technology and the home environment.
Barriers were identified through inductive thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses from both yoga students and teachers.
Barriers were analyzed alongside benefits using the COM-B model framework.
Despite these barriers, overall perceived benefits were reported to outweigh the challenges.
Discussion
The COM-B model was used to interpret findings and highlight key barriers and facilitators relevant to the design and delivery of online and hybrid yoga interventions.
COM-B stands for Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour model.
The framework was applied to findings from both quantitative and qualitative data sources.
Findings are intended to inform future design and delivery of online and hybrid yoga interventions in a post-pandemic context.
Methods
The study sample was international and large, consisting of 1,185 participants including both yoga students and teachers.
511 participants were yoga students and 586 were yoga teachers.
The survey was conducted as a cross-sectional online study during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study used a mixed-methods design combining quantitative psychosocial health measures with qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended responses.
Sociodemographic characteristics, yoga dosage, perceived benefits and barriers, and psychosocial health indicators were all assessed.
What This Means
This research surveyed over 1,100 yoga students and teachers from around the world during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand how people experienced yoga when it moved online. Participants reported lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to what was typically seen in the general population during the same period. The study also found that people who practiced yoga more frequently during the week had lower depression scores, and those who had been practicing yoga for more years had lower anxiety levels, though these relationships were modest in size.
When participants described their experiences in their own words, the most commonly reported benefits of online yoga included feeling more socially connected, finding yoga more accessible and convenient, experiencing improvements in mental and physical health, and having more opportunities for personal practice. Challenges included feeling less connected to the group, receiving less personalized instruction from teachers, and dealing with technology issues or unsuitable home environments. Overall, both the survey data and participants' written responses suggested that the benefits of practicing yoga online outweighed the drawbacks.
This research suggests that online yoga can be a valuable tool for supporting mental health and maintaining community connection, particularly during times when in-person classes are unavailable. The findings offer practical guidance for yoga teachers and program designers on what works well in online delivery and what could be improved, including the importance of fostering social connection and providing individualized guidance in digital formats. The authors suggest these insights can help shape the future of hybrid yoga offerings that blend in-person and online elements.
Cartwright T, Metcalf L, Wadhen V. (2026). 'It is a lifeline': International cross-sectional survey of benefits, barriers and acceptability of online yoga during the COVID-19 pandemic.. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0341852