Yoga for Wellness: An Innovative Educational Intervention for Health Professions Students

Abstract

Context:

Health professional trainees need wellness skills. Yoga has been proven to improve wellness and decrease stress in health professionals.

Aim:

We aim to assess whether educating health profession students about yoga leads to integrating yoga into their lives for personal wellness.

Subjects and Methods:

A health promotion curriculum focused on ten evidence-based interventions (including yoga) was delivered to health profession students (medical, nursing, physical therapy, and behavioral health). Participants completed unidentified electronic surveys immediately after, 3 and 6 months later. Data are presented using descriptive statistics, themes, and representative quotes.

Results:

Five hundred and fifty-two students completed the curriculum, from which 150 were interested in yoga, reviewed evidence about the effectiveness of yoga, and practiced yoga for a week. The interested students noted that integrating yoga was achievable, realistic, and relevant. After having team discussions about all of the interventions, 12.5%, 10%, and 11% of the respondents reported practicing yoga immediately after, 3 and 6 months after, respectively.

Conclusions:

This curriculum was an effective intervention for health professions trainees to develop yoga wellness skills.

Introduction

Startling rates of increased burnout, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation have been identified as occupational stressors associated with health professions. These affect the wellness of health providers, which impairs their mental and physical health, but also significantly impacts the delivery of patient care (with increased medical errors and job turnovers), and these statistics are true during[1,2] and after the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] As a result, attention has been given to teaching wellness skills early in the education of future health professionals,[4] to prepare them to enter the workforce.

Such skills can be built with practices such as yoga. Yoga is a special wellness technique, as it has dual benefits for physical symptoms (including decreased pain, reduced blood pressure, and heart rate) and mental symptoms (including improved well-being and a positive outlook on life).[5] A large systematic review with 1778 participants[5] has shown that yoga is an effective intervention for wellness. As little as 30 min of yoga each day for 3 months resulted in decreased examination stress for medical students, as shown in a randomized controlled clinical trial.[6] Nursing students practicing 15 min of daily yoga for 2 months reported decreased stress, increased resilience, and improved satisfaction with life.[7] This evidence demonstrated that yoga can improve overall wellness by decreasing physiological stress.[6] Therefore, yoga is an intervention with moderate-strong evidence for effectiveness in improving health and wellness in health professionals. However, health professionals may not be aware of the evidence for effectiveness and the flexibility of time involved in yoga practice.

We hypothesize that an evidence-based educational program on yoga will enhance engagement in yoga practice for personal wellness in healthcare provider students.

Subjects and Methods

Theoretical framework

Cowen defined wellness as a continuum ranging from psychological distress to optimal well-being, emphasizing that wellness is not merely the absence of illness, but the presence of positive psychological resources that can be continuously fostered by practicing wellness activities, such as yoga.[8] Four concepts serve as potential avenues toward achieving wellness: competence, resilience, social system modification, and empowerment.[8] Their absence leads to maladaptation.[9,10] The yoga educational program elements presented here are a perfect avenue to foster all four concepts of wellness. To address the first concept, yoga competence is fostered through physical and mental training and learning, which is achieved through the evidence module and the tasks of practicing yoga. To address the second concept, yoga resilience is strengthened through completing the curriculum in 4 weeks. To address the third concept, yoga awareness of social systems is promoted through collaboration with other health professionals. To address the fourth concept, yoga empowerment is learned through self-reflection. These concepts are linked to measurable outcomes: competence is demonstrated through documented health benefits of yoga practice, resilience is reflected in personal accounts of integrating yoga into daily life, social system modification is evidenced by interprofessional perspectives on healthcare presented in the team poster, and empowerment is showcased through self-reflection on participants’ ability to perform or struggle with yoga practices.

Study design

Interprofessional faculty used Kern’s model[11] and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory[12] to develop a 4 weeks-longitudinal wellness program containing virtual asynchronous team and individual activities (all course materials are available for use/download at no cost at https://lor.instructure.com/resources/9e94f9d9635f4dae8a9d001a5b1e28fd on the Canvas Common platform, which and can be easily exported and integrated into other educational platforms, and allows for monitoring of user engagement through Canvas LMS). Kern’s model guided the program’s structured development by identifying the need for wellness education, setting learning objectives, integrating evidence-based interventions, and evaluating long-term engagement. Social learning theory influenced the design by emphasizing experiential learning, peer collaboration, and discussion within interprofessional teams. By selecting, practicing, and reflecting on a chosen intervention, students reinforced learning through active participation and shared experiences. This combination ensured a systematic, interactive approach that promoted knowledge retention for yoga. The program addressed the Lifestyle Medicine Competency B (The Role of the Practitioner’s Personal Health and Community Advocacy) and the interprofessional education competencies values and ethics (VE11), teams and teamwork (TT9), and communication (C2)[13] to teach 10 evidence-based interventions for health promotion (yoga, physical activity, active rest, nutrition-Omega-3 fatty acids, sleep, mindfulness/cognitive behavioral therapy, emotional freedom therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, emotional intelligence, and psychological detachment). These interventions were chosen after a comprehensive literature review based on the United States Preventive Task Force Services.[14] The program was delivered to 552 UCF students (medical, nursing, social work, counseling, and physical therapy) as part of their interprofessional curriculum and was previously described in detail.[14] Briefly, students were asked to pick one intervention they were interested in (either curious, or skeptical), review the evidence, practice it for 1 week, and reflect on their experience. Teams (n = 120) of four to six students, each from various health professions, were asked to discuss the intervention they read about, practice, and work together to build a poster for endorsing one intervention they consider most useful for the wellness of health professionals. After the course completion (3 and 6 months later), students were asked to report which intervention they are still practicing as a result of the program, to determine long-term engagement with yoga practices. This manuscript presents data focused on yoga intervention.

Data analysis

Data are presented using descriptive statistics, themes, and representative quotes. As the narrative comments are personal narratives that explore lived experiences, the thematic analysis of the data was done using the Braun and Clarke method for reflexive analysis.[15] Two independent raters coded the data. As the analysis is interpretative and the consensus discussion derives theme development, the next step is the comparison of themes and subthemes to the point of saturation, ensuring that themes are fully developed, nuanced, and conceptually rich. Disagreements were discussed with a third reviewer using reflexive discussion, interrogation of different perspectives, and iterative refinement of themes until a consensus was reached.

Results

The health promotion curriculum was completed by 552 health profession students. From these, 490 responded to a survey after 3 months and 263 after 6 months.

Reflections from Health profession students interested in yoga: the following two sections present data from only the students who reported interest in yoga, reviewed the yoga evidence, and completed the yoga practice (n = 150).

Interest in yoga and health professions: one-quarter (27%, n = 150) of all the students completing the health promotion curriculum were interested in learning more about yoga. The biggest representation in this study of health professions was medical (n = 59) and nursing (n = 51), while behavioral health and physical therapy represented a smaller proportion (n = 23 and n = 17, respectively), as in Figure 1a. More students (55%, n = 82) reported being curious about the effectiveness of yoga practices compared to those who reported being skeptical (45%, n = 68). In the medical and nursing professions, the curious and skeptical students were split approximately equally. While in behavioral health and physical therapy, more students reported being curious than skeptical, as in Figure 1b.

Figure 1.

Health profession students interested in learning about yoga. (a) Distribution of students by health professionals interested in learning about yoga. (b) Distribution of students who were curious or skeptical about the effectiveness of yoga by health professionals

Observed yoga characteristics and health effects: the students who were interested in learning about yoga reviewed the scientific evidence about yoga and completed a yoga practice of their choice. They noted that integrating yoga into the health profession student’s lives was achievable because of the possibility of practicing in short sessions (n = 51) and at any location (n = 34). They reported integrating yoga into their work (n = 5), fun (n = 1), and social activities (n = 3) to replace sleep (n = 10), breaks (n = 7), and social media (n = 10). Most students (n = 92) noticed health benefits after just 1 week of practicing yoga, such as positive effects on stress (n = 33), anxiety (n = 12), and pain (n = 3). A summary of these themes, split by curiosity and skepticism, is presented in Table 1. Representative quotes from the student reflections after practicing yoga for 1 week are presented in Table 2.

Table 1.

Observed yoga characteristics and health effects

		Curious (n)		Skeptical (n)
Achievable
Short duration		37		14
Any location		28		6
Integration
Work		3		2
Fun		1		0
Social		1		2
Realistic
Replaced sleep		10		0
Replaced breaks		7		0
Replaced social media		9		1
Relevance
Noticed health benefits		70		22
Did not notice health benefits		3		11

Table 2.

Representative quotes from reflections

“I completed the breathing exercises when I was anxious right before going to my first clinical of the semester, and it helped me to be fully relaxed, and have an open mind”

“Since last week I have been doing a 10-min yoga routine every morning when I wake up. I have noticed that I feel more relaxed throughout the day not only mentally but physically as well. I usually go on my phone when I wake up, so this also helps me not do that”

“When I feel like I have been sitting too long, I have begun to use some of the stretching and breathing techniques I learned from this intervention and have found myself more refreshed and more centered.”

“For me, yoga is too slow and it keeps my brain thinking about assignments that I should be doing. So I would not use this intervention in the future because it doesn’t fit my way of stressing. I did find it surprising how motivated I would feel after completing a few minutes of yoga exercises as I believe it was a break for mind and body.”

“I tried to implement a little bit which I found very effective. I used it in the morning for about 5–10 min and it helped my mindset, yes but it did wonders for my physical well-being. Being on your feet for so long is taxing not to mention adding in other things like regular exercise. Yoga every morning allowed me to be in less pain and just looser which made me feel more relaxed.”

These quotes belong to the students who learned about yoga evidence and practiced yoga for a week

Reports from all the students completing the health promotion curriculum: the following two sections present data from all the students (n = 552) who participated in the health promotion curriculum.

Yoga endorsement by students participating in the health promotion curriculum: after the group discussions focused on all the interventions chosen to review evidence and practice, student teams were directed to develop a visual that would market the intervention they believed would be most useful to health professionals and students. There were ten health profession student teams (out of 120 total) that decided to endorse yoga as a valuable wellness intervention for health professionals. These teams presented information about yoga to professionals with high-stress careers (nursing, medicine, law, and their students) of all ages and genders, looking for a convenient way to decrease stress or a new hobby. The most beneficial effects cited were decreased stress, anxiety, and pain. The teams also created scenarios where the yoga intervention would be achievable and beneficial for health professionals [Table 3]. Figure 2 for an example of team poster submissions. In this example, the team endorsed yoga because of strong evidence for health benefits, convenience (location, duration, free, and fun), and opportunity for community building. The team received feedback from the faculty on each of the posters; for example, for the poster in Figure 2, the team received the following feedback: “Excellent job, Team! Very nice advertising of this intervention. Good colors, graphics, and information! You convinced me!! Please remember to use what you have learned here for your own health.”

Table 3.

Representative clinical scenarios for health professionals using yoga

Health profession scenarios

“The nurse has three extremely complex patients who require constant care. She hasn’t even had a moment to chart her initial assessment from this morning. She is feeling very stressed and overwhelmed. She should implement a 3-min yoga meditation in the break room or even at her computer. This will help her destress and relax her mind.”

“A doctor is about to give a patient a life-altering diagnosis. He is worried that he won’t deliver the news eloquently. He needs to do a 5-min yoga meditation to calm his nerves so that he can speak clearly to the patient and family.”

“Once you finish the task you are working on, you go into the break room or any empty room and take a few deep, centering breaths. You spend about 5 min just clearing your mind and focusing on your breathing. Instead of continuing down the path of mental exhaustion and frustration, you took a tiny part of your day to reset and recharge to finish out your shift and end the day without feeling burnout”

“A healthcare/social worker has a long, stressful day at work and knows they have to return early in the morning. Yoga would be a great way to refocus their mind, de-stress, and allow for a good night’s rest to return refreshed. This will not only improve their health but will indirectly allow them to provide better, attentive patient care.”

These scenarios were created by the health profession students who learned about yoga as an intervention for wellness. They were used in a poster that endorsed yoga for health professionals

Figure 2.

Examples of posters created by the students to endorse yoga for health professionals

Curriculum impact on continuing yoga practice for own wellness: Immediately after completing the health promotion curriculum, 69 health profession students reported the intention of continuing yoga for their own wellness (12.5% of 552 respondents). Most importantly, in the 3 months following the health promotion curriculum, 10.0% of the respondents (N = 49 out of 490 respondents for the 3-month follow-up) reported still practicing yoga. A similar proportion (11%, 29 out of 263 respondents at 6 months follow-up) reported practicing yoga after 6 months.

Discussion

As a result of this health promotion curriculum, 552 health profession students participated in discussions about yoga evidence and practice, and 150 of them reviewed the effectiveness evidence data and practiced yoga for 1 week. Most importantly, the curriculum resulted in long-term yoga practice for their own wellness (10% and 11% of the respondents in 3 and 6 months after the curriculum), which proves its effectiveness. Possible barriers to adherence to yoga practices in students could be due to competing academic demands, time constraints, and no structured reinforcements. Sustained yoga practice beyond 6 months may be influenced by intrinsic motivation, where students continue practicing if they experience tangible benefits such as stress reduction or improved focus. Time constraints, academic workload, and clinical responsibilities could hinder long-term adherence, while accessibility to yoga classes or online resources may facilitate continued engagement. Social support from peers and mentors, along with integration into daily routines, can reinforce the habit. In addition, students in fields where yoga aligns with professional interests may be more likely to maintain their practice. Ongoing reinforcement through follow-up interventions, workshops, or reminders of yoga’s benefits could further support long-term adherence.

Our study shows that if provided with the necessary information, evidence, experiential opportunities, and motivation, even skeptical students may discover yoga as an effective and lifelong method for promoting personal wellness. It is interesting to note that the curiosity versus skepticism divide among students appears to be influenced by their field of study. While medical and nursing students showed an equal split between curiosity and skepticism, students in behavioral health and physical therapy were less inclined toward skepticism, possibly due to a greater emphasis on holistic and mind–body approaches in their disciplines. Most students were able to successfully integrate yoga into their lives, work, or social events, demonstrating that yoga is a useful practice that aligns well with the busy and demanding schedules of health professionals. Some students used yoga to replace social media activity, which was an amazing, unexpected outcome. However, other students made time to add yoga by replacing healthy coping mechanisms such as breaks and sleep, which is worrisome because it could negatively impact overall well-being. While yoga offers significant benefits, sacrificing foundational self-care practices may lead to fatigue, reduced cognitive function, and diminished resilience. To prevent this, future iterations of the program should emphasize balance, reinforcing that yoga is a complementary wellness tool rather than a substitute for sleep or necessary downtime. Educational components should highlight time management strategies, encourage mindful scheduling, and promote a holistic approach to self-care, ensuring that students integrate yoga without compromising other critical health behaviors. Importantly, most students experienced the health benefits after only 1 week of practice, such as reduced stress, anxiety, and pain. Future interventions may choose to focus more on these three relevant symptoms for health professionals.

A limitation of this study is that the effect of the educational intervention is self-reported. Future research should look at objectively measured effects of the educational program on the Student’s personal and professional life. Physiological indicators, such as heart rate variability, cortisol levels, or sleep time and patterns, could provide insights into the program’s effects on stress reduction and overall health. In addition, validated psychological assessments, such as the Perceived Stress Scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, could offer a more reliable measure of mental health outcomes. Longitudinal tracking of students’ health diagnoses and lifestyle behaviors through medical records or structured follow-ups may further clarify the program’s long-term influence. Another limitation is the participation of students from only one educational institution, with a higher representation of medical and nursing students. Despite this imbalance, the study presents an effective curriculum that has been evaluated across multiple health disciplines. Future studies in institutions with a more balanced representation of disciplines will further validate the curriculum’s effectiveness and enhance its generalizability across the broader healthcare education landscape.

The health promotion curriculum focused on developing skills for health profession students, but similar interventions could benefit health professionals. Institutional policies supporting yoga for wellness can be implemented by integrating brief yoga or mindfulness sessions at the start of meetings and providing yoga classes after work hours with designated time off for participation. These initiatives can be supported through leadership endorsement, financial investment in certified instructors, and the creation of dedicated wellness spaces to encourage participation. Evaluation of these policies should include regular staff and student feedback, well-being assessments, and tracking of key indicators such as burnout rates, job satisfaction, and patient care outcomes to ensure long-term effectiveness and sustainability.

Conclusion

This curriculum proved to be an effective intervention for health profession trainees to develop yoga wellness skills, demonstrating that education on evidence-based practices can lead to sustained engagement in self-care behaviors. Participants reported that integrating yoga into their routines was achievable, realistic, and relevant, reinforcing its practicality in demanding healthcare environments. The program not only increased awareness of yoga’s benefits but also empowered students to adopt a proactive approach to their well-being. By fostering resilience and promoting healthy coping strategies, this initiative has the potential to positively influence both personal wellness and professional performance in future healthcare providers. Given its success, similar interventions could be implemented in other institutions to support both students and practicing healthcare professionals, with structured policies ensuring accessibility, leadership endorsement, and long-term sustainability through ongoing evaluation and institutional support.

Ethical statement

The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of University of Central Florida as STUDY00004564.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

This project was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number 6 U3NHP45418 of the Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program for $1,496,128. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.