Yoga and the Eating Disorder Recovery Process

Have you ever seen people practice yoga and wondered what it’s all about? What are they doing and what’s the purpose? In recent times, yoga has gained in popularity among several populations, including those in eating disorder (ED) recovery. In fact, yoga has been integrated in residential programs for ED recovery, which has allowed for more research on how yoga can complement the journey to healing. 

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice that helps to cultivate the connection between the mind, body and soul. There are several definitions of yoga. One of these definitions, shared by the Indian sage Patanjali, refers to yoga as “the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind” (1). As per Pantajali’s definition, one of the purposes of yoga is to cultivate a witnessing ability, in which one recognizes that there is distance between themselves and their thoughts, emotions and sensory experiences. Another definition of yoga is “to yoke” or “to unite”, which is a rough translation from the Sanskrit word “yoga” (2). 

Whichever definition is used, there are elements of yoga that go beyond the physical postures. There are deeper layers to a yoga practice, including breathwork, meditation, mindfulness and self-compassion. When we think of yoga, what comes to mind is the physical practice, the series of postures that are tied together in a sequence. We have images of people stretching, strengthening or attempting to get themselves in a pretzel-like position. You might be wondering how any of this can be beneficial to supporting ED recovery. 

As yoga is a combination of different elements mixed into one practice, the benefits of yoga can be experienced on multiple levels, including physical, mental and emotional impacts. It is also thought that yoga contributes to improved distress tolerance and nervous system regulation, which play an important role in the ED recovery process. Among other things, an ED can serve as a coping mechanism and having various coping skills is a pivotal component in healing. It is also believed that yoga improves ED symptoms and facilitates a shift from negative towards positive body image and well-being by cultivating positive embodiment, which is the ability to feel a sense of connection between mind and body (5). In those living with an ED, there can be much difficulty recognizing and responding to one’s internal signals and cues. Yoga can help one increase their body awareness (interoception) and feel more connected to themselves.