How Teens Can Use Yoga to Boost Mental Clarity and

I didn’t take yoga seriously until I started college last year, and I wish I’d done things differently. It immediately became something I enjoyed—I met friends at my on-campus yoga classes while learning how to connect with my body. The resulting mental clarity and wellness perks are things everyone could benefit from, especially those of us juggling high school or college responsibilities. Here are a few ways I made yoga my ultimate self-care resource.

1. Practice Steady Breathing

My first yoga session challenged my view on breathwork. The instructor guided us through every inhale and exhale, but I didn’t listen. I was too focused on doing each pose correctly.

After getting used to them a few weeks later, I matched the instructor’s breathing. It changed everything.

Slow and steady breaths ease the automatic nervous system, which decreases how stress impacts your body. I know following breathing instructions might feel silly at first, but it makes a big difference. My body immediately felt more at ease. I even do breathwork before bed sometimes to fall asleep faster.

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2. Use a Yoga App

Going to your first yoga class can feel intimidating. It’s also challenging to start this practice if you don’t have a car or you’re in high school classes all day. I’ve checked out a few yoga apps and found that they guide people through sessions like an in-person instructor.

Try a few to see which apps you enjoy most. You can start a class whenever you want wellness support.

3. Try Yoga When You Need Gentle Exercise

Hitting the gym is an entire ordeal. Finishing a workout is rewarding, but you have to find the time to get there, maintain enough energy to exercise, and factor in the drive home. Yoga, on the other hand, is a great mellow workout that improves your overall well-being, especially your mental health.

Yoga poses require gentle muscle exertion and control. It’s slow and steady, so I don’t even notice the effects on my body until I’m walking back across campus with that exuberant post-workout endorphin rush.

Exercising can also reduce anxiety and depression, which I feel most intensely during exam weeks. The centering movements and breathwork slow my thoughts when I practice yoga before a test. My mind’s almost always ready to focus when it begins.

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4. Reflect on Your Progress

You might see positive changes in your body if you practice yoga weekly. I quickly realized the poses were becoming easier to hold because my muscles were getting stronger. Make sure you celebrate those wins when you see them.

Reflecting on your progress is something that makes all aspects of life better. If you’re not your biggest cheerleader, you likely won’t enjoy your victories.

5. Repeat Affirmations During Yoga Sessions

When my brain feels like a traffic jam of thoughts during a yoga class, I silently repeat positive affirmations. Saying optimistic things like, “I am capable of achieving any goal,” always makes me feel better about myself. They train your brain to believe those statements without consciously repeating them. Affirmations can also improve your school performance because self-confidence makes overcoming any challenge easier.

Affirmations are also helpful if your thoughts are too chaotic to focus on breathwork. Using your brain and body makes grounding yourself easier while your instructor leads everyone through breathing exercises. They concentrate my mind on the present, driving away stress and anxiety about anything happening outside of my yoga class.

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6. Spend Your Session Dreaming of Creative Outlets

After my mind slows down and I feel fully engaged with my yoga poses, sometimes I like to daydream about my creative expression. When I get back to my dorm room, what will I do with my free time? I think about the adult coloring book in my desk drawer and the beanie I’m crocheting. It makes me excited to do another stress-reducing, self-expression activity in my free time rather than scroll through social media.

7. Remember That You’re Building Muscle

I’m too intimidated to use the big weight-lifting machines at my campus gym. Yoga is a much less intense way to get stronger. When my muscles get better at holding the various poses, I haul groceries to my room without as much physical exhaustion. If you’re in high school, yoga could help your performance on a sports team or make it easier to lift heavy objects at your after-school job.

You don’t need to add intense strength training sessions between your yoga classes to improve your well-being. Exercise snacks—multiple rounds of daily muscle exercises lasting less than one minute—can improve your heart health if you maintain a weekly routine. Think of each yoga session like an exercise meal while lifting a gallon of milk for 30 seconds before pouring it into your midnight bowl of cereal as a workout snack. You’ll still get stronger, but you won’t force yourself into stressful gym situations where you aren’t comfortable.

8. Practice Poses Before Bed

Yoga changes how I feel in my body, especially as I get ready for bed. There are sleep yoga routines online that slow your heart rate and stretch your muscles without making you feel sweaty. It’s an excellent tool that helps me fall asleep easier.

It’s my go-to routine change during exam periods, too. I don’t struggle with stressful thoughts that keep me awake if yoga calms me down after I brush my teeth.

Let’s Redefine Our Wellness Routines With Yoga

Everyone’s wellness journey looks different. I thought mine would stay the same for most of my life until I tried yoga. It’s a great tool to improve your mental clarity and well-being if you practice it long-term.

Find classes you love in town, on campus, or online. It could help your self-growth through any stage of life!