Yoga for immunity and your immune system: what yoga, exercise, sleep and stress really do, and what protects you

No pose boosts your immune system

We found no study showing that any pose, inversion or breathing technique prevents infections. The "immunity" claims rest mostly on small changes in blood markers.

Sources 1, 2, 3

Regular activity is linked with fewer, milder infections

In large observational studies, more active people had 31% fewer community-acquired infections (infections caught in everyday life rather than in hospital). In trials, exercise didn't change how many respiratory infections, such as colds, people caught, but made them milder and shorter overall.

Sources 4, 5

Yoga's own immune evidence is weak

In 26 trials, mostly of poor quality, inflammation markers moved slightly in yoga's favour, not significantly when combined. The one trial we found that counted infections, of yoga combined with Ayurveda in health workers, found no significant difference.

Sources 6, 7

Sleep and stress matter

In people given a cold virus on purpose, short sleep and high stress each made a cold more likely. Yoga eases stress by a modest amount and can help you wind down.

Sources 8, 9, 10, 11

What protects you

Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent many infectious diseases. Washing your hands, not sharing towels and cups, not smoking, regular activity and enough sleep all help too.

Sources 12, 13, 14

Markers aren't infections

Most immunity claims for yoga rest on blood markers: inflammation signals such as IL-6, TNF-alpha and C-reactive protein (CRP), counts of immune cells, antibodies in saliva, and antibody responses to vaccines. A small change in a marker isn't the same as catching fewer colds.

Sources 15, 6

Your immune system needs balance, not a "boost"

In autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the body. Yoga is studied there as an add-on for fatigue, function and mood, not to make immunity stronger (our reading). Our exercise guides for those conditions come first.

Source 16

Active people get fewer serious infectionsEmerging evidence

In cohort studies of 557,487 people, those with higher habitual activity had 31% fewer community-acquired infections and 37% fewer deaths from infection. These studies can't prove exercise caused the difference. In trials, adding an activity programme slightly raised antibody levels after vaccination.

Source 4

Exercise made colds milder, not rarerEmerging evidence

In a Cochrane review of 14 trials with 1,377 adults, mostly 30 to 45 minutes of moderate exercise 3 times a week, exercise didn't change how many respiratory infections people caught. It reduced how severe they were (moderate certainty) and the total days with symptoms (low certainty). In 1,002 adults, those doing aerobic exercise on 5 or more days a week had 43% fewer days with cold symptoms, in an observational study.

Sources 5, 17

The "open window" after hard exerciseMixed evidence

In the hour or two after hard exercise, some immune cells drop in the blood. Reviewers argue this mostly reflects cells moving into the body's tissues, not suppression, and say infections in athletes have many causes, such as poor sleep, travel and stress. The idea isn't settled, as our exercising when ill guide says.

Sources 18, 19

Most yoga is light activityStrong evidence

The NHS asks adults for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and strength work on 2 days. The infection-linked evidence is for regular moderate to vigorous activity, so make some of your yoga brisk, and add walking or cycling. Our yoga benefits guide explains which styles count as moderate.

Sources 20, 4

Small shifts in inflammation markersMixed evidence

Across 26 trials, only 2 at low risk of bias, most reported favourable changes, but when the results for IL-6, TNF-alpha and CRP were combined, they weren't statistically significant. Two earlier reviews of 15 studies each found a pattern of lower inflammation markers that was "not entirely consistent".

Sources 6, 21, 22

Mind-body practices and CRPEmerging evidence

Across 34 trials of tai chi, qigong, meditation and yoga, CRP (a general inflammation marker) fell by a moderate amount, but IL-6, TNF-alpha and counts of immune cells didn't clearly change.

Source 15

One larger trial: breast cancer survivorsEmerging evidence

In 200 breast cancer survivors, 12 weeks of hatha yoga twice a week lowered inflammation signals and fatigue 3 months after the classes, and more practice went with bigger changes. It's one trial in one group of people.

Source 23

The one trial we found that counted infectionsMixed evidence

In 356 health workers in Delhi during the COVID-19 pandemic, 12 weeks of add-on Ayurveda and yoga were followed by COVID-19 in 7.6%, against 9.8% of those without it, and flu-like illness in 6.2% against 8.5%. Neither difference was statistically significant, and yoga was combined with Ayurveda, so the trial can't show what yoga did on its own.

Sources 7, 1

Mindfulness and colds: two trialsMixed evidence

In 149 adults aged 50 and over, mindfulness meditation training made colds and flu-like illness less severe and cut days off work, against a control group. A larger trial of 390 people found differences that fell short of its own statistical bar, and its authors say it was likely too small to be sure.

Sources 24, 25

Vaccine responsesMixed evidence

Mindfulness training raised flu vaccine antibodies in 41 workers, but meditation and exercise didn't change flu vaccine responses in 149 adults aged 50 and over. Tai chi raised immunity to the shingles virus in 112 older adults, and added to the vaccine's effect. No trial has tested yoga and vaccines; regular activity slightly raised antibody levels across trials.

Sources 26, 27, 28, 4

Short sleep, more coldsEmerging evidence

In 164 healthy adults given a cold virus, those who slept 6 hours or less were about 4 times as likely to catch a cold as those who slept more than 7. In another 153, under 7 hours made a cold 2.94 times as likely as 8 hours or more. Shorter sleep also went with weaker antibody responses to the hepatitis B vaccine. Sleep and the immune system affect each other in both directions.

Sources 8, 9, 29, 30

StressEmerging evidence

In 394 people given cold viruses, rates of infection and colds rose step by step with psychological stress. Across 300 studies, long-lasting stress went with weaker immune measures.

Sources 10, 31

Where yoga fitsEmerging evidence

In trials of stressed adults, yoga lowered how stressed people felt by a modest amount in the short term, on low-certainty evidence, and it improves sleep quality scores (our yoga for anxiety and sleep guide). That's the plausible route to better immune health: indirect, through stress and sleep, not through any pose acting on the immune system (our reading).

Source 11

VaccinesStrong evidence

The NHS says vaccines are the most effective way to prevent many infectious diseases, and that they don't overload or weaken the immune system. Ask your GP or pharmacist which ones you're due.

Source 12

Everyday habitsStrong evidence

The NHS's best ways to avoid catching a cold are washing your hands with warm water and soap, not sharing towels or cups with someone who has a cold, not touching your eyes or nose, and staying fit and healthy. If you keep getting respiratory infections, it suggests asking a GP about the flu and pneumococcal vaccines, and stopping smoking.

Sources 13, 14

Move, sleep and wind downEmerging evidence

At least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, strength work on 2 days, enough sleep and ways to manage stress. Yoga can cover the strength, stress and wind-down parts; add brisk walking or cycling for the rest.

Sources 20, 4, 8

Call 999 or go to A&E: possible sepsis

The NHS says call 999 or go to A&E if an adult:

• is breathing very fast
• is confused, has slurred speech, or is not making sense
• has blue, pale or blotchy skin (on black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet)
• has a very high or very low temperature, feels hot or cold to the touch, or is shivery
• has a rash that does not fade when you press it

Source 32

Chest pain: call 999

Call 999 if:

• you have chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing on your chest
• you have chest pain that spreads to your arms, neck or jaw
• you're having severe difficulty breathing: you're gasping, choking or not able to get words out
• your lips or skin are pale, blue or grey (on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands)
• someone has passed out and is not responding normally

Source 33

See a GP

If you have a respiratory tract infection and:

• you feel very unwell or your symptoms get worse
• you've had a high temperature for more than 3 days
• you cough up blood or bloodstained mucus
• you've had a cough for more than 3 weeks
• you're pregnant, over 65, have a weakened immune system or a long-term health condition

Source 14

Infections that keep coming back

If you keep getting respiratory infections, ask a GP about the flu and pneumococcal vaccines. If you're getting ill a lot or taking longer than usual to recover, especially with tiredness, bruising easily, swollen glands or weight loss, see a GP: the NHS says these symptoms are very common and can have many causes, but they need checking.

Sources 14, 34

With a weakened immune system

During cancer treatment or after a transplant, follow your team's advice on classes and shared equipment, and use your own mat. Some vaccines may not be suitable, so check with your GP or specialist. Our cancer and organ transplant exercise guides cover this.

Source 12

"Yoga boosts your immune system"Mixed evidence

Inflammation markers moved slightly in yoga's favour in mostly poor-quality trials, and the one trial we found that counted infections, of yoga combined with Ayurveda, found no significant difference. Yoga helps with stress and sleep, which do matter.

Sources 6, 7

"Inversions drain your lymph and flush out germs"Mixed evidence

We found no study of inversions and immunity. In 17 healthy adults, the lymph vessels in the legs pumped faster when people stood up, not when they lay down.

Sources 2, 35

"Twists detox your organs" or "yoga detoxes your body"Mixed evidence

No yoga study has measured detoxification. Dietitians point out that your liver, kidneys, gut and skin remove waste on their own, and that a "boosted immune system" is a standard detox claim without evidence. Our yoga benefits guide covers this.

Sources 36, 37, 38

"Kapalabhati (breath of fire) boosts immunity"Mixed evidence

No study has tested it on immunity, and it raises heart rate and blood pressure while you do it. The nearest study tested a programme of fast breathing with holds, cold exposure and meditation: in 12 trained volunteers given a bacterial toxin, the body's inflammatory response was damped down, compared with untrained volunteers, rather than boosted.

Sources 3, 39, 40

"Sweating in hot yoga clears out toxins and infections"Mixed evidence

There's no detox evidence for sweating; our hot yoga guide covers the heat risks.

Sources 36, 37

"Hard exercise leaves you open to infection, so keep it gentle"Mixed evidence

The "open window" is disputed, and regular moderate to vigorous activity is linked with fewer infections. Our exercising when ill guide covers training hard.

Sources 18, 19, 4

"Yoga can replace vaccines"Strong evidence

Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent many infectious diseases. Being active may even help vaccines work slightly better.

Sources 12, 4

"Beginners should start with headstands for the immune system"Strong evidence

US health advice tells beginners to avoid headstands, shoulder stands and forceful breathing, and no study links them to immunity.

Source 41