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Review Article

Yoga and attention: A systematic review

Kanchan Yadav, Arti Yadav, Sandeep Singh

Department of Yoga Science, University of Patanjali, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract In modern times, people are suffering from numerous types of difficulties. Stress and mental problems have become
part of one’s life. Excessive use of mobile phones, other electronic devices, and drug intake has caused many
cognitive and mental problems. Attention, memory, and cognitive functions are affected by electronic and digital
devices. Previous studies have shown that yoga can reduce stress and anxiety and improve cognitive functions
such as attention and memory. The patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome search strategy was used to
identify the keywords. Using the key words “yoga and attention,” 285 studies were identified from three databases
(PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct) and a search engine (Google Scholar). For discussion, 18 studies
were included in the review. There was a wide range of age groups where the effectiveness of yoga on attention
had been researched. This systematic review also revealed that attention in children also depends on memory
development and anxiety. The particular study on the systematic reviews showed the high effectiveness of yoga,
yogic exercises, mindfulness, and other yogic techniques on the level of attention among children. The study also
revealed the coexistence of attention with memory development.

Key Words: Attention, children, memory, yoga

Address for correspondence:

Dr. Sandeep Singh, Department of Yoga Science, University of Patanjali, Haridwar ‑ 249 405, Uttarakhand, India.
E‑mail: drsandeepksingh@gmail.com
Submitted: 02‑Jun‑2022 Revised: 01‑Sep‑2022 Accepted: 14‑Sep‑2022 Published: 15-Dec-2022

INTRODUCTION mechanical understanding of attention. Working memory, top–

The practice of yoga has been regarded as a spiritual discipline
since ancient times. Modern scientific researchers have shown
its efficacy for the benefit of humankind at a different level
of persona, mainly attention. Modern cognitive psychologists
believe that attention is the constant process of filtering out
information from one’s perceived surroundings and focusing
on specific elements. [1,2] In a study, meditation practice is
associated with changes in the physical structure of the brain
and positively impacts attention in an individual. Compared to
controls, meditation participants had thicker brain areas involved
with attention and sensory processing than matched controls.[3]
Another study discovered that regular meditation practice is linked
to a significant increase in attention ability.[4] The elucidation
of the neurological basis of conscious experience requires a
down sensitivity control, competitive selection, and automatic
bottom‑up filtering for salient stimuli are the four processes that
makeup attention. Each process contributes to attention in a vital
and essential way.[5] Attention is a required element of cognition
and has been characterized in two ways, namely, (i) either as a
capacity or (ii) as a skill of resource implementation. Attention
is the ability to attend to a task for the needed time.[6] Some other
causes affecting attention are found to be drug abuse. Attention is
negatively affected using marijuana and positively affected using
nicotine.[7,8] The substantial use of alcohol affects the cognition
and attention of college students.[7] A study has shown that
20%–30% of the diagnosed population suffered primarily from
attention deficit.[9] Several studies investigated the effects of yoga
on cognitive functions and found that it had effects on attention.
Meditation has shown a positive impact on attention.[10] A study

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DOI:
10.4103/ym.ym_66_22 How to cite this article: Yadav K, Yadav A, Singh S. Yoga and attention:
A systematic review. Yoga Mimamsa 2022;54:128-32.

128 © 2022 Yoga Mīmāṃsā | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow

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Yadav, et al.: Yoga and attention: A systematic review
found that yoga practice had improved attention and memory
in children.[11] Another study found that the practice of yoga
and meditation improves cognitive skills, sustained and divided
attention, concentration, short‑term memory, visual information
processing, working memory, complex cognitive speed, and
flexibility of students.[12] To our knowledge, there is no systematic
review assessing the effects of yoga on attention. Hence, this
systematic review aimed to assess the effects of yoga on attention.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Search strategies
The present review used electronic database searches with
PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct, supplemented
with Google Scholar search. From January 2015 to December
2020, published scientific studies  (randomized control trial,
case studies, and pilot studies) in English were reviewed. The
search expression used for the search strategy was “yoga” and
“Attention.” The present study primarily relied on electronic
searches (online databases) as a part of this review.
Screening and selection
Article selection was determined through successive screening of
the study design, titles, abstracts, and full‑text articles based on
the level of assessment required to ascertain eligibility.
Inclusion criteria
The current systematic review includes studies published in
English under the titles “yoga” and “Attention” with full‑text
articles, with participants of all ages and suffering from any
disease.
Identification
Record Identified through Cochrane
Library, Pub Med and Science Direct
(n = 83 + 69+87 = 239)
Screening
Record Screened
(n = 285)
Full-text articles
assessed for eligibility
Eligibility
(n = 51)
Full text selection
(n = 18)
Inclusion
Study Included for analysis
(n = 18)
Figure 1: Identification and Inclusion of the study
Yoga Mīmāṃsā | Volume 54 | Issue 2 | July-December 2022 129
Exclusion criteria
Conference abstracts, books, review articles, theses, and
dissertations were not included in the present systematic review.
Articles other than English language articles were excluded from
the study.
Data extraction
The studies that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were
assessed in detail. Information that was extracted from the records
included the author, year of the study, sample size, study design,
and age group of samples. Clarifications and doubts, if any, were
sorted out by brainstorming and mutual discussion.
RESULTS
A total of 18 studies were included in the review  [Figure  1].
After searching databases, 285 articles were identified (Cochrane
Library = 83, PubMed = 69, Science Direct = 87, and Google
Scholar = 46). Two hundred and sixty‑seven studies were excluded
from the study. Two hundred and thirty‑four studies were excluded
because they did not have “yoga” or “Attention” in their titles.
Twelve studies were excluded due to duplication. Nine studies
were excluded because they were not in the English language. Six
studies were excluded because they were theses, dissertations, or
books. Three studies were excluded because they were reviews.
Three studies were not relevant to the objective of the study.
The most common instrument used was the Trail Making Test ,
followed by other rating scales including the Letter Cancellation
Task, Six‑Letter Cancellation Test, Visual Attention Test, Attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder  (ADHD) Rating Scale‑IV, d2‑R,
strengths and weaknesses of ADHD symptoms and normal
behavior  (symptoms and normal‑behavior), Digit Cancellation
Additional record identified through
other sources (Google Scholar)
(n = 46)
Record Excluded on titles
(n = 234)
Full-text articles excluded on abstract
selection (n = 33)
1. Duplication = 12
2. Non-English Article = 9
3. Thesis/ Dissertation/Book = 6
4. Review paper = 3
5. Not relevant on subject = 3
Study Excluded
(n = 0)
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Yadav, et al.: Yoga and attention: A systematic review
Test, Attention Control Scale, Test/Digit Span Test and Stroop
Color Test, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Response
Inhibition Task, Number–Letter Task, Attention Network Task,
Continuous Performance Test, Conners’ Continuous Performance
Test  (CCPT), Second Edition CCPT, ADHD RS‑IV Preschool
Version, Visual Pursuit Test, and Determination Test. The sample
size of the studies varied from 20 to 802, from the age group of
3 to 35+ years.
DISCUSSION
The systematic literature reviews using the patient, intervention,
comparison, and outcome strategy show that yogic practices
and allied interventional approaches significantly affect the
cognitive functions, particularly attention and anxiety, in samples
of different age groups. The reviews had a wide range of studies
with different age groups [Table 1]. All the studies included in
systematic reviews have been classified into five different age
groups.
Out of 285 papers screened, 18 research papers included for the
discussion [Table 2] shows a significant impact on attention. The
research articles also reveal some additional information and
its effects. Primary school children and adults having attention
problems with the age groups between 7 and 14  years and 17
and 35 years simultaneously discussed. The six studies between
the age group 7 and 14 years included showed high significance
in improvements in memory and performance of the samples.
The studies included suggest an improvement in attention for
the 17–35 year age group with yoga as an independent variable.
The five studies in the age groups 0–7 and 14–17 also show a
significant effect on attention and concentration among children.
The high school children’s age group between 14 and 17 years
was discussed secondarily, with three studies out of 18 studies
included for systematic reviews. Concludes that most of the studies
are done on primary school children and adults between the ages
of 17 and 35 years.
The group of researchers researched that yoga practices such
as postures  (asanas), breathing techniques  (Pranayamas), and
yogic games for 6–12 weeks improve attention among 3–5 years
of children. They also proved that indices such as visual motor
precision, the parent’s rating scale of attention, decreased
omission errors on some attention tasks and the behavior of
inattention, and hyperactivity at the age of 3–5  years can also
be affected substantially. The results showed that practices vary
from Hatha Yoga, mindfulness training, and yogic practices
such as Surya Namaskar, deep relaxation techniques  (DRTs),
Table 1: Number of literature reviews article with
the sample’s age group
Age groups 0-7 7-14 14-17 17-35 Above 35
(years)
Number of studies 2 6 3 6 1 school children.[29] A research reported that asanas such as warrior
included in the study
130 Yoga Mīmāṃsā | Volume 54 | Issue 2 | July-December 2022
raj yoga, and mind–body training, which are also known as
super brain yoga.[13,14] According to a study, high‑frequency
yoga breathing and yoga‑based breath awareness combined
with quiet sitting can significantly improve attention and reduce
anxiety.[15] A pretest–posttest study on 91 sample sizes with an
age group of 10–12 years showed that super brain yoga improves
short‑term memory and selective attention of the students.[16] In
a cross‑sectional, single‑center study with 40 sample sizes, that
30  min of yoga package, which included chanting, postures,
breathing exercises, and relaxation for 12  months, improved
memory, reduced anxiety, increased self‑confidence, and changed
students’ perceptions.[17]
The randomized control trial with a sample size of 113 with an
age group of 7–14 years has justified that yoga practices such as
Hatha Yoga, deep breathing, stretching, meditation, relaxation,
breath awareness, body awareness, and rhythmic movements
for 40–45 min for 8 weeks can significantly improve attention,
memory, performance on task and lower impulsivity in children
with cerebral palsy and reduce attention problems and inhibition
problems in children suffering with ADHD.[18‑20] In a study with
a sample size of 60, a group of yogic physical activities such as
Surya Namaskar, asanas, pranayama, and DRTs can significantly
improve attention, concentration, and cardiovascular endurance
after weeks of practice.[21] A study showed that 6–8 weeks of yoga
practice such as traditional ashtanga vinyasa yoga, ujjayi, and raja
yoga meditation significantly improved perceived stress, salivary
cortisol, and improved perception and attention in the age group
of 18–35 years.[22] A research on 100 samples showed that yoga
for 12 weeks regularly for 30 min, 5 days a week significantly
improved attention, concentration, and memory in healthy
medical students.[23] In other research, 180 university students
participated in a study where they were randomly assigned to
mindfulness training (experimental groups), awareness exercises
(active control group), or no training (passive control group). Two
mindfulness‑based interventions, one of which included yoga and
the other of which did not, were used to teach mindfulness. In
regards to the aspect of attention regulation, the study found that
seven biweekly mindfulness training sessions did not reveal any
different advantages from mindfulness training with or without
yoga.[24] Through a research intervention, where 20 participants
were given elective yoga lectures and philosophical instructions
for 6 weeks, it was suggested that after the yoga course, depression,
anxiety, stress, and other mental health problems were reduced
with improved attention control.[25,26] An experimental control
study with a sample size of 60, it was revealed that an hour of raj
yoga practice for 8 weeks can significantly improve the perception
and attention of individuals aged 21–23 years.[27] The pre‑ and
postexperimental control study showed that 25‑min sessions
of Hatha Yoga and meditation for 12  weeks can considerably
improve attention and hyperactivity in high school students.[28] A
randomized controlled trial on 802 samples showed that 1 h of
yoga training or physical exercises for 2 months daily can improve
executive functions, attention, and working memory in adolescent
pose, easy lotus pose, sun salutation, deep breathing exercises,
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Yadav, et al.: Yoga and attention: A systematic review

Table 2: The systematic review table for the included studies

Author Study design Age groups Results
(years) (sample size)
Cohen Mixed‑methods 3-5  (23) Yoga has no significant improvement on attention, hyperactivity and
et al., 2018[13] randomized impulsivity in preschool‑age children with ADHD symptoms
waitlist‑controlled trial
Jarraya RCT 5.2±0.4 (45) Yoga group has shown significant positive effect on the development of
et al., 2019[14] visual attention A in comparison to the control group. Yoga has shown
significant positive effect on the development of visual attention B in
comparison to physical education
Rezaei Three‑way parallel group 7-11 (21) Yoga and neurofeedback have significant improvements in sustained
et al., 2018[18] RCT attention and memory compared to the control group in children with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Nilsoge Cross‑sectional 8-14 (40) The practice of yoga significantly improves memory and self‑confidence;
et al., 2016[17] single‑center study reduced anxiety shows positive changes in the perception of students
Mak Waitlist RCT 9.1 (42) Mi Yoga has enhanced sustained attention and consistency of
et al., 2018[19] performance on tasks while lowering impulsivity in children with
cerebral palsy
Chou and Pre‑  and postexperimental 10.50 (50) Study shows that yoga exercise can be implemented as an alternative
Huang, 2017[20] controlled study therapy for children with ADHD to reduce attention problems and
inhibition problems
Jois Pre‑  and posttest design 10-12 (91) Yoga has shown significant improvement in selective attention and
et al., 2017[16] short‑term memory of students
Telles Self as a control study 11-12 (61) HFYB has a significant increase in attention and significant decrease in
et al., 2019[15] the anxiety of preteen children
Nagaraj Pre‑  and postexperimental 14-16 (60) Yoga has significantly improved attention, concentration, and
et al., 2019[21] controlled study cardiovascular endurance in volleyball players
Joice Pre‑  and postexperimental 17-23 (100) Yoga has shown statistically significant improvement in attention,
et al., 2018[23] controlled study concentration, and memory of medical students
Schmalzl RCT 18-35 (65) The study shows that yoga breathing practice can lead to measurable
et al., 2018[22] changes in sustained attention, perceived stress, and salivary cortisol in
novice practitioners
Jesintha, Experimental‑control 21-23 (60) Raja yoga meditation has a significant improvement on cognitive
2020[27] study abilities; perception, and attention among school girls
Ravikumar[25] Pre‑  and postexperimental 21-25 (100) Yoga has significantly improved attention, concentration, and memory
controlled study of B.Ed. students
Wimmer Nonrandomized pre‑  and 24.92 (180) Mindfulness training has no significant difference found with or without
et al., 2020[24] postdesign yoga, regarding the aspects of attention regulation
Amemiya et al., Pre‑  and postexperimental 25.65 (20) Yoga significantly reduces depression, anxiety, stress and mental health
2020[26] study problems and improves attention control
Saxena Pre‑  and postexperimental 174 Study shows that Hatha Yoga can improve attention and hyperactivity in
et al., 2020[28] controlled study high school students
Vhavle RCT 802 Yoga has significantly improved executive function, attention and
et al., 2019[29] working memory as effectively as physical exercise intervention in
adolescent school children
Gothe RCT 62.0±5.59 Yoga practice leads to improve attention and information processing
et al., 2017[30] (118) abilities in older adults
HFYB, High‑frequency yoga breathing; ADHD, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; RCT, Randomized control trial

meditative exercises, and mantra repetition can significantly
improve the attention and information processing abilities in
older adults.[30]
CONCLUSION
The review suggests that yoga, yogic exercises, mindfulness, and
other yogic techniques had significant improvements in attention
among children. The study also revealed the coexistence of
attention with memory development. The review also suggests
that yoga can have a substantial effect on memory development
and attention in all age groups. A  few studies included in this
review have also revealed that yoga helps in reducing anxiety
and depressive behavior in a targeted population. This systematic
review advocates the need for yoga intervention in school settings
by assessing its efficacy in the management of psychological
disorders in the targeted population. Hence, yoga and other
techniques are indeed effective in increasing people’s attention
levels. Therefore, it needs to be the primary intervention strategy
for future studies.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.

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Yadav, et al.: Yoga and attention: A systematic review
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