Does taking yoga “off the mat” moderate associations between amount of yoga practice and coping,stress,depression,and anxiety?

Abstract

Questions remain about the role of yoga practice in everyday life, such as how amount of yoga practice relates to well-being or how practitioners take yoga “off the mat.” Yoga practitioners were surveyed on their yoga practice, extent to which they carry their yoga “off the mat,” perceived coping ability, stress, depression, and anxiety. Regression models examined effects of amount of yoga practice, taking yoga off the mat, and interaction on these outcomes. Amount of yoga practice and taking yoga off the mat interacted to predict stress and depression. With more yoga practice, those lower or average in taking yoga off the mat experienced greater stress and depression. Applying teachings and practices from yoga in daily life may help practitioners feel more able to cope and may attenuate the negative association between yoga practice and stress and depression. However, these findings are correlational and more research is needed for causation.