Practising yoga may significantly improve a person’s chances of quitting tobacco while enhancing mental well-being, according to a new study by researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. The study found that tobacco users who practised yoga had nearly 50% higher odds of quitting compared to those who received standard interventions alone.
Study Reviews Evidence from Clinical Trials
Researchers from AIIMS’ Centre for Integrative Medicine and Research and the Centre for Community Medicine conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, which was published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research. The analysis concluded that yoga can serve as an effective complementary therapy alongside conventional tobacco cessation programmes.
Yoga Helps Manage Cravings and Emotional Stress
The study found that yoga not only supports tobacco abstinence but also reduces anxiety, depression and stress—key psychological factors that often trigger relapse. Practices such as yoga postures, breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation were found to improve emotional regulation and help users cope with nicotine cravings.
Experts Recommend Integrating Yoga into Cessation Programmes
As per The Economic Times, researchers believe yoga is a low-cost, accessible and culturally relevant intervention that can complement existing tobacco cessation services. They suggest integrating structured yoga sessions into public health programmes to improve quit rates and support long-term recovery from tobacco addiction.
Complementary, Not a Replacement
While yoga offers measurable benefits, experts emphasise that it should complement—not replace—evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments such as behavioural counselling and approved medications. Combining yoga with standard care could help more people quit tobacco successfully and reduce the overall burden of tobacco-related diseases.