Published on June 4, 2026 at 01:18 pm
Anyone who practices yoga on a regular basis knows that it can help with a number of everyday complaints, a fact that has been well researched in recent decades. However, a recent analysis of data conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center is drawing attention not only for its finding that yoga practice reduces sleep challenges among cancer survivors, but also for potential effects on other unwanted side effects of cancer treatment.
“In some cases, these side effects go away on their own,” he explains Karen MustanPh.D., MPH, and principal investigator for research. “But often, they don’t.” Studies estimate, conservatively, that more than 50 percent Cancer survivors find sleep elusive. In comparison, research It suggests that nearly 30 percent of Americans have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
Insomnia becomes more complicated for cancer survivors because common interventions, including exercise and medications, can be problematic for some. Medications can cause negative interactions, He explains Yuri ChoiPh.D., RN, and Assistant Research Professor. Vigorous exercise can also be very stressful for those who already suffer from fatigue, which is another common side effect that cancer survivors experience.
The primary focus of the research was to explore the relationship between yoga practice and reduced sleep challenges. But recently, researchers have begun asking more questions.
“Historically, a lot of side effects often occur at the same time. So you might see a patient who has trouble sleeping, but they also say, ‘I’m very tired during the day, my mood is up, I feel bad, I feel really down, I feel anxious or frustrated or irritable,'” explains Mustian, who is also associate director of population sciences at the Wilmot Cancer Institute.
“So the question became: Does one thing cause the other? If we reduce mood disturbance, will that help with sleep?” Mustian says.
The answer seems to be yes.
What yoga research shows for insomnia
The study, initially conducted in the early 2000s, was based on a “yoga intervention” consisting of postures, breathing and mindfulness. It was practiced three times a week for four weeks by 410 women who had previously completed a course of cancer treatment and suffered from the resulting sleep disturbances. Data from self-reports and wearable devices showed significant reductions in sleep challenge symptoms.
In analyzing the data, Choi began examining other common side effects of cancer treatment — including fatigue, mood disturbance, and anxiety — and the role these effects may play in sleep patterns.
“Fatigue also showed significant improvement,” he explains. Bu Ju LinPHRD, a longtime collaborator on the study, an assistant research professor, and a yoga teacher. She explains that extreme fatigue is the most common side effect during the course of cancer and is most likely to be experienced by cancer survivors with insomnia issues.
“If we can reduce a person’s fatigue during the day, it seems that we will also help them sleep at night,” Mustian says.
Preliminary analysis suggests that yoga had a beneficial effect on both unwanted side effects. “It starts by giving you an idea of how you want to work with yoga,” Mustian explains. Ultimately, she says, the goal is to understand how to adopt a precision medicine approach in all lifestyle and behavior interventions.
The right kind of yoga for cancer survivors
The researchers were quick to point out that the recommended prescription is yoga. But not just any yoga.
“This is not a strict vinyasa flow, not hot yoga, and not some of the things you would find in a typical YMCA class,” Mustian says, which can create more stress for participants. She explains that the specific yoga practice studied is a slow sequence of gentle hatha and restorative poses that initially energizes the students with seated stretches, works to slightly more intense poses, and then brings the students back to the mat for an extended restorative practice.
The researchers, who practice yoga, also emphasize that the protocol is not limited to just making shapes with the body. Instead, it relies on the integration of movement, breathing, and body awareness, or so it is specified in the original research“,” The practice of paying attention to non-judgmental observation of current experience. In other words, yoga.
The teacher also plays an essential role in creating meaningful practice for students. “We encourage survivors to find certified yoga instructors who have experience working with cancer survivors and who know how to modify poses based on the needs of the survivor,” Choi explains. In-person classes preferred.
“When I started this business in 2003, we didn’t have the yoga studios as accessible as we do now. But it still presented challenges in coordinating yoga teachers to share in-person classes in an era before YouTube and yoga apps.
“Yoga is more accessible now than it was before,” Mustian explains. “But we ran into this different challenge, which is that not every type of yoga that is taught is appropriate for this population, and not every type of training will make a yoga teacher effective and safe in this role.”
Choi says researchers stress to doctors the importance of being aware of reliable yoga resources in their communities where they can refer patients and survivors. Classes can be found at a large percentage of cancer centers, including City of Hope and Memorial Sloan-Kettering, as well as local cancer support centers. The nonprofit Yoga4Cancer is also participating Free online classes for survivors Plus Oncology Yoga training is for teachers interested in understanding the nuances of how to safely modify their classes.
the Next work for the team It will explore ways to make yoga accessible to Black and Latino cancer survivors and examine the role of yoga in alleviating side effects in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Ultimately, the goal of the research is to ensure that cancer treatment minimally interferes with survivors’ lives by helping them learn how to cope with difficult side effects of treatment. “We just give them the tools,” Mustian explains.
Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS).
The specific yoga sequence used in the study was developed by Margit Browna yoga instructor with prior experience teaching cancer survivors. The following list of poses as well as video instructions were shared with certified yoga teachers who led participants through the practice.
Sitting
Yaana mudra (also known as The currency of knowledge or seal of wisdom; Linking index finger and thumb together during mindfulness sitting meditation)
Parvatasana (seated Mountain pose)
Lateral extension with breathing on both sides
Bharadvajasana (Seated twist)
Janu Sirasana (Head to knee position
Editing: Adhu Mukha Pashimutanasana (Support bending forward of the chair)
Spinal waves
Balasana (Extended child’s pose)
Standing and kneeling
Adhu mukha svanasana (Downward dog)
Uttanasana (Standing forward bend)
Prasarita Padutanasana (Stand wide-legged forward)
Balasana (Child’s position With lateral stretching by walking with hands to one side and then to the other side)
Balasana (Child’s Pose with shoulder extension transitioning to supported back bend)
transmission
Lying curls on the floor
Savasana
jathara parivartanasana (Weak twist from every side)
supta padangusthasana (Reclining leg stretch)
Setu Bandasana (lying pelvic lift or Bridge position)
Restorative
Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining bound angle Supported by lumbar support and blankets under the legs)
Adho Mukha Virasana (Supported Child’s Pose with Twist)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge position supported)
Philoma II (Regulated exhalation)
viparita carani (Legs on the wall With the basin on a stand)
Savasana (Corpse position)
Mudra
Yanana (linking index finger and thumb together)
Pranayama
Equation of breathing with a pause after exhalation
Hmm the same
Philoma II
Mindfulness meditation
Scan the body and sensation
Interior viewing
Nose breathing, tailbone gravity, tactile signals
Visualization
The mind turns inward to the heart
Diving below the surface
Lying at the back of the body
to be sure
My senses turn inward and I relax in peace.
