With an estimated 18% of people in Canada living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), there’s a growing interest in complementary treatment approaches like yoga for IBS relief.
While not a cure, yoga can be a valuable tool in managing IBS symptoms and improving quality of life.
Read on to learn about the research behind yoga for IBS, plus my favourite yoga poses and breathing exercises to calm your gut.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient mind-body-breath practice that originated in India and includes poses (asanas), breathwork (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana). The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to “unite, or bring together”. In essence, yoga is the practice of uniting the mind and body in harmony.
What Does the Research Say About Yoga for IBS?
There have been many studies in the past ten years investigating the effectiveness of yoga as a treatment for IBS. These studies vary in quality, but overall, the literature suggests that a regular yoga practice incorporating breathwork and meditation may modestly improve symptom severity and quality of life.
A University of Calgary randomized controlled trial (RCT) found that an 8-week online yoga program was effective at improving symptom severity similar to yoga programs delivered in person. In this study, participants joined a 1-hour virtual class once a week and then practiced the session at home every day. Of note, the yoga program involved asanas (poses), meditation and breathwork, and symptom improvement was modest.
A 2020 review study found that yoga improved IBS symptom severity, gut motility (the movement of food, liquids, and waste through the digestive tract), symptom scores, physical functioning, depression, anxiety, anxiety about IBS symptoms, and quality of life. However, the study’s authors noted that the data was mostly from low-quality studies, making it difficult to give specific recommendations about yoga for IBS treatment.
A 2024 systematic review (a type of study that combines the results of other studies to look for trends) evaluating the impact of yoga on various gut disorders found that most studies evaluating yoga for IBS management showed improvements in IBS symptom severity.
They also found improvements in mood-related symptoms and quality of life without any adverse effects. While the authors acknowledged that more high-quality studies are needed, they concluded that yoga is a safe intervention for IBS.
How Does Yoga Improve IBS Symptoms?
We’re not exactly sure how yoga improves IBS symptoms, but based on what we know about IBS and yoga, there are a few likely mechanisms at play.
One way yoga may alleviate digestive discomforts is by improving the communication between the gut and the brain, a pathway called the gut-brain axis. Dysregulation and miscommunication within this axis are hallmarks of irritable bowel syndrome, which is now known as a disorder of gut brain interaction (DGBI).
Dysregulation between the gut and the brain is evident in several ways:
- Changes to how information is processed in the central nervous system.
- Visceral hypersensitivity (digestive organs are extra sensitive).
- Disturbances in gut motility (ie. things moving too quickly or too slowly).
- Changes in gut microbiota composition (the community of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit your large intestine).
Stress exacerbates gut-brain dysregulation, as many IBS sufferers will attest that their symptoms are worse when they’re stressed. Therefore, yoga may calm the gut by helping to relieve stress.
While all three components of yoga (poses, breathwork and meditation) can address stress, breathwork and meditation may be particularly important in taming IBS symptoms.
Breathwork in yoga that involves diaphragmatic breathing (deep belly breathing) stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which shifts the body from a stress-driven “fight or flight” state to a more relaxed “rest and digest” state.
Similarly, mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve IBS symptoms by reducing stress-related gut responses.
Beyond breathwork and mindfulness, yoga’s physical poses (asanas) can also support symptom management.
Twisting and forward fold poses gently massage the abdomen and mechanically compress it, which helps to stimulate gut motility. You’ve probably experienced this effect if you’ve ever emitted a loud and forceful toot during yoga practice (don’t be shy, we’ve all done it!). At the same time, gentle stretching can relieve abdominal tension and stimulate blood flow, thereby improving digestion.
My Favourite Yoga Poses (Asanas) to Calm the Gut
While breathwork and meditation are beneficial for IBS, certain asanas may be more effective than others. Unfortunately, most studies on the effects of yoga for IBS relief don’t share the exact yoga practice the study participants engaged in, making it almost impossible to know for certain which asanas truly benefit the gut.
I’m not a certified yoga instructor, but between a few studies that reported on the asanas used in their interventions and my personal experience as an IBS sufferer practicing “living room yoga”, here are 15 poses that may be particularly helpful in IBS.
Poses for calming the nervous system:
Since calming the nervous system is essential for IBS relief, these relaxing poses are likely good choices to include in any yoga practice:
- Child’s pose: Encourages deep breathing and relaxation.
- Waterfall pose (legs up the wall): Enhances blood flow to the digestive system, bringing much needed oxygen and nutrients to the gut.
- Corpse pose: Encourages deep breathing and relaxation.
- Restorative poses: these gentle poses are held for longer than usual (3-5 minutes) and facilitate deep breathing and mindfulness meditation.
Poses to relieve gas and bloating:
Abdominal engagement and gentle compression promote intestinal motility and help expel gas that is stubbornly resistant to evacuating itself.
- Reclining bound angle pose: Helps relieve abdominal tension.
- Seated forward bend: Massages abdominal organs and promotes motility.
- Wind-relieving pose: Specifically designed to ease gas and bloating.
- Cat-cow pose: Gentle spinal movement that massages the abdominal organs and stimulates digestion.
- Downward-facing dog: Encourages gentle movement in the digestive tract.
- Puppy pose: Reduces tension in the belly by elongating the spine and opening the abdominal muscles.
- Supine twist: Stimulates the intestines, which may encourage bowel movements.
- Happy baby: Gently compresses the abdominal muscles, helping release trapped gas.
Poses to relieve constipation:
Pelvic floor dysfunction is a little-known but common cause of constipation. Some research has found a few key yoga asanas may help strengthen the pelvic floor and by extension, ease the evacuation of stool and gas.
- Malasana (deep squat): Aids digestion and supports regularity by aligning your intestines to naturally facilitate a bowel movement.
- Locust pose: Has been found to be particularly potent in activating and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles.
- Extended side angle: Activates and strengthens the pelvic floor muscles.
- Plank: Activates the core, including the pelvic floor muscles.
Breathwork: A Gut-Friendly Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique
Here’s a short breathing exercise you can incorporate into your yoga practice to activate your parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and digest” mode):
- Sit in lotus pose or lie in corpse pose. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise under your hand.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall.
- Repeat three to five times, focusing on slow, steady breaths to relax your nervous system and support digestion.
Tips for Incorporating Yoga Into Your Lifestyle
If you’re a yoga beginner or are thinking about getting back into the practice after being away from it for a while, here are some tips to get started:
- First, consider the current state of your fitness, flexibility and history of injury.
- If you have any physical conditions such as chronic joint or back pain, osteoporosis, scoliosis, etc, then talk with your doctor and consider working with a certified yoga therapist on a private, 1-on-1 basis for a few sessions to ensure you’re practicing safely and not aggravating health conditions.
- For best results, pair yoga with deep breathing and mindfulness meditation.
- If your body is in decent condition, sign up for a few beginner classes in your community to learn from a certified yoga instructor.
- If you’re attending classes in person and worried about an accidental toot slip, choose times when you’re less gassy.
- If you tend to toot a fair bit during yoga, or WANT to use yoga to release pent up gas, practice yoga at home on your own or use online videos by certified yoga instructors.
- Start with 10 to 15 minutes of practice at least 3 days per week if you’re just getting started or have limited time.
- Advance your practice over time by lengthening sessions, increasing frequency and exploring new asanas.
Bottom Line
Despite not being a cure, yoga can be a valuable, non-invasive strategy for managing IBS symptoms through stress reduction, breathwork, and gentle movement. Results may vary from person to person, but in combination with other traditional IBS interventions, a regular yoga practice may boost symptom improvement and well-being.
While I’ve provided some poses to start with here, you may wish to consult with a certified yoga instructor for personalized IBS-friendly sequences. It’s all about finding a practice that works for you!
xoAndrea, RD
