"Sedentary older adults who began practicing hatha yoga three times a week for eight weeks experienced a boost in working memory, according to a new study by the University of Illinois.”

"It is possible that this focus on one’s body, mind, and breath during yoga practice may have generalized to situations outside of the yoga classes, resulting in an improved ability to sustain attention.”

For the study, researchers observed 108 adults between the ages of 55 and 79, 61 of whom attended hatha yoga classes. The rest of the participants participated in stretching and toning exercises (but no yoga) for the same number and length of sessions. At the end of eight weeks, the group that practiced yoga three times a week performed better on cognitive tests than they did before yoga classes started.

From: psychcentral.com