Discovering and promoting ways that help regulate emotions has been a recurrent concern in the field of psychology, given that how one feels and reacts to and expresses emotions can have both short- and long-term effects on physical and mental health. Many psychological strategies that can influence this process, such as reappraisal, attention allocation, and suppression, have been previously investigated. The aim of the present work was to review the emotion regulation potential of yoga practice, given that it combines techniques that foster positive psychological outcomes. The results suggest that yoga produces improvements in emotional functioning in healthy subjects and people who suffer from some physical illnesses, particularly in psychological self-reported variables. Evidence regarding behavioral and neurophysiological correlates remains less well-established. Mechanisms that possibly mediate the relationship between yoga and emotion regulation are discussed and methodologies are considered, with suggestions for future studies. In summary, emerging evidence suggests that yoga may help foster healthier psychological responses, indicating its potential as an emotion regulation strategy.

This study compared 45 yoga practitioners (M age = 29.7 yr., SD = 6.4) and 45 matched controls (M age = 29.3 yr., SD = 6.2) on the performance of a behavioral task that assessed negative emotion interference during a high- and a low-attentional demand condition, as well as on state and trait anxiety scores. Outcomes were also compared between beginner and advanced practitioners. For the behavioral task, the final sample comprised 36 yoga and 38 control participants. The yoga group presented lower emotion interference in the high attentional condition, compared to the low attentional condition; rated emotional images as less unpleasant, compared to controls; and reported lower state and trait anxiety scores relative to controls. Also, emotion interference in the low attentional condition was lower among advanced practitioners and state anxiety was lower among practitioners attending more than two weekly yoga classes. The results suggested that yoga may help improve self-regulatory skills and lower anxiety. The psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between yoga and emotion regulation should be further investigated in longitudinal studies.