Does yoga help to boost concentration in study?

Students’ life is swamped by school, coaching, tests, projects, assignments, exams, self-study, adding to it the pressure of competitive exams, cut-throat competition, and crazy-high cut-off marks, they are bound to feel stressed, exhausted, and lethargic. Juggling so many things all at once forces them to compromise their health by skipping meals and bingeing on junk food that results in insomnia, mental fatigue, and hazy concentration.

As exams are quickly approaching, you cannot afford to lose focus and concentration, hence it is vital to follow a healthy routine to keep your body and mind in tip-top shape. Taking adequate sleep, eating nutritious foods, exercising and yoga is the best way to improve memory and concentration for studies. In the current scenario, where students’ minds are plagued with thousands of uncertainties, 10-15 minutes of mindful yoga can do wonders for your health, improve memory and concentration to ace your exam preparation. Several research results have concluded that yoga and meditation improve memory and concentration for students and thus are considered as the best way to focus on study.

As a matter of fact, research conducted by professors of Wayne State University, Detroit, USA, in 2013 found that doing Hatha yoga daily for 20-minutes has significantly improved memory and concentration of participants for tests/exams. So now the question is…

How does yoga help in boosting concentration and memory?

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice that gives you the best of both worlds by not only restoring your physical fitness but also improving your mental health. Practicing yoga daily will help in calming your mind by eliminating all the worries, distractions, and fluctuating thoughts. This way you attain a state of calm, equilibrium, and peace that in turn help you to better focus and concentrate on your studies. A calm mind will be able to better concentrate and focus than the pre-occupied mind.

So if you are looking for the best concentration boosting tips to nail your exam preparation, here we present 7 easy and effective yoga asanas that are scientifically proven as the best way to focus on study by improving your memory and concentration.

Best yoga asanas to improve memory and concentration for students:

1. Salutation Seal (Yog Mudra)

This particular yoga asana is topping the charts of almost all concentration boosting tips. As simple and convenient this pose is, the benefits are equally wonderful to escalate focus and concentration for studies.

How to do it:

• Sit in a cross-legged position and join your palms together in front of your chest.
• Keep your spine straight, elbows sharp, and take deep breaths.
• Close your eyes and focus on just your breathing.
• Remove all stressful and distractive thoughts from your mind.
• Do this every day for 15 minutes and you’ll notice a significant difference in your memory and concentration.

2. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

It is one of the most prevalent Hatha yoga that helps in relieving pain, tension, and stress from your body. In addition, it also improves your overall body posture, strengthens your thigh muscles, stomach and buttocks while improving the flexibility of your spine.

How to do it:

• Start in a standing position with your feet a few inches apart and hands straight by your sides.
• While exhaling, slowly shift your body weight to your toes while stretching your legs and raising your hands upward.
• Keep your spine erect, hold this position for a few seconds and then slowly return to the starting position while inhaling.
• Do this every day for 10-15 minutes to gain better focus and concentration.

3. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

This is another best way to focus on study. While performing this pose, you get to stretch your whole body and as a result eliminate all the numbness. This pose will calm your mind and nerves, thus helping you to build better confidence, concentration, and self-esteem.

How to do it:

• Start in a standing position with your feet a few inches apart and hands straight by your sides.
• Slowly put your left leg above your right knee, bring the sole of your left foot as high as you can on your right inner thigh.
• Raise your arms high above your head and join your palms together.
• Stay in this position for a few seconds, then slowly lower your hands.
• Then lower your left foot and return to the starting position.
• Repeat this process with your right foot.
• Do this asana every day for 10-15 minutes to improve memory and concentration.

4. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

This is one of the most effective yoga poses to release tension, stress, depression, and fatigue. It not only improves your memory and concentration but also your sleep quality by calming your mind. It is also beneficial for people who are suffering from neurological disorders, asthma, diabetes, ingestion, and constipation.

How to do it:

• Lie down flat on your back.
• Keep your hands and feet straight and aside.
• Now take deep breaths and focus on your breathing and body.
• Stay relaxed for 10 minutes, then resume your studies.

5. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

This pose is yet another extremely effective pose for calming your brain and nervous system, thereby reducing stress, tension, anxiety, and depression. It also helps in stretching your spine and neck, thus improving the blood circulation of your brain.

How to do it:

• Start by lying on your back, bend your knees by putting your soles flat on the floor.
• Keep your legs hip-width apart and close to your buttocks and your palms flat on the floor.
• Then press down firmly on your hands and legs while lifting your hips (pubic bone) slowly, inhaling.
• Then broaden your shoulder and clasp your hands on the floor under your back.
• Tuck your chin inward and use your hamstrings to lift your hips even higher.
• Take a few deep breaths while staying in this position.
• Then exhale, unclasp your hands and slowly lower your back to the floor.

6. Bee breathing (Bhramari pranayama)

This pose serves as an instant remedy to reduce anger, frustration, agitation, and anxiety. It improves blood circulation and oxygen levels in the body in addition to boosting confidence and concentration levels.

How to do it:

• Start by sitting cross-legged on the floor, keep your spine erect and close your eyes.
• Now place your index fingers on your ears, right at the cartilage.
• Now inhale deeply and gently press the cartilage with your index finger as you exhale.
• Make a loud humming sound like a bee while you press the cartilage.
• Repeat this process about 3-5 times for better results.

7. Seated Forward Pose (Paschimottasana)

This pose should be performed on empty stomach or after 4 hours of having a meal and is very beneficial to improve memory and concentration while studying. It reduces stress, agitation, and mild depression by calming your mind and stretching your spine.

How to do it:

• Start by sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out front.
• Now flex your toes towards you while keeping your arms by your side.
• Then stretch your arms up while inhaling.
• Exhale and bend your torso forward. Hold your feet with your hands keep your head on your knees.
• Stay in this position for a few seconds and then slowly return back to the starting position.

All those above-mentioned yoga poses will help you in calming your mind, boost your blood circulation, and improve memory and concentration by reducing stress, anger, distractions, and anxiety. Find out which pose works best for you and do this every day for 10-15 minutes for amazing results. In addition, don’t forget to maintain a healthy routine, take adequate sleep, eat 3 nutritious meals per day, drink plenty of water and strictly follow your study time-table for desired results.

In case you need any assistance regarding your exam preparation, tips, or advice, ALLEN Overseas is here to help you. Reach out to our experts with your questions and concerns and get the best career advice to ace your examination. In case if you have any queries, comments, or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us, we will gladly assist you.