PRACTISING yoga is just ahead of Australian rules football in the list of the most popular physical activities among the citizens of this country — at least according to surveys. Researchers have also found that yoga and meditation can assist a range of health problems and medical conditions, including chronic pain, lower back pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, while also reducing the need for pain-relief medicines.

New research at RMIT University has found that yoga can help older people overcome insomnia and improve their mental and emotional health. The study found that practising yoga for at least 25 minutes a day for 12 weeks improved the sleep patterns of the volunteers taking part and enhanced their psychological and emotional wellbeing.