Published: 17 September 2025 | Last Updated: 25 September 2026
Author: Rebecca Anderson, Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy
When I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition where the immune system drives the thyroid into overdrive, I experienced firsthand how exhausting living with autoimmunity can be. Physically, mentally, emotionally.
But that diagnosis also gave me something unexpected: a deeply personal understanding of what the research on yoga therapy and autoimmune conditions actually means in practice. This article walks through what the evidence shows, and where I’ve seen it play out with real clients in my Camden clinic.
What Are Autoimmune Diseases?
Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells and tissues, rather than protecting them. This can lead to inflammation, pain, and damage in different parts of the body.
There are more than 80 recognised autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, coeliac disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and Graves’ disease. Symptoms often overlap and can be unpredictable, making these conditions complex to manage.
Medical treatment remains essential, immunosuppressive medications, hormone management, and specialist monitoring are the foundation of autoimmune care. But many people also look for safe, complementary approaches to ease symptoms, reduce stress, and improve quality of life alongside their medical treatment.
That’s where yoga therapy comes in.
What Is Yoga Therapy (And How Is It Different From a Yoga Class)?
In a general yoga class, everyone follows the same sequence. Yoga therapy is different, it’s tailored to the individual and often focuses on:
– Gentle, adaptive movement (asana)
– Breathing exercises (pranayama)
– Mindfulness and meditation (dhyana and dharana)
– Deep relaxation (yoga Nidra)
Sessions can be modified for all ability levels, including during symptom flares when even gentle movement needs careful adaptation. As a qualified yoga therapist, I design each program around what’s happening with your body, your energy levels, and your condition’s pattern, which is precisely why the research below matters.
What the Research Actually Says
I want to be upfront: yoga therapy is not a cure for autoimmune disease. The evidence base describes it as an adjunct therapy, something that supports conventional treatment, not replaces it. Within that framing, the research is encouraging.
The Most Comprehensive Review to Date
A 2025 systematic review in the Annals of Behavioural Medicine examined 26 randomised controlled trials covering the five most-studied autoimmune conditions: multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and autoimmune periodontitis [Annals of Behavioural Medicine].
The review found that practising yoga (at least twice weekly for eight weeks or longer):
– Improved balance and reduced fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis
– Lowered inflammation and reduced depressive symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis
– Improved disease activity, physical functioning, and quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis
– Showed benefits for inflammatory bowel disease
Importantly, the authors noted limitations, small sample sizes and short-term interventions in some areas, so the evidence, while positive, is still growing.
Mental Health Outcomes
A recent scoping review examined 11 studies involving 369 participants with autoimmune conditions, looking specifically at yoga’s effects on mental health. Studies assessed stress, anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, and emotional fatigue, with yoga showing benefits across these measures [PMC: Scoping Review].
This matters more than it might sound. Autoimmune conditions carry a significant psychological burden, unpredictable flares, chronic fatigue, and the emotional weight of a long-term diagnosis.
Inflammation Markers in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A randomised controlled trial found that after 12 weeks of integrated yoga therapy, participants with rheumatoid arthritis showed significant decreases in interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and rheumatoid factor, compared with controls [PubMed]. Similar findings appear in the broader meta-analysis literature on yoga for rheumatoid arthritis [Frontiers in Medicine].
How I Work with Autoimmune Conditions in Practice
Research tells you what’s possible on average. Practice shows you what’s possible for one person. Here’s what I’ve observed working with clients, and experienced myself.
Client Question I Hear Often
“My doctor says exercise will help, but every time I try, I crash for days afterwards.”
This is one of the most common frustrations I encounter. The issue usually isn’t exercise itself, it’s exercise dosed incorrectly. A standard fitness program ignores the fluctuating energy patterns of autoimmune conditions. A therapy program works with those fluctuations, scaling practice up on better days and shifting to restorative practices on flare days.
What I Learned From My Own Diagnosis
My Graves’ disease recovery gave me a practitioner’s insight no textbook could: during active phases of autoimmune disease, aggressive movement can backfire. My own protocol prioritised:
– Prāṇāyāma (breath practices) to settle the nervous system arousal that accompanied thyroid hormone surges
– Gentle, supported asana not because my body couldn’t do more, but because inflammation responds poorly to being pushed
– Yoga Nidra and deep rest because sleep disruption was one of my most stubborn symptoms
You can read the full story in My Own Journey with Ayurveda: A Graves’ Disease Recovery Story.
What a Session Looks Like
When a client with an autoimmune condition books with me, we start with a detailed conversation about diagnosis, medications, flare patterns, and what’s currently manageable. From there:
1. Assessment – We establish what your body can comfortably do today, not what it did last month
2. Foundation practices – Usually breath and rest techniques first, building capacity before adding movement
3. Adaptive movement – Postures modified around affected joints, fatigue levels, and symptoms
4. Flare planning – You leave knowing exactly what your ‘bad day’ practice looks like, so flares don’t derail progress entirely
Client Example
A client with rheumatoid arthritis came to me unable to sustain any exercise routine, every attempt ended in a multi-day flare. Rather than starting with movement, we spent the first three weeks on breathwork and hand mobility practices done in under ten minutes daily. Movement was reintroduced gradually, tracked carefully against her symptom journal. Over four months she built a sustainable routine she could maintain even during flare periods.
Her rheumatologist monitored her throughout, this is the complementary model working as intended.
When Yoga Therapy Might Not Suit You
Honesty about limitations matters more than promises:
– Untreated or unstable disease – Active, unmanaged autoimmune disease needs medical stabilisation first. Yoga therapy supports medical care; it doesn’t substitute for it
– During severe flares – Very gentle rest and breathing may help, but demanding practice can wait
– If you’re looking for a cure – No reputable yoga therapist should promise this. The evidence describes symptom support and quality of life, not disease reversal
If you have an autoimmune condition, always discuss complementary approaches with your treating specialist, some practices may need modification around your medications or disease activity.
Getting Started Safely
If you’re considering yoga therapy for an autoimmune condition:
1. Talk to your specialist first – Confirm there are no contraindications for your specific condition
2. Choose a qualified yoga therapist – Look for graduate-level yoga therapy training (not just teacher training) and relevant professional memberships
3. Start smaller than you think – Consistency beats intensity, especially with inflammation
4. Track your responses – Symptom journaling helps tailor practice and provides useful information for your whole healthcare team
About Rebecca Anderson
Rebecca is a qualified yoga therapist, Bowen practitioner, and Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant based in Camden South, NSW. Her credentials include:
– Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy (745 hours) equipping her to work safely with complex health conditions, including autoimmune diseases
– 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
– Certified Bowen Therapist
– Qualified Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant
Rebecca is a member of Yoga Australia. Her own experience living with and managing Graves’ disease shapes her practical, evidence-informed approach to supporting clients with autoimmune and chronic health conditions.
📞 Contact: 0400 508 064
📍 Address: 12 McCrae Drive, Camden South NSW 2570, Australia
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– My Own Journey with Ayurveda: A Graves’ Disease Recovery Story
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