Yoga in Eating Disorder Treatment: A Path to Healing and Embodiment

Eating disorders are not just disorders of food—they are also disorders of disconnection: from the body, from emotions, and from a sense of internal safety. As such, recovery requires more than restoring nutrition or eliminating behaviors. It also involves reclaiming a relationship with the body that is rooted in compassion, trust, and presence.

In recent years, yoga has gained recognition as a supportive adjunct in eating disorder treatment. When offered in a safe, trauma-informed, and weight-inclusive manner, yoga can support embodiment, emotional regulation, and nervous system healing, all of which are essential in recovery.

This post explores how and why yoga may be a helpful tool in treatment, key principles for integrating it safely, and the research that supports its use.

Why Yoga?

Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical postures (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), and mindfulness (dhyana) to promote presence and well-being. Unlike traditional forms of exercise, the goal is not calorie burning or performance—but inner awareness and connection.

For individuals in eating disorder recovery, yoga offers:

• A way to feel the body without judgment

• Tools to ground and regulate emotion

• A framework for non-competitive movement

• Gentle exposure to bodily sensation and interoception

“Yoga allows for reconnection with the body in a way that is grounded, kind, and non-hierarchical. It supports healing where talk therapy may not reach.”
— Dianne Bondy, Yoga for All

Research Support for Yoga in ED Treatment

Several studies have explored the role of yoga in recovery:

• A study published in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention (Carei et al., 2010) found that adolescents with eating disorders who participated in yoga reported reductions in anxiety and body dissatisfaction.

• In a clinical setting, yoga has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, improve interoceptive awareness, and support emotional regulation—all common challenges in eating disorder recovery (Impett et al., 2006; Douglass, 2009).

• A pilot study by McIver et al. (2009) found that yoga interventions led to decreased disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in participants with binge eating disorder.

Considerations for Safe Integration

Yoga can be incredibly healing—but only when adapted with care. In the context of eating disorder recovery, it’s important to approach yoga as a therapeutic tool, not another form of performance or control.

Key considerations:

• Avoid emphasis on weight loss, appearance, or body sculpting

• Offer modifications for all levels, including seated or restorative options

• Choose instructors trained in trauma-informed and ED-sensitive practices

• Encourage internal cues over external alignment or exertion

• Frame yoga as a space to experience, not change, the body

Benefits of Yoga in Eating Disorder Recovery

1. Improved Interoception

Many people with eating disorders experience blunted or distorted hunger, fullness, and body signals. Yoga supports a gentle reintroduction to body cues like breath, heartbeat, warmth, and muscle engagement.

2. Body Neutrality and Acceptance

Through mindfulness, yoga helps reduce compulsive comparison and body checking. It shifts the focus from what the body looks like to what it feels like—a key step in body neutrality and acceptance.

3. Nervous System Regulation

Eating disorders are often rooted in trauma and nervous system dysregulation. The combination of breathwork and movement in yoga can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing anxiety and increasing capacity to tolerate distress.

4. Mindfulness and Impulse Control

Practicing yoga fosters non-reactivity, which supports recovery from urges like bingeing, purging, or restricting. It cultivates a pause between stimulus and response.

5. Creating a Safe Inner Space

For those who have experienced dissociation or fear of inhabiting their body, yoga can offer a guided, contained way to return to embodiment without force or overwhelm.

What Types of Yoga Are Best in ED Treatment?

Not all yoga is created equal. The most supportive forms in ED recovery include:

• Restorative Yoga – Promotes deep rest and gentle reconnection with the body

• Yin Yoga – Slow, meditative stretching with emotional processing benefits

• Trauma-Informed Hatha or Gentle Yoga – Focus on breath and body awareness without intensity

• Chair Yoga – Especially helpful for those in malnourishment or early stages of physical recovery

Power yoga, hot yoga, and performance-focused practices are typically discouraged during early recovery or in individuals with compulsive exercise tendencies.

Integrating Yoga with Treatment

Yoga should complement—not replace—evidence-based eating disorder treatment. Coordination between therapists, dietitians, physicians, and yoga instructors ensures safety and alignment with recovery goals.

Tips for integration:

• Begin with short sessions (10–20 minutes)

• Check in with a therapist before starting

• Use journaling or therapy to process post-yoga emotions

• Clarify that yoga is for presence, not punishment or progress tracking

Final Thoughts

Yoga is not a cure for eating disorders, but it can be a gentle and powerful companion on the path to healing. When approached mindfully, it allows individuals to reclaim their body as a home—not a battleground. It builds the muscle of self-trust, and fosters the quiet confidence that comes from learning to stay—breath by breath—with oneself.

Recovery asks us to listen more than control, to feel more than fix. Yoga helps us do exactly that.

References

• Carei, T. R., Fyfe-Johnson, A. L., Breuner, C. C., & Brown, M. A. (2010). Randomized controlled clinical trial of yoga in the treatment of eating disorders. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(4), 346–351.

• Douglass, L. (2009). Yoga as an intervention in the treatment of eating disorders: Does it help? Eating Disorders, 17(2), 126–139.

• Impett, E. A., Daubenmier, J. J., & Hirschman, A. L. (2006). Minding the body: Yoga, embodiment, and well-being. Sex Roles, 55(11), 715–724.

• McIver, S., O’Halloran, P., & McGartland, M. (2009). Yoga as a treatment for binge eating disorder: A preliminary study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 17(4), 196–202.

• Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.