By Katherine Martinko It doesn't take much to see real physical and mental benefits. I used to think of yoga as being good for relaxation and improving flexibility. Beyond that, I didn't think it served much purpose. How wrong I was! Research into the benefits of yoga has expanded greatly in recent years, with hundreds of studies now revealing the way in which it improves physical health, stabilizes emotions, focuses attention, and promotes overall peacefulness. In their 2017 book, The Two Most Important Days: How to Find Your Purpose – and Live a Happier, Healthier Life, Harvard medical professors Sanjiv Chopra and Gina Vild can't say enough good about yoga, even calling it a "direct route to finding contentment, joy, and peace." First they debunk the notion that you must be flexible in order to do it: "To say that you are not flexible enough to do yoga is like saying you are too dirty to take a bath." They point to scientific evidence that ...