Finding Balance: The Benefits of Yoga for Healthcare Workers

For those who have worked in healthcare, the day often begins before sunrise. There’s a hum in the office as coworkers greet one another, check assignments, and prepare for the patients scheduled ahead. We coordinate, care, and move quickly to honor the demands of the doctors we support. And through it all, we give our hearts to our patients—because most healthcare workers, myself included, are gifted with empathy.

That empathy is what makes us so effective, but it also comes with weight. Many of us can sense what our patients are feeling, sometimes even absorbing their emotions. Without learning how to discern what belongs to us and what belongs to others, the heaviness of certain days can be overwhelming.

I spent 30 years in healthcare, working in a variety of specialty offices, including general surgery—a high-stress environment with demanding surgeons. On those days, my anxiety would soar. Back then, I often resorted to alcohol as a coping mechanism, and when I could, I turned to the gym for cardio workouts. Exercise helped, but it was only a temporary fix.

Still, there were bright moments. I cherished the patients I cared for and the camaraderie of my coworkers. We laughed together, supported one another, and found ways to carry each other through the hardest days.

It wasn’t until I injured my back that yoga found me. Through yoga, I learned how to be present. Something as simple as noticing the breath became a powerful tool. The physical practice helped release tension in my body, but more importantly, I discovered how to carry yoga off the mat—using it in the middle of a hectic day at the office.

Although I no longer work in healthcare, I often miss it. My mission now is to support those who are still in the field, carrying the weight of stress both physically and mentally. In my own practice, a fast-paced vinyasa class has pulled me out of anxious thoughts, demanding my full attention on movement and breath. In those moments, yoga truly lives up to its meaning: “to yoke” or unite body, mind, and spirit.

Yoga offers tremendous benefits for healthcare workers. Whether through a slow, restorative class or an invigorating hatha practice with inversions, yoga provides tools to release tension, calm the mind, and reconnect with the self. With roots tracing back over 5,000 years in India, this ancient practice continues to offer countless gifts for modern life.

Finding Balance in Nature In the peaceful greenery, Amy is working on her tree pose, vrksasana. It’s all about finding balance and clearing her mind while soaking up the calm vibes of nature.

For healthcare workers who give so much of themselves to others, yoga can be a way to give back to yourself—restoring balance, resilience, and presence in the midst of demanding days.