Students at Weddington Middle School in Matthews, NC are starting off some school days with yoga. According to the article, "It’s called 'Moga,' or middle school yoga. Students practice breathing, relaxation, even meditation."

How can yoga help middle schoolers and other students? According to the Mayo Clinic, the potential benefits of yoga include stress reduction, improved fitness, and management of chronic conditions.

Is it making a difference? According to the article, students and teachers alike are noticing the benefits. Student Grace Powell, who heped to start the before-school yoga classes, said, "It definitely helped me feel relaxed and helps me throughout the school day." In addition, teacher Ashley Dimeo is noticing the benefits. From the article, “It gets them centered and focused and ready to handle any stressers that come their way," Dimeo said.

Furthermore, an NPR article reported:

Researchers have found that kids with autism spectrum disorder who did yoga at their elementary school behaved better than kids with autism who weren't doing yoga.

The researchers surveyed teachers at a school in the Bronx who said a daily yoga program reduced the kids' aggressive behavior, social withdrawal and hyperactivity.

Interested in doing some yoga with your students? Check out Yoga Poses for Kids.