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31 Amazing Yoga Statistics: Find Out Why It’s So Popular

written by / January 12, 2022

Yoga has many positive effects on our physical and mental health, from improving our posture and alleviating back pain to promoting mindfulness and reducing stress. Therefore, it’s no wonder that this 5000-year-old practice has gained in popularity in the last few years according to the latest yoga statistics. Long story short, we’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

The Most Surprising Stats and Facts About Yoga

  • About 36 million Americans practice yoga.
  • The number of US “yogis” increased by over 50% in 4 years.
  • It was forecast that over 55 million people would practice yoga by 2020.
  • Women account for 72% of yoga practitioners.
  • 14 million people doing yoga are over the age of 50.
  • About 44% of yoga practitioners practice yoga 2–3 times a week.
  • A staggering 89% of US yogis practice yoga 1–5 hours a day on average.
  • A vast majority of yoga practitioners (94%) do yoga for wellness-related reasons.
  • 59% of US yoga practitioners believe that yoga helps them sleep better.
  • Every year, Americans spend $16 billion on yoga classes, equipment, clothing, and accessories.

The US Yoga Population Statistics

How popular is yoga in the United States? Find that out and more in this section on yoga in America. 

1. About 36 million Americans practice yoga.

(The Good Body, Yoga Alliance)

Based on a recent study carried out by the Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal, yoga’s popularity is on the rise—there were about 15 million yoga practitioners in the US in 2008.

2. The number of US “yogis” increased by over 50% in 4 years.

(The Good Body)

According to the previous study’s results, the majority of this increase happened between 2012 and 2014, when the number of yoga students rose from 20.4 million to 36.7 million.

3. 28% of Americans have tried practicing yoga in their lives.

(Seattle Yoga News)

As the yoga stats reveal, yoga is a very popular activity among Americans. A vast number of them have at least tried doing it.

4. 56% of US yogis are beginners.

(Yoga Alliance)

According to the 2016 Yoga in America Study, only 2% of them are advanced yoga practitioners.

5. About 1 in 3 respondents said that they were not likely to start practicing yoga within the next year.

(Statista)

This online survey included 864 respondents aged 18 to 69. At the time of the survey, they didn’t practice yoga.

6. It was forecast that over 55 million people would practice yoga by 2020.

(Florida Independent, Munideporte, Statista)

In 2018, yoga was already among the top 10 fitness trends in the world. In addition, according to Statista, there would be a considerable increase in the number of US yoga practitioners by 2020. This goes to show that yoga popularity by country has grown and is continuing to grow. 

Yoga and Gender

Do more men or women practice yoga? In this section, we’ll be looking at gender and yoga. 

7. Women account for 72% of yoga practitioners.

(Seattle Yoga News)

Although yoga is equally beneficial for both men and women, many more women regularly practice this activity.

8. The number of men practicing yoga increased by 150% percent in 4 years.

(Yoga Alliance)

Although the yoga facts indicate that the majority of US yogis are women, more and more men are becoming involved in this traditional practice. From 2012 to 2016, the number of male yogis increased from 4 to 10 million.

Yoga and Age

What age group does the most yoga? Here, we’ll find that out and more. 

9. 14 million people doing yoga are over the age of 50.

(Yoga Alliance)

Unlike most physical activities, yoga has no age limit. Therefore, a lot of seniors enjoy practicing yoga, reaping all its benefits.

10. 23% of yoga practitioners are 30–39 years old.

(Yoga Alliance)

Looking further into yoga statistics and demographics, younger adults (18 to 29) comprise 19% of yogis, while 20% of them are 40–49 years old.

11. 1 in 12 children had practiced yoga within the past 12 months when surveyed.

(NCCIH)

In a national survey from 2017, children aged 4 to 17 were asked if they’d practiced yoga in the last 12 months, and about 8% of them said they had.

Yogis’ Habits

What is the life of a yogi like? In this section, we’ll explore the habits of yogis. 

12. About 44% of yoga practitioners practice yoga 2–3 times a week.

(Eventbrite)

Maybe you’ve asked a question, How many times a week should I do yoga? As you can see, most yogis do yoga 2–3 times a week. The majority of them (34%) prefer doing yoga in the morning. On the other hand, 18% like to do their yoga session in the evening.

13. 65% of US yogis practice yoga at home.

(Yoga Alliance)

Home, as the most popular place for doing yoga, is followed by gyms (48%) and yoga studios (45%).

14. A staggering 89% of US yogis practice yoga 1–5 hours a day on average. 

(Statista)

According to a Statista survey from 2016, the majority of yoga practitioners spend at least an hour practicing yoga every day.

What Are the Proven Benefits of Yoga?

You’ve likely heard that there are many benefits to yoga, but what exactly are those benefits?

15. 87% of people feel better after a yoga class.

(Eventbrite)

Most people who practice yoga claim that this activity improves their mood, so they feel better when they leave the yoga studio.

16. A vast majority of yoga practitioners (94%) do yoga for wellness-related reasons.

(NCCIH)

A national survey from 2012 revealed that most yogis practice yoga for one of the following wellness-related reasons: to relieve stress, to improve their emotional state, to enhance overall health, or to improve sleep.

17. 40% of US yogis eat healthily because of yoga.

(The Good Body)

Based on yoga health statistics, practicing yoga makes people more motivated to lead a healthy life, and their diet is no exception.

18. A whopping 87% of elderly yogis said that yoga helped them with back pain.

(The Telegraph)

Sarah Shone, a physiotherapist, introduced yoga in her rehabilitation program for back pain for people over 50. Most of the participants were satisfied since yoga reduced their back pain.

19. 54% of US yogis do yoga because it helps them release tension.

(Eventbrite)

Since yoga can help us unwind, it’s a perfect activity for people with sleep problems. Therefore, it helps to make yoga a part of your regular routine if you want to reap all the benefits of sleep. But does yoga really help with anxiety? There are some studies suggesting that yoga can, in fact, help people struggling with stress, depression, and anxiety.

20. 59% of US yoga practitioners believe that yoga helps them sleep better.

(The Good Body)

One of yoga’s great benefits is that it helps people fall asleep more easily and it improves their sleep quality. This is because yoga is a very relaxing activity that helps people unwind and forget about the daily responsibilities that stress them out. If you’re one of the 40 million Americans suffering from chronic insomnia, yoga might be the solution to your sleep problem.

Yoga Injuries Statistics

Can you injure yourself while practicing yoga? Can yoga help or worsen existing injuries? This section focuses on yoga injuries. 

21. Yoga worsened 21% of existing injuries.

(The Telegraph)

A study of 350 yogis from New York showed that practicing yoga can make existing pain worse, especially in the arms.

22. Yoga carries a lower risk of injuries compared to other physical activities.

(HuffPost)

In 2007, the yoga injury rate was about 3.5/10,000. On the other hand, the injury rate for golf was 39/10,000. Unfortunately, there are no similar yoga statistics for 2020 as of yet.

23. In over a third of cases, pain that was caused by yoga lasted more than three months.

(The Telegraph)

In addition, it was so severe that the injured person wasn’t able to practice yoga. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hands are most prone to getting injured while doing yoga. In order to prevent painful injuries, it’s best that yoga teachers warn their students to be careful and ask them about any previous injuries.

24. The highest injury rate is for people aged 65 and older.

(Sage Journals)

The rate of yoga-related injuries for seniors was 57.9/100,000, while the lowest injury rate was for yogis aged 18–44 amounting to 11.9/100,000.

Yoga Industry Statistics

How big is the yoga industry? Find out in the following section. 

25. Every year, Americans spend $16 billion total on yoga classes, equipment, clothing, and accessories.

(The Good Body)

In 2012, this figure was considerably lower—about $10 billion. Considering yoga’s increasing popularity, this rising trend will probably continue. 

26. An average yoga practitioner spends almost $90 a month on yoga.

(Eventbrite)

This means they’ll spend about $62,000 over their lifetime on yoga classes and equipment. It’s interesting that some (6%) are even ready to spend over $100 on a memorable yoga experience.

27. Popular yoga clothing brand Lululemon reported 3rd quarter 2021 earnings of $1.62 per share. 

(Lululemon)

Clearly the yoga brand was doing well in 2021 since ​​adjusted diluted earnings per share were $1.16 in the third quarter of 2020.

28. Interesting facts about yoga: 20% of yogis want to try laughter yoga.

(Eventbrite)

With the growing popularity of yoga come a number of new trends. Laughter yoga, hot yoga, immersive yoga, naked yoga, and beer yoga are just some of them.

29. In 2015, the yoga industry’s US revenue was $9.09 billion.

(Statista)

The yoga industry’s revenue in the US is projected to rise to $11.6 billion by 2020.

Yoga Statistics Worldwide

In this section, we will be looking at yoga throughout the world. 

30. 300 million people do yoga all over the world.

(Yogi Times)

According to the International Yoga Federation, about 300 million people practice yoga in the world.

31. In Japan, the growth rate of yoga was 413% in five years.

(Yogi Times)

Based on global yoga statistics, this is the largest growth rate in the world. The number of yoga practitioners in Japan grew from 295,000 in 2005 to 1.22 million in 2010.

Bottom Line

Although Narendra Modi, an Indian politician, practices yoga in order to stay awake for long hours, this ancient practice can also help people fall asleep more quickly and wake up more rested. Besides being beneficial for our night’s rest, practicing yoga has a range of health benefits. With this in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that an increasing number of people are doing yoga in all parts of the world. Although the yoga statistics in 2022 show that women are more involved in this ancient practice than men, yoga is suitable for both genders and all ages.

However, like all other physical activities, yoga can lead to injuries, so it’s best to consult with your physician before you go to your first yoga class. What’s more, always look for a certified instructor.

FAQs

Where is yoga most popular in the world?

Rishikesh in India is known as the “yoga capital of the world” and is often considered to be the birthplace of yoga and where it all started. If you are a yoga fanatic, this is definitely the place for you to visit. 

(CNN)

How big is the yoga industry?

In 2020, the yoga industry’s revenue in the United States was $11.56 billion. In 2015, the yoga industry revenue in the United States was $9.09 billion, which shows that the industry is still growing over time. 

(Statista)

What is the most popular yoga?

Hatha yoga is one of the most well-known and popular forms of yoga. It focuses on your body, breath, and your mind as well. It’s also great for beginners to yoga, which contributes to its popularity, according to yoga statistics

(Very Well Fit)

Sources