Exploring the effectiveness of yoga interventions in improving the well-being and productivity of desk-based workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Extended sitting at work for desk-based employees is linked to various physical and mental health issues, contributing to work disability, absenteeism, and significant economic and psychosocial burdens. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of yoga interventions on the well-being and productivity of desk-based workers. Ten electronic databases and two trial registers were searched from inception until August 2024. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, and 11 studies (10 randomised controlled trials [RCTs] and one non-randomised controlled trial [NRCT]), comprising 1123 participants, were eligible for the meta-analyses. The inverse variance random-effects method was used to analyse eligible outcomes and comparisons, and the remaining outcomes were summarised narratively. Compared with passive controls, yoga was associated with improvements in psychological and physical well-being, perceived stress, sleep quality and musculoskeletal discomfort. Compared with an active comparator, yoga was associated with improvements in psychological well-being. When used as an adjunct to conventional therapies, yoga effectively improved musculoskeletal discomfort. The narrative summary of other outcomes revealed general improvements in most physical and mental health parameters. Our review found evidence for the positive impact of yoga on the well-being of desk-based workers. However, heterogeneity and risk of bias warrant robust studies addressing these shortcomings to enable firmer conclusions.