The economic downturn has sparked a surprising trend – more people are turning to yoga than ever before. Why? Because even though money has gotten tight, people are discovering that taking yoga classes is a great way to de-stress. According to ABC News, the number of people involved in yoga has jumped 20% in the past three years, and it’s becoming big business for a lot of formerly small-time companies.

For example, Yoga Journal magazine used to have a hard time attracting mainstream advertisers, like Procter & Gamble and Ford Motor Company. Now, major companies are regularly buying ad space. Yoga-related spending has doubled. North Americans spent more than $6 billion last year on yoga classes, mats, clothing, and DVDs. Lulu Lemon, a Canadian company just a decade old that sells “yoga inspired” pants and rubber mats, is making $500 million a year. The biggest growth market in yoga is independent and franchise studios with teacher training centers, health-food bars, and stores that sell clothing, DVDs, yoga equipment, and jewelry.
Like the Bikram “hot yoga” centers – where classes are held in 105 degree heat. The designer Bikram Choudhury - who copyrighted the 26 moves used in his classes – is considered one of the most successful yoga entrepreneurs ever.

Moneymaking aside, yoga’s also good for your health. Studies have shown that yoga eases stress, lowers blood pressure, and increases muscle flexibility. That’s important because by our mid-40s, we lose elasticity in our tendons, ligaments and joints – which increases our risk for injury. Japanese researchers found that people who are less flexible have stiffer arteries, and a higher risk for heart disease. Studies also show that physically challenging classes - like yoga or dance, where you have to do specific movements - helps build new brain connections, which speeds up your thinking and sharpens your memory. Because as opposed to walking on a treadmill, you actually have to think about what you’re doing.