Gym goers can be traditionally found benching, curling, jogging or cycling. But many a gym goer today forgoes the barbell and the stationary bike for the studio, where the crow and the eagle and can be found in abundance. No, not the birds, but postures – postures that the art of yoga teaches to men and women of all ages.

While men occasionally make up as much 40 percent of the average class, women predominate the yoga mat, and for good reason. According to a new study on the effects of yoga on middle-aged women, yoga helped curve some of the not-so-pleasant aspects that come with mid-life, like menopause and a decreased ability to concentrate.

To study the effects of yoga on middle-aged women, the researchers randomly assigned approximately 120 women experiencing menopausal symptoms to one of two groups: yoga or strength training. The women were to take part in the prescribed activities for eight weeks.

By the end of the eight-week trial, here’s what the researchers found:

• Night sweats, hot flashes and trouble sleeping, classic symptoms of menopause, were all reduced in the yoga group; there were no such reduction in symptoms among the strength training group
  
  
• In tests of memory and concentration, the yoga group improved their cognitive ability to a greater extent than did the strength training group