With spring break almost a month away, many students are turning to the gym to get in shape -- but an exercise that is often overlooked may actually be more beneficial to students than running on the treadmill.

"Yoga is extremely demanding on many levels, including body, mind and soul," said Erica Kaufman, yoga instructor and director of the Lila Yoga Institute in Chicago.

According to the Center for Well Being, the physical benefits of yoga include improved strength and flexibility, an increased range of motion and increased metabolism of stored fat.

As opposed to regular exercise, which uses the sympathetic nervous system, yoga is more calming and helps the parasympathetic nervous system, yoga instructor Gabriela Winqvist said.

While the physical benefits yoga are good, the mental benefits ay be even better. "The mind is the hardest thing to tame. In yoga, the postures help focus the mind," Kaufman said.

Yoga can sharpen concentration, promote a sense of well being and even help alleviate symptoms of common diseases such as asthma and diabetes, according to the Web site yogaforbeginners.com.

"There have been studies of a variety of types of meditation showing that it has a positive effect on cardiovascular health," Margaret Spear, director of University Health Services, said.

Perhaps most importantly for young adults, yoga can be a great stress reliever for students throughout the semester, Kaufman said.

"Anybody can do yoga -- big, small, skinny, fat, young or old," Kaufman said.