IMPACT OF DAILY YOGIC PRACTICES ON PREFRONTAL CORTEX ACTIVATION AND DECISION-MAKING EFFICIENCY IN URBAN PROFESSIONALS

Decision-making often breaks down under stress, leading to errors and lost productivity, yet evidence shows daily yogic practice can rewire the brain for clarity and control. This study examined how postural precision, movement flow, and mental focus influence prefrontal activation and decision efficiency among urban professionals in India. A descriptive design was applied using secondary data from 130 peer-reviewed and institutional sources, analyzed through correlation and regression. Results showed posture doubled dorsolateral activation with 14 percent against 7 percent in misaligned states, movement flow raised motor-prefrontal connectivity to 5.8 µV² compared with 3.2 µV² in asymmetry, and mental focus improved decision accuracy to 89 percent against 74 percent in controls. Reaction speed increased with yoga-trained professionals responding in 450 ms compared to 512 ms in controls. Stress markers dropped by 18 percent versus 5 percent in controls. Regression confirmed all practices significantly predicted outcomes, with mental focus strongest at β = 0.367. The model explained 69.3 percent of variance, with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.768 linking focus with decision outcomes. These findings prove that daily yoga is a cost-effective way to build neural resilience and decision clarity in stressed populations. Institutions should integrate structured routines into workplaces, schools, and health systems, prioritizing consistency over intensity to reduce errors and strengthen executive performance.