As Christina Koch heads to space on the historic Artemis II, she isn’t just making history as the first woman to orbit the Moon. She’ll also be finding her center of gravity in a gravity-less environment.

The Artemis II, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, sends a four-person crew around the Moon and back. The mission marks the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years and making Koch the first woman to travel that far into deep space.

Koch has openly shared that, during her previous 328-day mission aboard the International Space Station, yoga became a key part of her routine. In fact, she described it as “way more fun” in microgravity, where traditional poses transform into floating, dynamic movements. While standing poses are more challenging without gravity, she told Space Report News that stretching-based movements feel especially effective—and even freeing—in space.

“I did [a lot] of yoga when I was on board the ISS, and it’s actually not that hard to do,” she said. “In some ways, way more fun to do … There are some poses that are tough. The standing poses I don’t necessarily get as much out of. But a lot of the stretching poses are great. So yes, yoga’s fantastic.”

NASA requires astronauts to work out while in space to counteract muscle loss and bone density decline in microgravity. But in a Q&A with the University of Queensland, Koch explained, while “the big muscle groups” tend to work fine (and may even get stronger in space), “all of the little stabilization muscles are really hard to work.” That’s where yoga can be hugely helpful.

Yoga can complement astronauts’ workout routines by targeting smaller stabilizing muscles that are harder to engage. On Earth, a gamut of research shows yoga improves strength, flexibility, and balance—key components of maintaining physical function over time.

Beyond the physical benefits of “space yoga,” however, Koch’s practice highlights the scientifically backed mental benefits, which are particularly valuable in extreme environments like space. Studies have consistently found that yoga helps reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression while improving mood and emotional resilience. This is especially important in space, where astronauts face isolation, confinement, and high-pressure conditions. The combination of movement, breathwork, and mindfulness can help regulate the nervous system and support mental clarity.

There’s also growing evidence that yoga can positively impact cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, and even improve sleep quality—factors that are critical both in space and on Earth. Controlled breathing techniques, or pranayama, have been shown to enhance oxygen flow and reduce strain on the heart, while regular practice may strengthen immunity by lowering stress-related inflammation.

For Koch, bringing yoga into space isn’t just about fitness; it’s about maintaining a sense of humanity far from Earth. As she put it, adapting familiar practices like yoga to new environments reflects a fundamental part of who we are as humans.

“I think that one neat thing about humans in space is how we adapt the things that we love on Earth to space,” she told Space Report News. “And it really just shows why exploration is [human], it’s in our DNA, and adapting what we love to new environments is just something we naturally do.”

Whether practiced on a mat or while floating high above the sky, yoga’s benefits seem to translate, suggesting that even in space, wellness can still feel grounding.