If you were feeling a bit off 5,000 years ago and were getting no help from your local physician, you might have received this tip about how to get the best treatment for your indisposition: "One asana per every anxiety," they would say.

Welcome to the world of yoga, the fitness craze currently sweeping the United States and Europe. On one level, yoga is a set of physical exercises that comfort the human body physically. But it is also a mental workout aimed at giving you a healthy state of mind – and it is because of this mental benefit that it has become so popular all over the world.

"There are at least two things in life we remain chronically short of. The first is time and the second is energy," says 55-year old Oleg Melnik. An ultra-fit yoga instructor, Melnik can do yoga for six-and-a-half hours without a rest.

According to Melnik, "People feel tired and out of sorts for many reasons, and each case is different, but … 80 percent of cases can be improved by the following tip: Try to do yoga at least every other day. Not only does it awaken your muscles and mind, it makes starting your day much better."

Doing yoga at the same time in the morning or the evening helps the body’s natural rhythms, which, in turn, helps to improve metabolism, conquer chronic fatigue and increase energy levels.

The core idea is that yoga is a miraculous practice consisting of numerous steps, or asanas (postures). It cures many ailments and keeps people strong and young. But yoga is not as hard core as it seems. Even if you’re not naturally flexible, it does wonders in limbering up the joints. Yoga does create radiance in people, making them psychologically and physically better equipped to face their daily routine and eliminate stress. You can expect to feel real physical and emotional benefit within the first few weeks; psychologically you’ll feel a sense of progress and achievement.

"Yoga is similar to other sports in that it takes determination and will," Melnik says. "But it’s different in that you actually compete with yourself."

Yoga teaches you to control your body and to become more aware of yourself and your posture. Based on alignment, weight distribution and self-awareness, yoga is the best remedy for stress relief.

And Melnik insists that everyone can learn to find his or her own inner resources. At his yoga classes, he just shows them how to do it properly. "It’s a bit like playing the piano: If you have the will to learn and the dedication to practice, a skilled practitioner will successfully emerge."

Ashatanga Yoga Center

This center is situated inside the cultural center Orbita, just five minutes from Novokuznetskaya metro station. If you get lost, listen closely for Indian music, which will lead you to Ashatanga. There are many teachers here, so it may be sensible to attend a class by each yoga instructor to choose which you like best. The lessons are given all day long, and there are convenient hours for everyone. You pay 200 rubles per class or 1200 rubles for eight classes. Enthusiasts can buy one-month memberships for 3000 rubles for access to an unlimited number of classes.

Yoga Center on Chistye Prudy

Here you may be lucky enough to attend classes by one of the most experienced yoga instructors in Moscow, Igor Medvedyev. But he only teaches advanced students, so make sure you power through your introductory lessons and move on quickly to become Medvedyev’s student. Lessons for beginners are usually held on weekdays at 7 p.m. except Wednesdays, which are for advanced students, and cost 200 rubles per class, 1300 rubles for eight classes or 1600 rubles per month for an unlimited number of classes.

Patanjale Yoga Institute

Conveniently located inside school No. 525, this yoga center has only super professional teachers who are veterans of yoga. Lessons for beginners cost 200 rubles, whereas lessons for advanced students cost 240 and 320 rubles per class. All lessons are offered in the evenings, either at 6 or at 7 p.m. The school suggests that students buy a minimum of six introductory lessons for 1200 rubles.

Santosha Yoga Center

This is definitely the cheapest yoga center in Moscow, but this is probably due to its location outside the center – it’ll take you about 10 minutes by foot to get to it from VDNKh metro. But the lessons are up to the highest yoga standards. Lessons are offered both during the day and in the evenings and cost 100 rubles per class, while a one-month membership costs 700 rubles for eight or sometimes nine classes.

LOCATIONS:

Ashatanga Yoga Center

7 Stary Tolmachyovsky Per. Metro: Novokuznetskaya Tel: 953-6957

Yoga Center on Chistye Prudy

4 Bol. Kharitonyevsky Per. Metro: Chistye Prudy Tel: 995-0811, 266-4225

Patanjale Yoga Institute

24 Bakhrushina Ul. Metro: Paveletskaya Tel: 316-6937, 106-1150

Santosha Yoga Center

3 Tsandera Ul. Metro: VDNKh Tel: 161-3068