The key takeaways from
Yoga, an ancient meditation, combines breathing techniques and physical poses.
According to research, yoga can benefit your mental and physical well-being.
Yoga can be enjoyed at any level of fitness.
Yoga is a practice that has many benefits. This centuries-old practice includes breathing techniques, physical poses, and meditation. It promotes mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
It’s something that everyone can do. “No matter what your physical condition, anyone can practice yoga and reap the benefits,” states Samantha Parker, MS, a certified yoga therapist in Washington, D.C.
It’s easy to do; you can do it wherever you are. And it’s cost-effective depending on where you go. Online classes are available for free or at a low cost.
Learn what science has to say about the health benefits of yoga.
What does yoga do for your health
Yoga can have many health benefits. It may also affect the endocrine system, which regulates your body’s hormones. Here are ten scientifically-backed reasons you should get out of your yoga mat.
Lowers stress
When you ask people why they do yoga, the most common reason would be to reduce stress. GABA is a chemical that aids in stress reduction. Meditation and yoga may increase the natural production of serotonin. Parker also believes that both these chemicals could have mood-boosting properties.
It reduces anxiety and depression
Yoga, when combined with traditional forms of mental healthcare, may help with anxiety symptoms.
“Yoga helps us to control our emotions and react to stressors,” states Jess Gronholm, founder, and CEO at HIIT & Run Yoga. For example, the average young adult has more 6 000 thoughts per day. Yoga gives you some relief from your daily thoughts and allows you to regain control of your life for a brief time.
Focus, memory, and cognition are all improved
Instructors will instruct you to inhale while performing yoga poses. Parker says that this breath control can increase oxygen in your body and brain. This may result in better focus.
Regular yoga practice encourages mindfulness by practicing meditation. Mindfulness is the ability to be present at the moment and not judge. Mindfulness allows you to be present at the moment and not judge your thoughts, feelings, or environment. One study showed that mindfulness meditation improves focus and reduces distractions. Mindfulness has also been linked to the title =”>better cognitive flexibility, which refers to your brain’s ability to adapt to new situations and to alternate tasks.
A meditation called Kirtan Kriya that is performed for 12 minutes per day could activate certain parts of the brain essential for memory.
Flexibility increases
Increased flexibility is one benefit of yoga. But there are other benefits. You can increase muscle flexibility and enhance your range of motion, making certain moves easier. This could improve your physical performance as well as reduce the risk of injury from yoga and other activities.
Heart health boosted
The leading cause of death in adults in this country is still heart disease. Anything that improves heart health is a win. Researchers published promising evidence in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology that yoga may improve cardio-metabolic health. Improved heart rate, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and body mass are all benefits of improved cardio-metabolic health.
Relieves muscle soreness
Muscle soreness can be a part of exercising, whether you are doing new exercises or just training hard. Yoga can be a great option. A study published in the Journal of Strength Conditioning and Research found that just one session of yoga reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness among women.
Chronic pain can be managed
Yoga may help with various kinds of ongoing or chronic pain, such as low back pain. A small study found that people suffering from depression and chronic pain used yoga to reduce stress. Nearly 90% of participants said that the program helped them cope with their pain better. Gronholm was not surprised by the results.
He says that yoga, no matter what style it is, requires you to use your body in a different way than other times of the day. He continues, “You deliberately — and carefully — place physical stress on your body.” You remove the support from the chair or bed so that you can learn how to provide it yourself. This teaches you how to manage pain.
Weight loss aid
Studies show yoga can help you achieve or maintain a healthy body in many ways. Yoga can help you lose weight and manage your calories by helping to burn calories through physical poses. It may also promote healthy eating through increased mindfulness.
Better sleep
Yoga can help you relax if you are having trouble sleeping. A survey found that more than 55% of those who practice yoga had better sleep quality. A small study found older people who practiced certain styles and poses, such as Hatha yoga, had better sleep quality.
Promoting healthier lifestyles
The same survey found that more adults do yoga for their overall wellbeing or well-being. The survey examined how people used three complementary health approaches to their wellness: yoga, natural supplements, and spinal manipulation, such as massage therapy.
Users of yoga were more likely than others to say that they have experienced positive changes in their health. Some respondents stated that yoga was a motivating practice.
To exercise more, eat better, and stop smoking or drinking alcohol.
There is also ongoing research about the possible connection between regular Yoga practice and healthy lifestyles.