Yoga is not only a great workout routine but a discipline in physical, spiritual and mental health. Some people think yoga is about learning and perfecting different poses, but there’s so much more. Yoga teaches techniques that can improve mental and emotional capacity, different relaxation methods, breathing techniques, meditation and mindfulness.
When practiced properly and regularly, yoga combines exercise, breathing and meditation to help bring the body and mind together to achieve balance. Here are some of the benefits of yoga explained.
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1. Pain Relief
Yoga poses help stretch your muscles, which in turn relieves tension, stiffness and pain. Stretching in yoga releases the accumulated lactic acid from muscles that cause stiffness and pain. It also increases the flexibility and range of movements in the joints. One of the best things about using yoga poses as pain relief is that you can feel the change instantly.
If you have any injuries, always use caution when practicing yoga. Remember to always listen to your body, and stop if you feel any pain.
2. Strengthen Muscles and Lose Weight
Power yoga is an intermediate version of yoga, which aims to improve the musculature of the body. Different physical poses and rapid flows help to improve the strength and flexibility of the muscles. By activating the core muscles and relieving tension in the back and neck, your posture is automatically improved.
Power yoga is a sweaty workout routine, which also is great for weight loss.
3. Detoxifying and Great for the Digestion System
Yoga poses are great for maintaining a healthy digestion flow, regulate bowels and decrease bloatedness. Twisting poses are especially great for compressing and massaging the internal organs, squeezing out the blood and toxins. When the twist is released, fresh blood is allowed to flow back in. Twisting also helps increase the flexibility of the spine.
4. Prevents Clinical Depression and Heart Disease
Breathing techniques practiced in yoga improves lung capacity, and deep, long breathing helps a person relax. When practiced properly, breathing will reduce stress and anxiety, keep the mind calm and reduce the level of stress hormones, such as cortisol.
Yoga is used as a treatment of clinical depression and heart disease. Yoga can decrease a person’s heart rate and blood pressure, by breathing deeply in relaxing poses. Yoga is also associated with reduced levels of cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
5. Better Sleep
The benefits of yoga include increasing levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. Practice yoga regularly, and you will have an easier time falling asleep and sleeping through the entire night.
6. Increased Social Abilities
Yoga is a great group activity. Why not try yoga for your next workshop event?
Yoga practice can lead to personal transformation and increased social interaction. It also provides coping mechanisms to weather relationship losses and difficulties, such as divorce or death. Some practitioners believe that their interpersonal relationship improves because of a change in attitude and perspective. Yoga can strengthen qualities such as patience, kindness, mindfulness and self-awareness.
Bonus: Yoga Doesn’t Exclude
We’ll wrap up with a bonus benefit: Yoga is suitable for literally everyone!
There are yoga practices for every level, age, stage, injury, purpose, personality type and even gender. You can find a ton of yoga videos online if you prefer practicing at home, whenever it suits you. If you prefer yoga at the gym just google local events for yoga. Nowadays there is a yoga studio on every corner.
Visit Yoga Life Mantra for some top tips to help you practice yoga at home.
