The Five Major Benefits of Yoga
We are living in stressful times - surviving through our current events. As a result, we all are searching for ways to better manage our stress levels and health. Yoga is one of the many ways that we can use to manage our stress levels and also gain some health benefits. Here are five major benefits of yoga:
- Improves strength, balance and flexibility
- Helps with back pain
- Benefits heart health
- Relaxes you to help improve sleep patterns
- Boosts your energy levels while improving your mood and managing stress
Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility
It is said that deep breathing increases our blood flow and gets our muscles all warm and toasty and holding a pose for a period of time can help build strength over time (Hopkins).
Try it: Tree Pose
Balance on one foot, while holding the other foot to your calf or above the knee (but never on the knee) at a right angle. Try to focus on one spot in front of you while balancing for one minute.
Yoga helps with back pain relief
Since we know that Yoga makes our muscles warm and toasty many healthcare providers recommend that it be used as a first line of defense for treatment of chronic back pain (Hopkins).
Try it: Cat-Cow Pose
Get on all fours, placing your palms underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. First, inhale as you let your stomach drop down toward the floor. Then, exhale as you draw your navel toward your spine, arching your spine like a cat stretching.
Yoga benefits heart health
Consistent use of yoga can reduce levels of stress and overall body inflammation, which aids in heart health. Linked aliments such as heart disease and high blood pressure can also be treated with yoga over time.(Hopkins).
Try it: Downward Dog Pose
Get on all fours then tuck your toes under and bring your sitting bones up, so that you make a triangle shape. Keep a slight bend in your knees, while lengthening your spine and tailbone.
Yoga relaxes you, and improves sleep
Who doesn’t love a good night of REM sleep? If you’re having trouble sleeping, yoga may be the answer. Nightly yoga can help you fall asleep and stay asleep, so that you can wake up and feel refreshed (Hopkins).
Try It: Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Sit with your left side against a wall, then gently turn right and lift your legs up to rest against the wall, keeping your back on the floor and your sitting bones close to the wall. You can remain in this position for 5 to 15 minutes.
Yoga can mean more energy, brighter moods and less stress
History has shown that yoga supports overall health and contributes to an increase an energy, brighter moods and lower stress levels. Yoga provides benefits of mindfulness of being one with your body and aligning mind, body and soul (Hopkins).
Try It: Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Lie down with your limbs gently stretched out, away from the body, with your palms facing up. Try to clear your mind while breathing deeply. You can hold this pose for 5 to 15 minutes.
