Yoga has been around for 5,000 years. It started in India and continues to be popular all over the world today.
If you’re like me who has been practicing yoga for quite some time now, you’ve probably already noticed how it has improved your life in so many ways.
On the other hand, if you’re still thinking of getting started with yoga, you may be wondering if it’s something you can do every day and if so, what are its benefits? Does it strengthen the muscles? Can you lose weight with it? Can it really make a person flexible? Is it good for your mind?
You’ll find answers to your questions by reading on…
1. Improved Immune System
If you practice yoga on a daily basis, you might be pleasantly surprised with how it helps you avoid getting sick. With all of the bending, stretching, twisting and inverting you will do, it can work deep into your nervous system, a component called the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you rest and digest, instead of the sympathetic nervous system, which is the mechanism responsible for your flight or flight response. This response is what causes stress and inflammation, two factors that lead to a weakened immune system.
2. Better Focus
When you’re juggling family life and work/school, it can be tough to stay focused. If you are finding it difficult to complete tasks without taking frequent breaks, yoga can help you get re-centered.
3. Toned Arm, Abs, and Legs
While it may not happen on your first two weeks, daily yoga practice will eventually lead to chiseled abs, toned arms and more defined legs. You will become stronger because you use your own body weight to give all your major muscle groups a good workout. As anyone who has been doing yoga will tell you, it takes great strength to do certain poses.
4. Combat Anxiety
The National Institute of Mental Health states that about 30% of adults in the US will have to deal with an anxiety disorder at least once in their lives. Women are more likely to develop this disorder, than men which puts them at higher risk for panic attacks, agoraphobia, social anxiety and more.
Practicing yoga every single day will prevent or lower anxiety because it teaches you to stay mindful in the moment. It keeps you from spiraling out of control thanks in large part to the union between thoughts, breaths and movement.
5. Weight Loss
If you are looking for a way to take inches off your waist so you can fit into your favorite dress, yoga may be the answer. You’re burning calories on the mat, and reducing cortisol which in turn prevents you from binge-eating and having cravings.
6. Better Sleep
Not being able to fall asleep at night can be very frustrating and prevents you from being productive the next day. Yoga can help to restore the body’s natural circadian rhythm, and after a weeks of practicing you begin noticing that your body is able to adjust to its natural balance.
7. Improved Posture
Having a good posture is essential to your health, as poor posture often leads to pains and aches, and if not treated, can lead to inflammation, causing arthritis. When you do yoga every day, your posture will improve as your muscles are strengthened and stretched.
8. Heart Health
Heart disease is the world’s #1 cause of death in adults and if you’re concerned about your cardiovascular health, a gentle yoga practice can aid in relaxing the arteries, resulting in lowered blood pressure.
Yoga is a gentle and beginner-friendly form of exercise that offers many wonderful benefits to the mind and body. Give YogaWorks a try today.