Yoga has been shown to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility, balance, and cardiovascular-respiratory fitness. It also reduces stress and improves sleep quality.
Several studies show that doing yoga regularly can lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. However, yoga is not a replacement for medical treatment. Talk to your doctor before starting yoga exercises.
Stretching
Stretching is an important part of any exercise routine, and yoga is no exception. It is a great way to relieve muscle tightness, improve balance and posture, and reduce stress. It can also help to ease depression and improve sleep quality.
Stretches can be performed as part of a yoga practice or as a separate activity. Both stretching and yoga can be done in a variety of settings, including at home or at the gym.
Performing stretching exercises before or after a workout is recommended, as it helps warm up the muscles and prevents injury. Dynamic stretches are exercises that use repetition to progressively increase the range of motion in a muscle or group of muscles. Examples of dynamic stretches are arm circles starting small and progressing to larger, trunk twists and marching hands to alternate knees.
Isometric stretches are static, and involve holding a position against resistance for an extended period of time. This type of exercise is effective for easing tension in the back and hips, as well as the shoulders.
Breathing
Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that can be controlled consciously. This is evident in many activities, from blowing up balloons to playing a musical instrument, but also in yogic breathing exercises, called pranayama.
Yogic breathing exercises, or pranayama, are meant to balance the flow of energy in the body and promote relaxation. Some yogic breathing techniques have some scientific support, but most claim to unblock the nadis or energy passages that carry prana, or vital life force, through the body.
Some of these techniques are easy enough to practice at home, but others should be done under the guidance of a yoga instructor. Some apps can help you learn yogic breathing, such as the Insight Timer app, which has thousands of guided meditation sessions, including yoga breathwork. It uses body and dial animations to guide the user through each session. It also has a variety of sound settings and custom courses for all levels of experience.
Strengthening
Strengthening is a key part of yoga. This doesn’t mean lifting weights at a gym, but any activity that causes your muscles to work harder than normal counts as strengthening. For example, holding a pose or posture for longer than usual, or lifting a heavier object.
Many yoga poses require a lot of core strength to be practiced safely and correctly. This is particularly true of the more advanced postures such as the handstand or wheel pose. Core strength also helps prevent back injuries when practicing yoga.
Incorporating yoga into a fitness routine can enhance strength and flexibility, but combining it with traditional exercises provides the best results. Adding strength training exercises can improve muscle and bone density, as well as increase your resting metabolic rate. Additionally, incorporating the elements of yoga into a workout can help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and expedite recovery time after strength training sessions. This makes it easier to stick with your workouts.
Relaxation
The practice of yoga incorporates physical movement, deep breathing and mindfulness strategies that stimulate the PNS nervous system, triggering relaxation. This shift from the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) to the parasympathetic nervous system, or rest and digest, decreases stress hormone levels, lowers heart rate, improves blood pressure, increases blood flow to the intestines and gastrointestinal tract, and relaxes muscles, among other benefits.
Increasing your awareness of your body, breath and mind helps you to identify stress triggers, allowing you to address them in a more balanced, mindful way. In addition, studies have shown that consistent yoga practice increases working memory and improves mood.
Many people suffer from a lack of sleep due to stress. Yoga can help with this by relaxing the mind and body, improving concentration and helping you to fall asleep. Practicing relaxing poses before bedtime is also helpful to encourage healthy sleeping habits. Try a simple, yet effective pose like Cobra Pose to prepare the body for sleep.