Yoga is an ancient mind-body exercise that can improve your balance, strength and flexibility. It can also boost your mood and reduce your stress level.
When you’re choosing a class, find one that meets your fitness goals and feels safe. Most studios will offer a range of poses to fit your ability.
Improved Flexibility
Yoga may not be as strenuous as a Bodypump(tm) or Zumba(r), but it still requires a high degree of flexibility, balance, and coordination. Adding yoga to your regular fitness routine will help you gradually improve your flexibility over time.
The improved flexibility that comes with yoga also reduces the risk of injuries and muscle aches by allowing your muscles to move through their full range of motion without strain. This enhanced flexibility also helps enhance balance and posture by correcting imbalances and bringing awareness to how you hold your body.
At Purple Yoga, we offer a wide variety of yoga classes for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Our beginner’s class focuses on the basic poses and movements that are essential to improving flexibility, while more advanced classes like Hatha and Vinyasa yoga incorporate a mix of stretching and strengthening moves to improve overall flexibility.
Reduced Stress
Yoga’s emphasis on breathing practices and mindfulness help calm the mind. Research shows that yoga can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which helps people better cope with life’s stresses.
It can also make the brain stronger by encouraging new connections to form between neurons in areas of the brain associated with memory, attention, awareness, and language. This makes it easier to learn and retain information.
Several studies have found that people who practice yoga may experience lower blood pressure, particularly if they take advantage of a “slow flow” style of yoga, such as yin or restorative yoga. This is likely because of the way that yoga restores baroreceptor sensitivity, helping the body to detect imbalances in blood pressure and maintain balance.
The good news is that yoga is accessible to almost anyone. The most important thing is to find a class that feels right for you. That means leaving your cell phone, bag, and other distractions outside the room before class starts.
Improved Sleep
When you make yoga a regular part of your routine, it may become easier to fall asleep each night. It can also help you get a better sleep by reducing anxiety and helping the body relax.
When compared with the control group, the study found that participants who regularly attended yoga classes had lower PSQI scores and improved QOL Leiden-Padua score. They also reported less daytime dysfunction and a decreased use of sleep medication.
The results of this study indicate that regular yoga practice can benefit people who have trouble sleeping, but it is important to note that the benefits are not necessarily universal. Some people may find that yoga isn’t a good fit for their needs, especially if they prefer a more challenging or heart-pumping style of yoga. Try practicing gentle or restorative yoga, which is focused on releasing physical tension and relaxing the mind. If you have ongoing issues with insomnia, consult a physician for other treatment options.
Better Mental Health
Yoga is a great way to reduce symptoms of mental health conditions. It has been shown to be effective in reducing depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. It has also been proven to be beneficial in the treatment of people with bipolar disorder.
Yoga and breathing techniques help individuals learn to control their emotions. It has been shown to normalize physiological markers of stress, including heart rate variability, inflammatory cytokines and cortisol levels, as well as neurotransmitters involved in psychiatric disorders such as g-Aminobutryic acid (GABA) and oxytocin.
The practice of yoga requires flexibility, strength and balance. It also increases the awareness of one’s body and helps in the development of a positive sense of self. This can be beneficial for anyone, but particularly those who experience a range of mental health conditions. It is important to note that yoga is not a substitute for medical treatment and should be used in conjunction with a comprehensive therapy plan.