Yoga is a disciplined activity that requires self-awareness and self-love. It can be practiced by anyone regardless of age, body type or fitness level.
There are a lot of benefits to practicing yoga regularly. These include increased strength, reduced stress, a better immune system and improved sleep.
Reduces Stress
Yoga teaches you how to relax, so it’s no surprise that practicing it can help you get over stress. It’s also known to strengthen your mind.
Research suggests that yoga can reduce stress by lowering your levels of the stress hormone cortisol, increasing your production of feel-good hormones (like endorphins), and supplying your brain with more oxygenated blood.
Moreover, research shows that practicing yoga can reduce emotional reactivity to stress, so you have a more calm and cool response when faced with stressful situations.
The mechanisms underlying yoga’s stress-relieving benefits remain largely unknown. In a recent study, researchers tested five potential psychosocial mechanisms: increased mindfulness, interoceptive awareness, spiritual well-being, self-compassion and self-control.
Strengthens the Immune System
Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on breathing deeply, meditation and mindfulness. These mental practices can reduce stress, improve mood and boost immunity.
Research shows that psychological stress is a common cause of lowered immune function. The hormone cortisol, which is released when we are stressed, can increase inflammation in the body.
In this situation, it’s important to keep our bodies strong so that we can prevent and fight illness. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting enough sleep are all great ways to strengthen the immune system.
Another way to support and strengthen the immune system is through vitamin D. Vitamin D is naturally produced by the sun and is a crucial component of the immune system’s ability to defend against infection.
Lowers Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a serious health problem, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The good news is that you can take steps to lower your blood pressure.
One way you can do this is by practicing yoga. Studies have shown that a combination of breathing exercises and relaxation techniques can help people lower their blood pressure.
The simplest breathing technique involves taking long, deep breaths that fill your lungs to the collarbones and then exhaling slowly. This stretches the arteries, which can cause the blood vessels to become more flexible, decreasing the pressure required for blood flow.
The researchers analyzed the results of 49 trials and found that adults who did yoga with breathing and relaxation exercises at least three times a week saw a small drop in their blood pressure. This small reduction is helpful and could delay the need for medications, according to the study authors.
Improves Sleep
Yoga improves sleep in many ways, including by reducing stress and anxiety levels. It also helps you focus on your breath and relax in the moment.
While you can practice yoga anytime, it is especially helpful before bedtime. Research suggests that practicing several times a week improves sleep quality.
Moreover, yoga postures such as child’s pose and legs-up-the-wall pose calm the nervous system and alleviate built-up stress.
The breathing techniques used in yoga can help with sleep problems such as snoring and sleep apnea, which are common for people who are stressed, nervous or have lung disorders.
One study found that patients with chronic insomnia disorder who performed daily yoga for 14 weeks had significant improvements to their objective sleep measurements on actigraphy and subjective measures of sleep quality, fatigue, and anxiety.