Yoga is a holistic system of physical, mental and spiritual practices. It includes breathing techniques, postures, relaxation, chanting and meditation.
While it may seem counterintuitive, yoga is actually a great way to keep sickness at bay and improve your overall health. In fact, yoga is now being studied as a way to help with stress management and sleep problems in cancer patients.
Improved Flexibility
Yoga improves your flexibility by increasing the range of movement in the joints and strengthening the muscles and tendons. It also increases blood flow to the muscles, which helps them to heal faster.
Flexibility improves posture and makes it easier for you to move around and stand tall. It also releases tension and reduces stress.
One study found that after just 8 weeks of yoga, people improved their flexibility by 35%!
Those who practiced yoga had better balance, lower body flexibility, and lower limb strength than those who did not. They also showed improved cardio-respiratory fitness and walking speed.
Yin yoga can help with flexibility because it involves holding poses for longer, which requires the muscles to stretch deeper and strengthen. It also requires a higher level of mental focus, which can increase your ability to concentrate for longer periods.
Reduced Stress
Yoga is an effective way to reduce stress. This type of exercise uses slow and deep breaths to lower cortisol levels in the body and increase blood flow to the brain.
This makes it easier to relax and focus on the task at hand instead of worrying about what’s bothering you. Practicing yoga can also help you learn to control your thoughts, which can prevent you from getting overwhelmed by negative feelings or anxious thoughts.
Researchers found that practicing yoga reduced perceived stress as well as stress reactivity in the subjects who participated in the study. They also showed that yoga was associated with higher levels of mindfulness, self-compassion and self-control.
However, more research is needed to determine how yoga might actually reduce stress. Specifically, future research should look at the mechanisms through which yoga influences stress and determine whether it affects psychological or biological processes.
Improved Mental Health
Yoga is not just for physical fitness anymore–it’s a proven tool for improving mental health. Research shows that it helps people cope with stress, anxiety and depression.
In addition, it can help you develop social bonds and improve your emotional intelligence. It also promotes healthy habits, such as eating wholesome foods.
Researchers are even starting to claim success in using yoga and other forms of therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
It’s important to note that yoga is not a cure-all for mental health problems, but it can be an effective complementary treatment. For example, it can reduce symptoms of PTSD by helping to calm the mind and reduce feelings of reactivity.
Improved Relationships
Yoga is a great way to get in touch with yourself and connect with others. It teaches mindfulness, which is a mental practice of paying attention to your emotions, thoughts and surroundings in a present moment.
Studies have shown that mindfulness breeds happiness and happier relationships. It helps to prevent us from getting caught up in negative thoughts and feelings about the past or future.
Couples yoga is a great way to bond with your partner. It allows two people to be in sync with each other’s breathing, posture and movements, which tends to lead to new levels of trust, communication, and connection.
This is especially important when performing tandem poses, which require a lot of physical leaning and trust between partners. It can help to increase intimacy and passion in your relationship, according to research.