Yoga can be a life-changing practice

There are so many yoga studios popping up around the world. At first, you may have said, “it’s just a fad”. But, the millions of practitioners might be on to something. There are many external and internal benefits to yoga. Not to mention the psychological benefits like added happiness and stress reduction.

If you are still on the fence about what you can get out of practicing yoga, consider these 3 factors:

1.              Improving internal bodily functions          

Yoga emphasizes on breathing correctly. Yogis also tend to take fewer breaths of greater volume, which is calming for the mind and body. Yogic breathing techniques are known to improve measures of lung function such as the volume of the breath and the efficiency of exhalation.

Yoga can also help in easing constipation and theoretically lowering the risk of colon cancer. The twisting poses in yoga are thought to be very helpful in improving digestion.

Yoga is good for people with diabetes. Researchers have discovered that yoga lowers blood sugar by lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels, encouraging weight lose and improving sensitivity to the effects of insulin.

There are many other internal benefits of yoga that is worth researching if your interests lie in improving your health in this area.

2.              Lifestyle changes

An essential practice of a yogi is focusing on the present. Studies have discovered that regular yoga practice can improve coordination, reaction time and memory! Improving your focus can be a very rewarding benefit in the modern distraction-packed world.

Restorative poses and specific practices like yoga nidra (a guided relaxation), savasana, pranayama and meditation provides downtime for the nervous system. The combination is thought to improve a practitioner’s sleep. So, yoga is an ideal practice for those who need to reduce work-related stress. A good night’s sleep can be a struggle for some that are always on the go.

Happiness is subjective. However, studies found that a regular yoga practice and meditation can improve the level of happiness. The left frontal cortex shows heightened activity in meditators.

3.              Look better, feel good

Sitting is the new smoking. Siting down, hunching over a screen for extended periods of time can cause serious joint and digestive issues. Poor posture can also cause back, neck and joint issues. A regular yoga practice will bring awareness to your negative habits and help you improve your posture during your day-to-day activities.

Strong muscles can protect you from arthritis and back pain. The balance and flexibility that a regular yoga practice brings into your life is different from the strength you gain from lifting weights. It’s more comprehensive. At the gym you are building strength at the expense of flexibility. Yoga uses body weight and resistance, so t’s a great way to build lean muscle.

Flexibility is the most visible and obvious benefit of yoga. Increased flexibility will slowly reduce your aches and pains. It can also improve your recovery from injuries.

So, next time you get invited to a yoga class, remember the benefits. It’s good to try something new at least once. Who knows, you may fall in love with yoga!