Yoga is an ancient discipline that has gained a lot of popularity over the years. The breathing exercises poses, and meditation practices involved can promote relaxation and reduce stress. Scientists have taken an interest in the mental and physical benefits of yoga, and they have found data that backs some of these claimed advantages.
If you’re a beginner and want to learn more about what this unique form of exercise has to offer, take a look at this list of 6 evidence-based benefits of yoga on your body.
6 Evidence-based Benefits Of Yoga On Your Body
Yoga Helps with Anxiety
People that frequently practice yoga can say that yoga can help as a healthy coping mechanism when dealing with anxiety symptoms. Studies published at the National Library of Medicine have focused on the reasoning why participants could lower their feelings of restlessness, lower their blood pressure, and overall feel less symptomatic than the control group. Yoga together with meditation can help a lot of people since it has a lot of benefits for human health.
Scientists speculate breathing exercises and mindfulness principles play a crucial role in this correlation, considering how important it is to keep focus on one’s body. Some poses reward better breathing circulation, which can also help explain how after the practice session, the body feels lighter.
There are wellness retreats in the UK which is the perfect place to practice yoga and meditation. Nature’s air and the calming environment will help you relieve stress and anxiety and focus on your thoughts.
It Helps you Build Stronger Muscles
Since yoga has a history that dates back at least 8,000 years ago, nowadays, we can find a wide variety of branches focusing on different aspects of the discipline’s three fundamental pillars. For instance, in Western culture, we refer to Vinyasa yoga as an adaptation derived from ashtanga yoga that appeared during the 80s and can be considered the most athletic approach to discipline.
In this branch, you try to keep your body moving in sync with your breathing, which is a demanding activity that will result in building core muscle. You may not look as bulky or develop strength at the same speed compared to a bodybuilder, but you will notice a difference if you continue with your sessions for some time.
Yoga Improves Your Flexibility and Balance
Specific poses can target muscles vital for balance, and muscle flexibility can start developing if you start to practice yoga regularly. If you’re frequently practising then you might want to purchase some Pureful Yoga accessories to help you look and feel good.
Any yoga that focuses on postures could be labelled as Hatha.
In contrast with the past, we still use Hatha to refer to a well-rounded yoga training practice that includes stretching, strength training, dynamic poses, and breathwork. While we need factors like age, previous daily activity, last physical activity, and even genetic predisposition, the benefits are apparent for all group ages.
It Helps Relieve Stress
You will likely hear this argument from pretty much everyone who practices yoga regularly. Stress relief can be traced to the fundamental pillars of the discipline, where breathing and self-awareness help us disconnect from our daily worries. As the dedicated yogis mention, the role that yoga can play in reducing stress can significantly improve your quality of life.
Researchers have reported similar results when studying the effects of yoga on people who suffer from anxiety, concluding that it’s a powerful tool by itself and in combination with other methods, as it lowers the cortisol hormone levels in your body.
Yoga Boosts Your Immune System
There have been promising investigations that there is a clear connection between practising yoga and improving your immune system although this still needs further research to have a firm claim.
So far, the discipline appears to help as a coping mechanism for chronic pain, decreases risk factors associated with heart diseases, and helps regulate chronic inflammation response. The latter is heavily involved with contributing to the development of pro-inflammatory conditions related to cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.
It May Help Improve Sleep Quality
While not all benefits associated with yoga are wholly backed up by science, there are still ongoing research trying to decipher the reasons behind some of the alleged benefits of yoga. With the relaxed state and breathing awareness in yoga, people have seen positive changes in their sleeping patterns, which helps them perform better throughout the day. However, it’s best to avoid vigorous yoga right before going to bed since it may keep you awake for longer. Relaxed versions of the discipline are perfect before closing the day.
Yoga has the perfect combination of focused breathing, exercise, and mindfulness that has adapted and diversified into different types to suit different styles. If you’re not familiar with the discipline, keep in mind that the most vital aspect of your sessions isn’t the exercise itself but the whole experience. Your relationship with your body, mind, and soul can start developing for the better if you learn to listen to yourself and be consistent over time.
