Having a regular yoga practice can put you on the fast track to feeling better both physically and mentally. That doesn’t mean you need to stop what you’re currently doing or cut out exercises you like. But if you can hit the mat once a week or more, you can start enjoying all the benefits yoga has to offer.
Here are nine benefits to a regular yoga practice:
Yoga is Great for Stress Relief
Have you ever noticed that you always feel better after a yoga class? I certainly have! There’s a reason for that. In a study published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found yoga has an “effective role in reducing stress, anxiety and depression.” Those findings seem to hold up, because in a national survey, 85% of U.S. adults who do yoga reported reduced stress as a result.
You Sleep Better
After a yoga class, it’s common to feel more relaxed and balanced than when you walked in. Turns out, those feelings can carry over to your sleep, too. In these studies it was found that long-term yoga practice is associated with better sleep quality and fewer sleep disturbances throughout the night.
Your Posture and Flexibility Improve
Better flexibility and mobility is one of the most noticeable benefits of yoga and something you might experience after just a few classes. Keep on with a regular practice and you’ll start to see positive changes in your body’s ability to move through space, whether it’s finally nailing a pose that was difficult or simply being able to touch your toes. Off the mat, the increased strength and flexibility you find in yoga can improve your posture while sitting, standing and walking.
Yoga can Help with Pain Relief
According to Harvard Medical School, yoga can help relieve chronic pain from conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia, as well as alleviate migraines and low-back pain. And, in many cases, a weekly yoga class was found to increase mobility among back pain sufferers more than standard medical care.
You Build Muscle
To the uninitiated, yoga can seem like glorified stretching, but it can be a really serious workout. All that manipulating your body into various postures involves supporting your own body weight with your arms, legs and core. Yoga can effectively build muscle similar to other bodyweight exercises like lunges and pushups.
You Feel Happier
Happiness means different things to different people, but yoga hits a lot of the goals. Beyond the physical benefits, yoga has been shown to improve mood, boost self-esteem and confidence and promote greater feelings of life satisfaction — all things that can impact your overall happiness.
Increased Energy and Cognitive Function
Research has long showed that exercise — across nearly all disciplines including yoga — can increase energy. But a University of Waterloo study found performing just 25 minutes of yoga every day can boost energy levels and brain function. The yoga practice was linked to better executive function, emotional responses and thinking patterns.
Get some “Me Time”
Between work and other life obligations, it can be difficult to carve out time for yourself. But yoga is exactly that — a time to focus on your health and wellness. It may be 15 minutes or hour-long session, but either way, it’s some quality ME time.
Yoga Boosts Your Immune System
New research published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine studied the effects of yoga on the immune system. The findings suggest that regular yoga can boost your immune system and decrease chronic inflammation in your body.
Which of these benefits sound the best to you? Have you noticed changes since beginning a yoga practice? Or are you ready to join me? I have live class options, recorded classes, and private one-on-one yoga sessions available. Contact me for any questions or more information at 810-772-4122 or sara@saraaddingtonyoga.com.
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