8 Benefits of Yoga

No other exercise program is as enduring as yoga. It's been around for more than 5,000 years. Yoga does a lot more than burning calories and toning muscles. It's a complete mind-body workout that combines poses with deep breathing and meditation or relaxation. There are more than 100 different forms of yoga. Some are fast-paced and intense. Others are gentle and relaxing. Here are some of the most important yoga health benefits.

      1.      Emotional Health Boost

All exercise has been shown to help people with depression feel better, and yoga is no exception. Recent studies suggested that yoga could benefit those living with depression, schizophrenia, other psychiatric conditions, and sleep problems. Practicing in a group setting, such as a yoga class, stimulates the production of oxytocin, the love and bonding hormone. Practicing mindfulness through yoga and meditation also results in higher serotonin levels, and long-term practitioners have shown more mass in the areas of the brain associated with contentment.

      2.      Enhanced Circulation

One of the most important things that yoga does is improving the circulation of blood. This means better transportation of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. As a result, improved blood flow also indicates healthier organs and glowing skin.

      3.      Improves Flexibility 

Moving and stretching in new ways will help you become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to tight areas. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your back, shoulders, and hips. As we age, our flexibility decreases especially if you spend a lot of time sitting and this leads to pain and immobility. Yoga can help reverse this process.

      4.      Improves Your Strength

Yoga isn’t just about stretching and bending - it also requires a surprising amount of strength. Physical strength is important in order to prevent injury, boost the immune system and metabolism and help make everyday tasks easier.

      5.      Back Pain Treatment

Various studies have found yoga to be a more effective treatment for chronic back pain than usual care. Actually, people living with chronic lower back pain reported better back function, though similar levels of pain, after a few months of practicing yoga. In another study of 80 individuals with chronic lower back pain, the group that participated in just one week of yoga showed less disability and greater flexibility than patients who completed other physical exercises. Even if you don't have chronic pain, yoga's stretching exercises can improve your flexibility in general.

      6.      Lowers Blood Pressure  

When you practice yoga regularly, the blood circulation in the body is enhanced. This also allows oxygenation in the body. There is a huge reduction in blood pressure as the body calms down.

      7.      Boosts Your Immune System

Any form of movement is great for keeping the immune system healthy. With yoga, the body is able to spend more time within the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) and less with the sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight system).

      8.      Fertility Aid

In recent years, couples have increasingly turned to yoga because of decreasing stressand increasing their chances of conceiving a child. And though there are several studies that indicate that yoga benefits include enhancing fertility, it has been shown to reduce stress and could play a significant role. Yoga can help with infertility in a variety of ways. It allows the mother-to-be to relax, de-stress, and opens up energetic channels, thereby improving chances of conception. Yoga may also allow for better blood flow to reproductive organs, improving organ function and improving hormone function.

Before you start a new exercise program, be sure to check with your doctor. Researchers are also studying if yoga can help people with arthritis, and improve survival from cancer. Yoga may help bring calm and mindfulness to your busy life and make you feel more relaxed than ever before!