For thousands of years, yogis have praised the mental and physical benefits of Yoga. You don’t need to be an expert to benefit from Yoga. Adding a few poses to your daily routine will improve your health.
Physically, Yoga can help improve strength, flexibility, and endurance, says Linda Schlamadinger McGrath. She is a certified Yoga Alliance teacher and school. Yoga Alliance is the largest nonprofit yoga association in the world. On a psychological level, Yoga can help cultivate mindfulness by shifting your awareness to the feelings, thoughts, and emotions accompanying a particular pose or exercise.
Here’s what we know. Here’s what is known.
Yoga is good for emotional health and relieves stress
Yoga is no different. Yoga is a popular form of stress management and relaxation. And studies have shown yoga interventions are linked to improved objective measures of stress levels in the body, like reduced evening cortisol levels, reduced waking cortisol levels, and lower resting heart rate, according to a review published in 2017 in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
The benefits of Yoga can be seen in the emotional state, as it is a form of exercise that involves both the body and mind. This is according to Manuela KOGON, MD, a clinical associate Professor at Stanford Health Care and an intern medicine doctor at Stanford University’s Center for Integrative Medicine.
Dr. Kogon explains that Yoga is about movement and dynamic breathing. Focusing on postures and body language can help shift the focus away from negative thoughts.
She says that people with or without mental conditions can also benefit. According to a review in Frontiers in Psychiatry, research shows that Yoga can help people with schizophrenia and depression.
Yoga Can Help You Sleep Well
Kogon says that the relaxation of Yoga is beneficial to sleep. As a lifestyle change, gentle Yoga can help those with insomnia. However, it is also an excellent routine for everyone.
Tamal Dodge is the founder of Yoga Salt, a Los Angeles-based studio that specializes in Yoga. She says practicing relaxing asanas or postures, such as the forward fold (Uttanasana) or lying down on your back and putting your feet against the wall, can help you relax before bedtime. They’ll calm your body and, most importantly, your mind.
Yoga May Help Your Hangover
Yoga may not be on your mind the morning after drinking, but it should be.
Kogon states that although she is not aware of any scientific studies that have been done on the effectiveness of Yoga in reducing hangovers, anecdotal evidence suggests that it does work. She says that it could be because the increased blood circulation that Yoga brings helps to eliminate the toxic effects of alcohol.
Slow down if you get nauseated.
Yoga Can Help Chronic Back Pain
Kogon says that Yoga helps to ease back pain by improving flexibility and muscle strength. Yoga is more effective than other treatments for chronic back problems.
Kogon advises that if you have back pain, it is best to choose gentler forms of Yoga like hatha and Iyengar rather than the more intense ones. This will help prevent injury. Always consult your doctor if you have a back or other medical condition before beginning a new physical activity.
Yoga helps fight against heart disease
A growing body of evidence suggests that Yoga can benefit your heart. According to a 2017 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine review, several studies have shown that Yoga can reduce heart disease risks, such as high blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.
One study of patients with Heart Failure showed that adding Yoga to treatment improved their ability to exercise, heart health, and quality of life. This was compared to patients who didn’t do Yoga.
Yoga increases blood flow, gets oxygen to peripheral parts of the body, and relaxes the blood vessels. This is beneficial for heart failure. Kogon says that it reduces the workload on the heart.
Yoga’s benefits may extend to the heart.
Exercises that are gentle on the joints can ease arthritis
Yoga can be an excellent way for people with arthritis to stay active because the gentle pace of movement is less stressful than other workouts, according to the Arthritis Foundation. According to the Arthritis Foundation, Yoga is an excellent activity for people with arthritis because the slow pace of movement makes it less stressful than other workouts. According to studies, Yoga can help people with arthritis feel less pain and improve their joint function.
Kogon states, “We hypothesize that increased flexibility, muscular strength, and stress relief are moderating factors in arthritis pain.” It would seem logical that Yoga could help reduce symptoms. It’s not proven that one type of Yoga is more effective than another in relieving pain. If you suffer from a medical condition, it is always a good idea to consult your doctor before starting a new physical activity.
Yoga May Help Ease Asthma Symptoms
Yoga is not a proven cure for asthma but may help manage symptoms. In 2016, a review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which included 15 randomized-controlled trials, found that Yoga is associated with improved quality of life for people with mild asthma. It is still necessary to do more research to understand how Yoga improves asthma and lung function.
Kogon says it is logical to think that Yoga could help with symptoms because breathing exercises relax muscles in various parts of the lungs, which tighten up and tense during an attack. Asthma attacks are stressful. She explains that controlled breathing reduces stress, which helps regulate breathing.