You can find the benefits of Yoga backed by science here. Regular yoga practice has been shown to improve physical and mental health, from stress levels to flexibility. The National Health Interview Survey (opens in a new tab) found that 94% of Americans practicing Yoga do so to improve their health. They cite improved sleep, reduced stress, and healthier habits.
We’ll look at Yoga’s eight benefits for your body and mind, whether you want to try an online yoga class and buy the best mat (opens in a new tab) or go to a studio.
All ages and abilities can benefit from Yoga’s physical and mental benefits. Yoga has been shown to:
Increase flexibility
Strengthen your endurance and build strength
Reduce stress
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Heart health benefits
Encourage healthy eating habits
Reduce inflammation
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Yoga poses to increase flexibility (opens in a new tab) can be used to show you how to improve performance.
In a 2016 study published in the International Journal of Yoga (opens in a new tab), 26 male college students were studied to see the effects of 10 weeks of Yoga. The study found that Yoga improved several measures of balance and flexibility compared to a control group who did not practice Yoga.
Yoga is not only beneficial for athletes. In an effort to dispel myths (opens in a new tab) that Yoga is thought to be only for young people, a study by the National Library of Medicine (opens a new tab) compared the flexibility of elderly people who practiced Hatha Yoga at least three days a week over a period of a year to those who practiced calisthenics. The total flexibility of the yoga-only group was nearly four times greater than the group that practiced calisthenics.
If you want to increase your strength and endurance, Yoga is a great way to do it.
In a study that appeared in the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine (opens in a new tab), 79 adult participants performed 24 cycles of Sun Salutations six days per week for 24 consecutive weeks. The results showed that upper body strength and endurance increased significantly, as did weight loss. The body fat percentage of female participants also decreased significantly.
A 2015 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (opens in a new tab) on 173 participants found similar results. It showed that Hatha Yoga practice for 12 weeks led to improvements in strength, endurance, and flexibility.
Yoga is often done to relieve stress and relax. Physical health (opens in a new tab) is affected by mental well-being.
Scientists are researching why Yoga reduces stress. According to a study published in the International Journal of Yoga (opens in a new tab), Yoga creates physiologic states that are the opposite of flight or fight stress. This interruption of the stress response can lead to a feeling of balance and unity between mind and body.
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A separate study published in the International Journal of Yoga (opens in a new tab) found that yoga practice for three months or more can reduce stress.
Yoga can improve your sleep, according to studies. In a study published in the National Library of Medicine (opens in a new tab), 69 older adults were randomly assigned to practice Yoga, take Ayurveda, or be in the control group. The yoga group slept better, fell asleep faster, and woke up feeling more rested than any other group.
Yoga can also help with sleep disorders caused by anxiety and depression. According to a study by the National Library of Medicine (opens in a new tab), pregnant women who practiced Yoga had reduced sleep disturbances, as well as reduced prenatal depression and anxiety.
Numerous studies have shown that Yoga is beneficial to heart health in many ways. It is a good practice for the heart as it increases blood flow and circulation. A study published in the Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome journal showed that middle-aged adults who had metabolic syndrome improved their blood pressure and waist circumference, a marker of heart disease.
According to the International Journal of Yoga, Yoga can improve exercise capacity and quality of life in heart failure patients. According to the International Journal of Yoga (opens in a new tab), Yoga has been shown by research to improve heart failure patients’ exercise capacity and quality of their life. The patients also had lower levels in their blood of markers that indicate inflammation, which can contribute to heart disease.
Yoga encourages participants to be mindful and present and to be aware of their senses and emotions. Some studies have shown that mindfulness and Yoga can be used to promote healthy eating habits.
In a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health (opens in a new tab), the effects of yoga treatment for adolescents diagnosed with eating disorders were assessed. The study found that Yoga reduced both eating disorder symptoms and food obsession.
A study published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity (opens in a new tab) showed that regular yoga practice was associated with more fruit and vegetable consumption among young adults, as well as fewer sugar-sweetened drinks and snack foods. It also found that fast food consumption and frequent eating of unhealthy food were reduced.
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine (opens in a new tab), chronic inflammation can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune diseases. Recent studies have shown that Yoga can help reduce the negative effects of inflammation.