7 WAYS YOGA CAN IMPROVE YOUR LIFE

If you’re not close to the art of yoga, you may not realise just how many wonderful health benefits this calming form of exercise has on one’s body – whether you’re a newbie or an experienced practitioner.

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WHAT IS YOGA?
Yoga is far more than just a few physical poses – it involves breathwork, meditation, self-reflection, mantra and awareness. The practice of yoga can be traced to northern India over 5000 years ago! Although there are several different forms of yoga, there’s no ‘best’ type. It’s up to you to find the style that works best with your body – which may be one or a combination. You may want to practice yoga for energy, relaxation or even weight loss.

Hatha, for example, is about creating balance by following a combination of poses that strengthen, relax and improve flexibility. There is also Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Yin, Restorative, Kundalini, Power, Rocket, Hot/Bikram, Prenatal, Acro and Aerial.

WHY SHOULD I PRACTICE YOGA?
Rather ask yourself why you shouldn’t practice yoga. We take a look at a few of the many benefits here.



1. YOGA HELPS WITH FLEXIBILITY
According to yoga movement specialist, Emilie Perz, stress and anxiety can leave our bodies feeling tired, tight and stuck. The poses in yoga can help to relieve this tightness, which means our bodies gain more flexibility as they’re able to move more freely.

Try: Yin yoga for beginners

2. YOGA HELPS TO RELIEVE STRESS
Sadly, stress has become part of everyday life for many, and over time, the effects of stress can be detrimental to one’s health. Yoga often involves meditation techniques and breathing work that has been shown to drastically reduce tension and relieve stress.

Try: Restorative yoga

Related article: Exercise to ease stress and help restore balance

3. YOU’LL HAVE BETTER POSTURE
Since you need your core muscles to support your poses, you become stronger and more flexible. A stronger core helps you to sit and stand tall.

Try: Iyengar yoga that focuses on alignment and precision.

4. YOU MAY DEVELOP A STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM
Stress has been shown to negatively impact your immune system, which means you may be more prone to illness. Studies are still evolving, but consistent yoga has been shown to fight inflammation.

Try: Restorative yoga that helps to relieve stress



5. YOUR SLEEP MAY IMPROVE WITH YOGA

Better sleep can be measured by one’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Because yoga is a form of exercise that calms you mentally and relieves stress, it helps to improve how fast you fall asleep and how deeply you remain asleep.

Try: A Hatha flow for beginners

6. YOGA IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART
A study from the American Heart Association has shown that high blood pressure and diabetes were on the rise – especially amongst women. The study found that those who practised yoga consistently reduced their blood pressure by five points and lowered their ‘bad’ cholesterol by 12 points.

Try: Vinyasa is great for developing cardiovascular fitness

Related article: 4 Health checks that could save your life

7. YOGA COULD HELP WITH WEIGHT LOSS
High-intensity exercises are not the only kind that helps with weight loss. Research shows that yoga styles like Ashtanga, Bikram and Iyengar are very effective at helping you reach your weight loss goals. This is mainly due to their aerobic tendencies.

Try: Ashtanga and Power Vinyasa

Related article: 5 Yoga poses for a youthful glow

As with any exercise, be sure to always start slow and pay attention to how your body responds to each pose, the last thing you want to do is over-exert yourself. Simply do a web search to find a few beginner yoga videos or join a class to learn the basic techniques. Once you better understand your chosen yoga style, you’ll be able to perform each pose with ease and confidence.

Sources: Healthline.com, webmd.com, mindbodygreen.com, womenshealthmag.com