Yoga and Its Benefits

Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice. It is essentially a discipline that focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. Yoga’s origin can be traced back to the northern part of India over 5,000 years ago. Also, the word Yoga was first mentioned in the ancient book of Rig Veda. As per the scriptures, yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. Yoga practice includes breathing techniques (pranayama), postures (asanas), relaxation, chanting (mantra vaachan)and many other meditation methods. Its diverse collection of poses combined with breathing practices aims to keep your body healthy. Yoga enhances flexibility and strength and empowers your physical well-being. This holistic practice that is beyond the mat, nurtures mindfulness, reduces stress and promotes mental health. Your joints become stable, and your breathing becomes more profound. Let Us explore the benefits of yoga in this article.

9 Benefits Of Yoga

Yoga offers plenty of benefits, which are listed below

• Yoga increases your flexibility

  Yoga postures help to increase the range of motion in the body. If performed mindfully, yoga helps the nervous system release the tension in the muscles resulting in gentle, effective stretches. This reduces the risk of injury in ligaments and tendons, which occurs when we perform it carelessly without training. Releasing muscle tension can also help the body relax and let go of the stiffness, helping your body open up more.

• Yoga helps build the body’s strength

  It is the most overlooked benefit of yoga. We only see yoga for flexibility, but it’s a fantastic strengthening practice. Through yoga we can strengthen the muscles that support the body’s weight, leading to functional strength. It also develops core strength that helps to improve athletic performance and functionality in everyday life while keeping you safe from injury.

• Yoga improves your posture

  Through yoga, you can address muscular imbalances and stiff and weak muscles. Our posture degrades as we age, due to our habitual movement patterns during the day. For example, if you spend long hours on a chair while working in the office, your spine slouches and makes your body tight, this affects your body in the long run. So yoga can help you to stretch out the chest and back muscles and bones. It also creates awareness about the postures and you will find yourself automatically self-correcting to come into a healthier alignment throughout the day.

• Yoga helps to keep your joints healthy

  Yoga will strengthen the joint muscles around the joints, helping to stabilize them. You can mobilise the joints and improve the flow of synovial fluid, which lubricates them. Synovial fluid also delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients to the joints and to the cartilage, which helps to restore them and keep them healthy. Yoga can even aid in arthritis, improving physical function and reducing pain

• It is a mindfulness practice

  Yoga is a conscious practice that complements, body and breath. Doing this is beneficial for strengthening the immune system, improving social relationships and reducing depression, anxiety and neuroticism.

• Yoga reduces stress

  Many individuals begin practising yoga to enhance their flexibility, but they continue because they find that it significantly improves their overall well-being. The focus, centring and breathing sequence of yoga help to reduce stress and act as an antidote to a hectic modern lifestyle. Yoga leaves you feeling relaxed and refreshed, physically and mentally.

• Yoga lowers blood pressure

  Having high blood pressure is a serious medical condition, it increases the risk of both heart attacks and strokes. It reduces stress, which can be a contributing factor to high blood pressure. Certain postures like Supported Bridge Pose, Legs Up The Wall Pose and of course, Savasana or Corpse Pose are particularly beneficial for those with high blood pressure.

• Enhancing Well-Being Through Yoga

  When yoga becomes a daily practice, your body tunes into the phase where it’s clear what the body wants and what it needs. It develops feelings like acceptance and self-love. the practice on the yoga mat can have a profound impact on the way they treat their bodies off the mat, whether that is through improved activity levels, better nutritional choices or reduced reliance on alcohol/ tobacco.

• Yoga improves breathing

  The basis of yogic breathing practices lies in pranayama or yogic breathing techniques. These techniques, which are integrated into the vast majority of yoga classes, can be amazing for restoring balance and vitality to the body and mind. Controlled breathing can increase energy levels and relax the muscles while reducing stress, anxiety and depression. On a physiological level, regular yoga practice has been found to improve lung capacity and breathing both in healthy adults and those who suffer from asthma.

Few Considerations

Yoga is the best practice for mind and body:

• If you suffer from any pre-existing medical condition, consult a doctor or trainer before performing the exercise.
• There are a few poses that are not safe for pregnant women, take the help of a physical trainer for performing any posture of yoga.
• For a person suffering from any orthopaedic ailments, it is mandatory to perform yoga under a certified physical trainer.
• Perform yoga in moderation and don’t overdo the practice,so that the risk of any other ailments increases.

Always remember that yoga is a combination of breathing and posture practices. It’s essential to maintain the timing of this combination to reduce the risk of problems arising due to a mismatch.

Conclusion

In conclusion, yoga offers a holistic physical activity approach that enhances flexibility, strength, and joint health of the body. It develops mindfulness, reduces stress, and improves mental health. Yoga is now famous around the globe. People are positively affected by yoga as it improves their lifestyle, and promotes healthier habits. The practice of pranayama also fosters better breathing and vitality.

Yoga and Its Benefits : FAQs