The benefits of Yoga

The background of Yoga has its origins way back from ancient Indian philosophy, where different schools and practices have their own way of incorporating Yoga into their daily lives.

These practices differ in terms of the content of physical postures (asanas), breathing practices (pranayama) and meditation practices. In time, this combination cultivates a deep sense of awareness and it builds the foundations for a more profound state of consciousness, which leads to many other benefits for the regular practitioner, both on a mental and physical level.

So let’s quickly dig deeper into these 2 areas to understand why Yoga should become a part of your daily life routine as well.

Mental Health Benefits of practising Yoga

• The breathing and meditation during the asanas calm and focus our mind whilst developing enhanced awareness of our body movements and everything else that surrounds us during our practice.
• Yoga is a fantastic aid in diminishing anxiety, depression, stress and negative emotions.
• It improves our capacity of being resilient, as it helps us vibrate in higher frequencies, therefore, it helps in overcoming any mental blockages and obstacles.
• It positively impacts and lifts our overall mood, thus improving the quality of our life.
• Decreases fatigue and increases our energy levels.
• Helps with posttraumatic stress disorder as it lowers feelings of fear, anxiety, sadness and sleep disorders, whilst creating a healthy frequency and pattern in breathing, which calms the mind.
• It improves our relationship with ourselves and the people around us, as Yoga cultivates feelings and emotions of compassion, love, understanding, acceptance and groundedness.
• It activates the parasympathetic nervous system which governs the “fight or flight” effect when we feel stressed and in danger. By practising Yoga we can balance this system and live a more balanced life.
• It helps with information processing, improving our thinking speed, memory and the way we make decisions.

Physical Benefits of practising Yoga

• It improves our physical fitness as it enhances our balance, flexibility, strength and it aids weight loss.
• It strengthens cardiovascular endurance.
• Lowers blood pressure and hypertension.
• Regulates our glucose index and maintains it at a healthy level.
• Improves lungs functionality and aids in reducing symptoms of bronchitis and asthma.
• It has beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms.
• Decreases chronic pain such as lower back pain and arthritis, and improves musculoskeletal functioning.
• Helps with migraines and headaches, as well as irritable bowel syndrome.
• Aids brain growth and retention of healthy brain cells.
• The practice of Yoga releases serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which are the main contributors to fighting anxiety and depression, as well as improving overall mood.
• Improves respiration, energy and vitality.

There is a lot to talk about the mind-body relationship and connection in Yoga, and these talks are backed up by real science guys. Check out this article from Harvard Library on a short summary of Effects of Yoga on Mental and Physical Health and find out for yourself!

The main takeaway from this Blog?

The physical benefits of Yoga might be obvious for most of us, however, the effects that this ancient practice has on our mind can’t be found in many other types of exercise.

So, no more excuses for why you are not doing Yoga already!

Jump on your mat and soak up all these fabulous benefits that Yoga has to offer and start blossoming into the best version of yourself!

Sending you Love and Light,

Laura 🙏