Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Practicing Yoga

Did you know that yoga has been around for more than 5,000 years? And this incredible activity is not only beneficial for your physical health but also for your mental wellbeing!

Physically, you can expect to improve your core, arms, legs, glutes, and back.

Mentally, it helps you to relax, increases your focus, and helps you to attain an incredible mind-body connection - among several other things!

So whether you're an advanced and avid yoga enthusiast or a beginner, there are so many added benefits that'll you'll be rewarded with. 

Health Benefits

1. Strengthens Bones and Muscles

While working out in the gym or doing other forms of exercise will certainly help strengthen your muscles, yoga has an added benefit. That is, its ability to increases one's flexibility. This, in turn, helps keep a good posture, putting less strain on our neck and back muscles and thus reduces the effects of fatigue and other joint pains.

Yoga also has the ability to help prevent osteoporosis, as it involves carrying one's own weight, strengthening our arms and bones!

Additionally, while practicing yoga we release less cortisone (the stress hormone), which helps us keep more calcium in our bones.

2. Increases Blood Flow

One way to really get your blood flowing, is to practice yoga. This is not only because of the physical movement but also from the relaxation that is brought on from this activity. And increased blood flow means more oxygen to the cells, helping them to function more effectively! 

Why is this important? One, it is important for us to have great blood flow in order to maintain a healthy heart, but also - when blood is flowing effectively, we can minimise the effects of swelling in the legs.

3. Boosts Immune System 

When we use our muscles, our body increases the amount of lymph fluid that is drained. This is important, as it helps to build one's immune system, helps increase resistance to infection, and effectively removes waste product from the cells.

4. Manages Your Weight

Yoga not only burns calories but also increases one's connection with their body. For that reason, many practicing yogis find that they are able to address any issues or concerns that they have with eating on a deeper level.

Mental Benefits

1. Fights Depression

It has been said that sitting in the Lotus position on a regular basis (sitting with your legs crossed with your feet on opposite thighs) increases the release of serotonin (the happy hormone). 

In fact, a study confirmed that those who practice yoga have higher functioning in their prefrontal cortex in the brain, which has been directly linked to one's happiness.

2. Keeps You Feeling Relaxed

When practicing yoga, it is important to slow down our breath. By doing this, we move away from the fight or flight response and into the parasympathetic nervous system. This keeps us feeling more calm, it decreases our heart rate, increases blood flow and reduces the feeling of anxiety and being overwhelmed.

 In addition, Enjoy herbal drops are an all-natural plant-based remedy that fights feelings of stress and anxiety. It also helps reduce mood swings and brings about a feeling of joy and relaxation.

3. Stabilizes One's Mood

Practicing yoga is our very own natural mood stabilizer, as it decreases major mood fluctuations - such as anger, frustration, fear and stress. And given that stress is a big contributor to many serious health conditions, yoga is thus able to quieten the mind and strengthen the body's physical health. 

4. Boosts Self-Esteem

When you truly participate in yoga, embracing the activity on all levels, you will be able to feel more in-tune with you body and mind. In this way, you will experience positive emotions such as gratitude, empathy, and forgiveness. 

Yoga allows you to feel more connected not only to yourself - but also to something bigger. With that, it's also an added bonus that anyone can practice yoga, anywhere! It's a suitable activity for near all ages, all levels of flexibility and fitness. 

There are several types of yoga for beginners, intermediate and advanced, and as you continue through your yoga journey, you will surely see your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual ability really shine!

So, I wish you a happy day with yoga!

Lieve Plasch, www.go4balance.eu