Yoga is an ancient system of physical, mental, and spiritual practices created over 2,000 years ago by ancient sages. These practices include meditation, breathing exercises, physical postures and body purification techniques.
Studies demonstrate the many health benefits associated with yoga practice. Not only can it lower blood pressure, it may also prevent back pain and increase flexibility.
1. Strength and Flexibility
Yoga poses and stretches are designed to build both strength and flexibility, and though you may never reach Instagram-level yogis’ abilities, practicing regularly is key for long-term results.
Studies demonstrate that combining yoga with strength training increases muscle strength and balance, likely due to yoga elevating heart rate for prolonged periods, which challenges heart muscles and makes them stronger.
Yoga can also help build endurance by increasing the length of time you can hold poses by gradually increasing how long each posture lasts. But be careful! Stretching and strength training done incorrectly can cause serious discomfort; for this reason it’s advisable to seek guidance from qualified yoga instructors or physical therapists like Idaho Sports Medicine Institute when designing an appropriate exercise program.
2. Stress Relief
Yoga’s holistic nature makes it an excellent way to relax both mind and body. Research has demonstrated its benefits by helping reduce cortisol levels, sleep quality, digestion, immunity function and mood improvement; furthermore it may even decrease anxiety by encouraging mindful and nonjudgmental awareness of thoughts and emotions without becoming overwhelmed or stuck in them.
Stress and tension manifest themselves physically in the form of tightness or pain in various parts of the body, including sore shoulders or headaches. Yoga offers an effective means of relieving these symptoms by strengthening and stretching out muscles while increasing joint flexibility.
Music used in yoga classes has also been found to lower heart rate and blood pressure, likely because it helps calm the sympathetic nervous system which prepares our bodies for high-energy activity such as the fight or flight response. Studies have also indicated that one mechanism behind yoga’s stress relief properties could include increases in self-compassion, mindfulness, spiritual well-being and interoceptive awareness.
3. Mental Health
Yoga’s emphasis on breathwork and meditation techniques can help soothe anxiety, insomnia and depression – leading many mental health professionals to utilize yoga alongside traditional treatments such as therapy sessions or medication.
Stressful situations cause diaphragm tension; yoga helps restore its elasticity by encouraging deep breathing exercises which relax and calm the body. Research shows that regular yoga practice improves attention and concentration as well as self-esteem.
Yoga as a social activity fosters connection and community. A study with low-income high school students revealed that participating in group yoga classes helped them improve both their concentration abilities as well as feelings of being part of a larger unit – this may be due to everyone moving and breathing synchronically during classes which promote this sense of connection, leading to stronger social ties as well as lower levels of depression and anxiety.
4. Self-Esteem
Yoga practice encourages us to love the sacred space that houses our conscious spirit – our body temple. When we dedicate our attention and practice cultivating deep reverence for this sacred space within, confidence and self-worth begin to flourish within ourselves.
Resilience is another vital component of building self-confidence. By having a healthy sense of yourself, you acknowledge the inevitability of setbacks and challenges in life, but believe you will overcome them more efficiently when they do arise.
Goldsmiths University of London conducted research which showed that briefly performing yoga poses with either an open or covered front of body improved state self-esteem, independent of trait self-esteem and via an increase in subjective feelings of energy and empowerment. This shows that their impact isn’t solely associated with power or dominance.
