15 Health Benefits Of Yoga You Should Know About
There are so many health benefits of yoga aside from the obvious ones so, it’s something that everyone should give a go. When it comes to exercise, yoga really is one of the best things that you could do for your physical and mental health and it needn’t take long. In fact, a short 15-minute yoga session is enough to reap all of the benefits. If you need convincing, we’ve come up with a list of the top 15 health benefits of yoga that you should know about so, we think it’s time to get into that downward dog pose.
1. Yoga Improves flexibility
One of the most obvious health benefits of yoga is that it improves your flexibility. This is great in the long term as it will reduce your risk of injury and general stiffness in the body.
2. It decreases stress
Yoga has so many mental and physical health benefits, one really important one being that yoga helps to decrease stress. A big part of yoga is about the breathing and really focusing on being in the moment, therefore, it can help your body to manage stress response systems, calming you down.
3. Yoga Improves sleep
Did you know that yoga might help you get more zzz’s? Because yoga helps to circulate your blood flow and reduce stress, it’s been found that it’s actually helped to induce sleep in those suffering from insomnia.
4. It helps build strength
If you’re not a big fan of the gym then yoga can be a good alternative when it comes to building muscle. Yoga is so varied and there are so many poses out there that work on strength building in the core, arms and legs so it’s so good for strength building.
5. It improves posture
Another one of the health benefits of yoga is that it helps to improve your posture. This is so important in the long term as it can help prevent curvature of the spine and other related health problems.
6. It improves cardiovascular health
Another great reason to start doing yoga is that it’s thought to help improve your heart health. This is because all of the aspects that are integral to yoga like reducing stress, improving breathing and fitness, all, in turn, have a positive effect of your heart health, meaning that you’re less likely to develop serious illnesses in the future.
7. It aids weight loss
You might not think of yoga when it comes to exercising for weight loss but actually, yoga can be very effective in helping you to shed a few pounds. A more vigorous yoga class can actually work up quite a sweat and build muscle, subsequently burning fat. What’s more, doing yoga is likely to put you in a healthier mindest meaning you’re less likely to indulge in junk foods later on in the day.
8. It drops blood pressure
Another one of the lesser known health benefits of yoga is that it can help to drop blood pressure. This means that it reduces your chance of developing hypertension, a risk factor for heart disease and strokes.
9. It helps you to focus
Recent studies have shown that yoga can actually improve your brain functioning after practising, improving focus and boosting memory. Because it also reduces stress, that means that practising yoga is one of the best things you could do in busy periods like exam season.
10. Yoga Improves balance
Practising yoga regularly can really help to improve your balance which is great as good balance is recognised as being a sign that someone is fit and healthy.
11. It can help your breathing
Yoga is made up of two primary parts: the poses and the breathing. In fact, many yoga instructors put an emphasis on breathing being the most important aspect out of the two. Good breathing is so important for your health as it helps to ease stress and ensure that toxins are removed from your body.
12. It may beat migraines
Migraines can be an absolute nightmare for those who suffer from them so if you do, you may be interested to hear that another one of the lesser known health benefits of yoga is that it can help to beat them. This is primarily because yoga works to reduce stress which is known as a trigger for migraines. So, be sure to give yoga a try as it’s so much better for your health than covering up the symptoms with pills instead.
13. Yoga founds a healthy lifestyle
While yoga encourages you to get moving, build muscle and burn calories in the first place, what’s more, the practice of yoga can actually lead you to make healthier decisions in the long run. This is because yoga improves your overall mood and wellbeing, addressing any emotional eating issues you might have and promoting greater respect for your body.
14. Yoga helps unite the body and mind
Yoga is really important in creating unity in the body which is so important for your mood and overall wellbeing.
15. Yoga increases your energy
Another one of the many health benefits of yoga is that it can increase your energy, so it’s great if you’re feeling in a bit of a slump. This is because yoga reduces stress, improve fitness, aids sleep and lifts your general mood, all of which lead to increased energy.
