WHAT IS YOGA?
Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India. It involves concentration and physical strength for mental and emotional well-being. Yoga is not only for strengthening your body but also fosters a deeper interconnection between mind, body, and spirit.
TYPES OF YOGA
Each type of yoga style has advantages that make you choose a style that aligns with your goals for success. This style can greatly boost your self-esteem and your general health at large, by continuously doing the exercises you promote good health.
These styles are;
- Vinyasa yoga. It improves your strength and cardiovascular health.
- Kundalini yoga. It tends to boost your energy level and mental clarity.
- Ashtanga yoga. It’s mainly recommended for beginners who want to build strength and stamina.
- Bikram yoga. Promotes detoxification which tends to management of weight on your body.
- Restorative yoga. Mainly for expectant mothers which enhances labour and strength throughout your body.
- Jivamukti yoga. Its for spiritual teachings that promote spiritual growth and environment awareness among yourself and the inner you at large.
There is a wide range of techniques including meditation and ethical disciplines [Yamas and Niyamas], physical postures[Asanas], and breathing exercises [Pranayama]. Today majority of people all over the world embrace yoga as a path away from balancing self-awareness. Practicing yoga brings numerous benefits to your body and mind making it the ideal way to reduce stress and anxiety to focus on your health.
Yoga has become widespread all over the world, the types of yoga practices emphasize physically demanding postures, and calming your mind through deep breathing and meditation or baths.
How does yoga help your mental health and stability
Yoga has different styles which are Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini, and restorative yoga which helps with different benefits. Research has indicated that yoga has helped in the reduction of cortisol levels, and improves brain function this practice plays a role in improving your mental health for a better you.
1. IMPROVEMENT IN FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility is the most visible immediate benefit of yoga. With consistent practice, yoga increases the elasticity of muscles and soft tissue. By doing yoga regularly it targets stiff areas, such as the hamstring, lower back, and thighs. By stretching yourself gradually, the blood flow increases to the stiff areas stimulates the release, and becomes flexible.
A person with stiffness from the back and thighs may have a high time performing backbend or squatting postures. The ability to practice yoga regularly promotes the ability to perform a range of physical tasks with more ease than before.
2. IMPROVEMENT OF BALANCE AND COORDINATION
Yoga improves overall body awareness and balance such as tress pose which challenges the body stability and stabilizes the legs and lower back it cultivates a sense of positioning and movement of the body altogether. Yoga improves coordination between your body and mind, tree poses not only improve physical balance but also require mental and steady grounded position to achieve.
When performing your daily tasks and physical activities such as going to the gym classes may reduce the risk of stability and coordination.
3. REDUCTION OF STRESS AND ANXIETY
Yoga is a well-known practice that gives a calming effect on the mind and exercises and mindful movement, yoga helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system which helps in stress relief. Stress is very common among us which is why I conclude yoga to be my priority to relieve stress and enter into a deep state of relaxation. When practicing yoga you tend to develop healthier ways to understand stress and challenges.
4. PROMOTES BETTER SLEEP
By doing yoga exercises, you tend to relax your muscles, and stress relieves helping you to sleep comfortably with no need to take any sleeping medicine. A lot of people are struggling to get enough sleep and rest during a long day working due to anxiety and an overactive mind during the day.
Yoga helps in the relaxation of the mind and promotes calmness in your body. Gentle yoga poses calms the body and prepares it for sleep. Breathing exercise also promotes the relaxation of your mind to reduce tension and anxiety.
5. PROMOTES HEART HEALTH AND CIRCULATION OF BLOOD
When doing regular practice yoga tends to lower blood pressure and improves the circulation of blood into your body. The combination of using deep breathing exercises and gentle poses reduces the stress and forms a relief in your body. Yoga helps in the circulation of blood and oxygen through the body which improves to a healthier heart and promotes relaxation.
6. ENHANCED MENTAL CLARITY
Yoga can be a good mental improvement. The breath practice and meditation help clear the mind and relaxation. Yoga encourages mindfulness which is an improvement in mental clarity.
Breathing practices enhance oxygen flow to the brain as well as the whole body. By doing this you enhance focus and reduce stress for better decision-making skills.
7. FLEXIBILITY IN MUSCLES
Yoga poses are made to stretch different types of muscles in our body enhancing flexibility for smoother movements or activities. It also reduces accidents and injuries promoting the muscles to move on their full range.
This is a good way to handle stiffness in your body to be flexible and have a relaxed muscle to do your daily routines normally.
8. WEIGHT LOSS
Yoga is a great way to burn fat or store calories in your body but not in a high percentage that high intense workouts such as going to the gym. Power yoga can increase high-burning which involves vigorous and continuous movement. By doing these you tend to have a low percentage of fat which will make it easy for you to do your daily tasks.
9. RELIEF OF BACK PAIN
Research has shown that yoga plays a significant role in reducing low back pain and improving mobility. Poses such as the cat-cow stretch are a great way of relieving tension in the body and also reclined round angle pose is a way of stretching your hips to your back in an orderly movement to stabilize the spine.
By doing it regularly it provides flexibility in the back and the muscles around the spine to ease movements.
10. IMPROVE RESPIRATORY
Yoga plays a significant role in strengthening and flexibility of the muscles by involving the act of deep inhale and out movement. By doing this regularly you tend to have better air circulation in your body. Controlled breathing can help in lung functionality and also calms your nervous system related to breathing difficulties.
Poses like pranayama which is controlled by deep inhalation and exhalation support mental and emotional health contributing to a better respiratory system.
11. IMPROVE DIGESTION
Yoga poses enhance digestion and improve stress helping to reduce discomfort and digestion overall. Yoga reduces stress by lowering the stress hormone that is known to negatively impact the gut health. Physical movement such as child poses can relieve the tension around the abdomen which helps in the breakdown of food and the absorption of nutrients.
Yoga encourages a great awareness of sensations in our body that can respond positively to digestion effectively.
12. SLOWS AGING PROCESS
Yoga is a great opportunity to slow age-related processes, which helps improve brain functioning and connectivity. Research indicates that continuously doing yoga tends to lower some cellular cells that are within our body making aging slower.
Deep breathing and meditation can help reduce aging easily tending to lower your cortisol level.
13. BUILDS STRENGTH
Yoga is a great way to improve strength and energy both physically and mentally. Posses like plank and side plank pose are great for strengthening your arms and legs altogether.
Yoga also improves your flexibility and coordination and thus helps you to feel much stronger than before.
14. IMPOVES THE RISK OF CHRONIC DISEASES
Researchers suggest yoga may be a form of reducing the risk of getting chronic diseases. Yoga helps in lowering high blood pressure and reducing cholesterol in our body to improve heart rate variability.
Yoga also helps in controlling blood sugar and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is better to note that I you have concerns about your health contact a healthcare professional provider for help.
15. SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
Yoga plays a good part by bringing people together from different places and sharing experiences among participants this helps in making new friendships and social activities among yourselves.
Supportive participants can foster connection and a sense of belonging among others who share similar interests. Yoga can be a very powerful tool of social connection whether attending a group class or an alone class this practice offers good relationships among the yogis.
CONCLUSION
Yoga is a profound practice that has a positive impact on our lives, whether you’re seeking physical, and mental clarity or stress relief, yoga is a better place to start with for a healthier you.
Whether you’re new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, incorporating yoga into your routine can have a profound effect on your body and health. And always take a healthy balanced diet every day.