Posted September 28, 2023 by Julie Sich, MS ATC, Director, Quality Improvement and Provider Engagement
Yoga is an ancient tradition that started as a spiritual practice, but has become increasingly popular today as a way of promoting physical and mental well-being.
While there are many different yoga styles, most sessions focus on breathing exercises, meditation and physical postures. That’s why yoga is a great way to tune into your body and inner-self, while building strength, flexibility and balance.
Research continues to discover additional benefits of yoga beyond the mat. In fact, numerous studies show practicing yoga benefits arthritis, osteopenia, balance issues, women’s health, chronic pain and much more.
That might help explain why people of all ages are addicted to this mind-body-spiritual exercise.
SummaCare sheds light on five physical and mental health benefits of practicing yoga that may have you reaching for your mat. Just remember to talk with your doctor first before starting any new exercise program.
Many yoga poses require you to bear your body weight in challenging ways, such as balancing on one leg in a tree pose or supporting yourself with your arms in downward dog. Holding these yoga poses increases blood flow to the muscles and builds physical strength, muscular endurance and balance.
In addition, moving and stretching your body in new ways brings greater range to tight areas. Over time, you gain flexibility and a greater range of motion. As we age, flexibility decreases and can lead to pain and immobility. Yoga helps to reverse this process.
What’s more, yoga poses help to build core strength, which can increase balance. As you age, improved balance is important for reducing injury from falls.
Stretching exercises in yoga, such as the triangle and cat poses, relax muscles and improve mobility to help relieve chronic pain. In fact, yoga has been shown to counteract muscle stiffness, especially in the neck and lower back.
In addition, the low-impact exercises in yoga are gentler on your joints, while strengthening the muscles around them. This takes added pressure off the joints and can decrease joint pain and stiffness.
Just as lifting weights strengthens your muscles, regular exercise, such as practicing yoga, strengthens your heart muscle. For yoga in particular, the physical activity, along with deep breathing and meditation, increases blood flow and circulation, while lowering levels of stress and inflammation—all of which contribute to a healthier heart.
In fact, research has shown practicing yoga lowers blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and blood sugar, which are key for a healthy heart and blood vessels.
Physical exercise eases stress by reducing cortisol levels—the stress hormone. Plus, yoga’s gentle movements and deep breathing help release stress by calming the nervous system.
Because yoga practices focus on meditation techniques, such as how to focus on your breath and body movements, it can create mental clarity and calmness to relax the mind. Keeping your focus on the present can make it easier to forget your daily troubles or at least puts them into perspective. It also can be very effective in developing coping skills for chronic stress.
Exercising in general releases endorphins—the feel-good hormone—that gives you a mood boost and increases energy. But for yoga in particular, studies show the practice elevates levels of a brain chemical that is associated with a better mood and decreased anxiety.
In fact, research is strong in showing regularly practicing yoga not only reduces stress, but also anxiety and depression symptoms. It makes sense, bringing calmness to the mind through deep breathing and meditation promotes fewer negative feelings.
So, why not try yoga today? You can look for classes at your local gym, health center or yoga studio—or even online. There are no excuses! Yoga requires little-to-no equipment, is safe and can be done anywhere you have room to move in. Plus, the physical and mental benefits of yoga are too good to be ignored.