There are so many benefits of practicing yoga, I could probably create and endless list. But, for now, here are my top 10 reasons to practice yoga:
- Increased flexibility
Most people associate yoga with stretching and it is true that yoga involves flexibility but, even if you can’t touch your toes right now, you can still do yoga! Over time, you will notice that your flexibility will increase, along with your strength, cardiovascular health, stress level and so much more! - Better sleep
I’m sure we’re all tired of hearing that we don’t get enough sleep but it cannot be stressed enough. We are all stretched to our limits when it comes to time, commitments and over-stimulation from email, phones, TV, etc. Multi-tasking is causing all kinds of health problems, especially in America and especially in women. New research reveals that women actually need more sleep than men because of their tendency to multi-task (click here for a related article). Yoga can help calm you body and mind down enough to both fall asleep and stay asleep. Read my research paper on Yoga for Sleep here and check out my sequence for better sleep here. - Stronger muscles and bones
What many people don’t realize is that yoga is just as much about strengthening as it is about flexibility, if not more. Yoga strengthens your muscles and is a weight-bearing exercise. Yoga is much like lifting weights; you are just using your own body weight rather than dumbbells! Weight-bearing exercise not only strengthens muscles, but it also strengthens bones and prevents bone deterioration diseases, such as osteoporosis. To build bone density, follow the 72-second rule, holding poses for 1 minute, 12 seconds. To learn more about the 72-second rule, click here. - Boost self-esteem, increase happiness and battle depression
Practicing yoga will help you better understand your body so you can appreciate what it really does for you and this alone can improve self-image. In addition to that, physical exercise greatly improves mood and mental health but yoga takes it even a step further than most other forms of physical activity. A recent study at University of California found that women who practice yoga had a better image of their bodies than those who engage in other forms of exercise. The study also found that the longer a woman had been involved in yoga, the higher her self-image. To find out more information about this study, click here. - Better metabolism and digestion
Regular physical activity improves metabolism and the body awareness that comes with a regular yoga practice will also develop into more diet awareness. When you have a regular yoga practice and start to appreciate your body more, without even realizing it, you will want to feed your body the nutrition it needs and deserves. In addition to the direct and indirect impacts on metabolism, yoga is also very effective in improving digestion. Many asana poses help facilitate detoxification and twists are especially effective at waste elimination and cleansing the body. - To lose weight and tone body
As fun and relaxing as yoga is, it is still exercise! Losing weight is really just burning more calories than you are consuming and creating more muscle tone involves burning surface fat and strengthening muscles. Yoga can be one of the best and most effective tools for losing weight and/or toning up because it is a cardio, strength-training and stretching workout, all in one! - To supplement other physical activities
Yoga is a great to prepare for or rehabilitate your body from any other physical activity! For example, yoga helps runners strengthen the muscles of their quadriceps, hamstrings and calves, while lubricating the joints of the hips, knees and ankles. This can help increase speed and endurance while preventing injury. - Improve cardiovascular health
One common myth of yoga is that it is “easy” and just for relaxation. While restorative practices serve a very important purpose, a fast-paced hatha/vinyasa flow class will speed up your heart rate and get blood and oxygen flowing throughout your body. In fact, if you complete at least 3-4 hour-long moderate- to high-intensity flow practices per week that, you should not need to complete any other workouts! For more information on the cardiovascular benefits of yoga, click here. - Increased energy
This benefit is really the cumulative result of the benefits listed above. When you are getting enough sleep, physically fit, metabolizing your food properly, and have a positive outlook on life; you will have more energy by default. - Reduce stress and create a balanced life
If you ask a yoga practitioner why he or she does yoga, this is probably one of the first answers you will get. Yoga helps calm the mind and body, especially when you have a well-rounded practice of asana poses, breathing techniques and meditation, but even just a regular asana practice will help balance your life. These days, everyone is so busy all of the time and constantly multi-tasking, so yoga is a great way to take a step back, reflect and come back to neutral. It is important to give our minds and bodies a rest once in a while, aside from just our time spent sleeping. Multi-tasking may be a way of life these days but new research is claiming that juggling too many tasks is actually counter-productive and severely bad for our health.
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