Ever been so stressed that you wished there was an easier way to relieve your mind and body? Need an alternative to the gym that will keep your body moving? You might need yoga. Yoga is more than just a stretch on the mat. It’s an ancient practice of over thousands of years that creates healing in the body, mind, and spirit. Whether you’re experienced in your yoga practice or you’re just reading this article for the first time, you’re probably wondering what yoga can do for you—why is it so popular and worth your time?
Yoga is an all-encompassing experience involving gentle movements, regulated breathing, and meditative practices that take practitioners on a journey like never before. Yoga is more than just the ability to be flexible (or the cute athleisure clothing options!) It makes people feel better from within. Yoga’s not just for college students and stay-at-home moms; professional athletes and active seniors find wellness on the yoga mat, too. Here are seven benefits of yoga backed by scientific research, real-world benefits of yoga that show why yoga can help you within your day-to-day life. Prepare to discover something new about this ancient practice from reputable sources and how it can work for you!
Benefit 1: Reduces Stress and Promotes Relaxation
Isn’t life just a whirlwind? Work, family, obligations—and stress accumulates almost instantaneously. Yoga is the distraction for the distracted. When one gets on the mat and focuses the mind on breath, the body responds in a relaxing manner. Breathing gives way to deeper inhalations and exhalations, creating a meditative state within the sympathetic nervous system. Essentially, when one controls breath, the brain thinks everything is all right.
Yoga also allows the body to release stress. The tension in one’s shoulders from hunched working over a computer all day can ease. The racing heart from worrying about what tomorrow brings might slow down. When one focuses on the here and now and is guided into poses and breath to open new pathways for change, it makes sense. While reducing stress may sound like an easy feat, holding poses and stretching out tight areas while focusing on intentional breathing indicates that stress can be released, if only for a little while. And eventually, something is realized that stress is not all that productive and one breathes through it—post-yoga— to train stress during business hours.
Yoga does not just temporarily promote feel-good vibes, however, it also helps one sleep. When the mind is cleared, life more settled, good sleep comes easier. Inhale-exhaling becomes second nature—even in those hours of sleep—and one awakens restored instead of tossing and turning.
Benefit 2: Enhances Flexibility and Mobility
Ever have an issue with touching your toes? Feeling stiff every time you get up from an extended period spent at your work desk? Yoga helps enhance flexibility and mobility. When someone first takes a yoga class, they may feel tight in their muscles. But that’s a good sign. When the body isn’t stretched, it means that over time, yoga poses will stretch (in a good way) those areas and make them more flexible. This means it will be more accessible when getting physically low to the ground to tie shoelaces or when stretching up high to grab something from the back of an upper cabinet.
Yoga doesn’t force people into weird contortions, it allows them to work with their bodies (not against them); poses such as downward dog or child’s pose gently stretch the hamstrings, back and hips to gradually acclimate to the range of motion. So over time, one might find themselves surprised with how much easier they can move!
Additionally, increased flexibility means less soreness and stiffness. For anyone who sits all day at the office or slouched on a couch, yoga helps relieve stiffness by allowing the body to realign to avoid compounded situations. Because feeling good feels all that better when one can effortlessly move. Especially for the younger and older populations of society, yoga helps keep the body flexible and open to anything
Benefit 3: Increases Strength
Yoga is just stretching? Far from it. Yoga increases strength in all the right places. While plank and downward dog use arms, warrior channels energy through the legs, core, and back—even when there are no weights involved, muscles are used. Instead of pushing oneself at the gym, which causes injury and fatigue, yoga increases strength over time, little by little, in all the right places, reaching small muscles that would otherwise go unnoticed.
For example, when establishing tree pose, an exercise in static balance, it’s not just the engaged legs that keep the body up but also a strong core to avoid topply over. This gradual approach helps people become stronger at the right times—carrying groceries up the stairs, walking up a hill, running after a child or a canine companion. You won’t just feel stronger and like you can accomplish anything, but you will also look stronger.
Plus, yoga is low-impact and increases strength without joint use and without the need for heavy weights and high-intensity movements, which create soreness in subsequent workouts. Here, one knows they’re getting stronger without even moving—just standing still in certain poses—each workout.
Benefit 4: Improves Focus and Clarity
Is your brain like a computer with too many tabs open? Yoga helps focus and clear the excess. Yoga teaches the brain how to sharpen attention when it’s time for the body to move; for example, downward dog isn’t simply just hanging out—the pose requires leg and arm strength, while standing on one leg in pigeon takes concentration so that the body does not fall over. This cultivated attention is carried throughout the day.
Imagine having a clear mind before a big project or difficult conversation. Yoga teaches you eliminates distractions; it helps you focus on what is at hand and gives your brain a quick exercise to maintain that focus. Many people emerge from yoga class feeling reinvigorated and ready to face the day with laser-like concentration.
Furthermore, yoga also gives your mind a break from technological distractions. Instead of scrolling your feed on your phone, you’re focusing on your breath and energy. This mental separation allows you to feel rejuvenated and ready to face anything after class. Doesn’t your brain deserve a vacation every so often?
Benefit 5: Improves Posture and Alignment
How often do you find yourself slouched at your desk or huddled over your phone? Poor posture leads to back pain, neck problems, and energy loss in the day. Yoga is a great way to improve posture and align the body. Many poses are designed to stretch the spine and reinforce the sinewy musculature surrounding it to help support longer, stronger standing and sitting efforts without even trying.
For example, mountain pose and cat-cow are two widely used poses that promote internal alignment within the spine. After consecutive periods of practicing these postures, you’ll notice yourself sitting and standing up with better posture without even noticing—but your body will be grateful as it’ll reduce pain and discomfort associated with slouching all day long.
Better alignment means better efficiency of the body. When our spines and joints are in better alignment, simple activities like walking and lifting things become easier. Yoga promotes awareness of proper movement and can help remediate poor habits. I don’t know about you, but I want to feel and stand my best.
Benefit 6: Increases Awareness of Emotions
Isn’t life an emotional experience? Yoga is a great activity through which to balance out one’s emotions and feel grounded. Yoga not only facilitates a better physical body but also translates into heart work and mental awareness. The breath, movement and mindfulness connected serve as good processing for emotions.
For example, if someone feels overwhelmed or anxious, through breath in downward facing dog, they can ground themselves. If someone is too excited, breath can calm them down in extended child’s pose. If someone is sad, maybe a few sun salutations will bring their spirits up. Thus, yoga gives people the tools to acknowledge and release unwarranted feelings.
In addition, when people create a routine around practicing yoga, they feel better about themselves—which increases confidence. For example, when someone notices improvement in their strength and flexibility, they might become proud of what their body can do. This feeling extends outside of the yoga room so that people can approach similar challenges with a positive disposition elsewhere. Doesn’t this make you want to try?
Benefit 7: Promotes Better Breathing
We breathe every day. When do you think about it? Much of yoga is about breath deepened by intention, and therefore, if you’re made aware of your breath and with practice learn to control it, you should feel better. Most yoga classes have breath work where you can fill yourself and breath down completely. This facilitates awareness and increased oxygen intake to the brain and muscles can have you feeling rejuvenated.
Breath work helps calm your body. When you’re stressed or anxious, people often breathe in small, rapid intervals. Yoga promotes an alternative, engaged approach to breath that allows you to calm yourself in almost an instant with only a handful of breaths. It’s like giving your body a mini-vacation.
Breath awareness can raise energy levels, too. When you’re breathing correctly, your body operates more effectively. You might find yourself no longer tired during the day or having extra energy for activities you love. In addition, doing yoga while aware of your breath can fuel your focus on the mat, increasing your sense of personal identity. Who knew breathing could do so much?
Conclusion
Yoga is more than an exercise routine. It’s a way to connect mind body and spirit for optimal health and wellness. From stress reduction to postural improvements, the seven benefits discussed above highlight how anyone can practice yoga and use it in their daily lives. If you’re looking to feel or be better, calmer or to move better and or learn something new, yoga is the practical application for all; no equipment or exorbitant membership fees are necessary.Yoga only requires a mat, some comfortable clothes and the willingness to try something new.
So what are you waiting for? You don’t have to be flexible or even know what you’re doing to get started. A few minutes here and there a day will suffice. You can take a beginner class, find an online instructor, or even do a pose or two at home. Yoga is fantastic because it comes to you. And as you start integrating it into your routine, you’ll find in no time that you feel a little less tense in your shoulders, more focused at work, or just a little more energy to get through the work day. It’s the little things that help you feel more like yourself—a healthier, happier version.
So what’s stopping you? Set down that mat and take a moment to see what yoga can do for you today. Your body will appreciate it!