10 Health Benefits of Yoga

​|The history of yoga can be traced back to ancient times in India (around 5,000 years ago!) which makes it an enduring form of exercise for the mind and body. The practice of yoga has persisted through the years and has made it's way into mainstream health and fitness practices of the present.

​Interestingly, yogajournal.com shares that hatha yoga, which refers to the physical aspects of this practice, "was developed as a vehicle for meditation [and] prepared the body, particularly the nervous system, for stillness, creating the necessary physical strength and stamina that allowed the mind to remain calm".

With this knowledge in mind, it's easy to see that practicing yoga can have positive and beneficial outcomes on both your physical and emotional well-being. This article will explore ten health benefits of yoga in particular. As you read, consider how being a yogi (a male who practices yoga) or yogini (a female who practices yoga) has benefited you personally and share your experiences in the comment section following this article.

If you have yet to practice the discipline of yoga, I hope you consider how trying out this discipline could provide you with a space to enhance your holistic health and well-being. Perhaps you will make yoga part of your own self-care routine, with the mantra from the world's oldest yoga instructor, Tao Porchon-Lynch, who states:
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"When you wake up every morning say 'this is going to be the best day of my life' and it will be.

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10 Health Benefits of Yoga

1. Improves flexibility

• Practicing yoga over time can help to gradually loosen your muscles and increase flexibility so that one day you can touch your toes.
• Yoga poses can help you to gently stretch your muscles and increase your range of motion. 
  

Pro tip: Check out yogajournal.com's selection of yoga poses that can help you with your flexibility in a safe and effective way.

2. Straightens posture

• Poor posture can lead to back, neck and other muscle and joint problems - practicing yoga can help correct posture issues and even prevent long-term health ailments including arthritis of the spine.
• ​Moves like downward-facing dog, child's pose, and cat or cow give your back muscles a good stretch and can help to relieve back pain.

3. Improves emotional well-being

• A study at the University of Wisconsin found that the left prefrontal cortex showed heightened activity in meditators, a finding that has been correlated with greater levels of happiness and better immune function. More dramatic left-sided activation was found in dedicated, long-term practitioners.
• Also helps to regular adrenal glands which can reduce the risk of depression or feelings of sadness.

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Pro tip: Add a drop or two of essential oil, such as lavender, to the end of your yoga mat to increase your happiness levels and decrease stress as you're practicing your downward dog.

4. Maintains focus

• Studies have found that regular yoga practice improves coordination, reaction time, memory, and even IQ scores. 
• Due to it's repetitive and holding-pattern nature, yoga can help to relieve stress and declutter the mind, helping you to become more focused throughout your day.

5. Reduces pain

• According to several studies, yoga can reduce pain in people with arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other chronic conditions. When you relieve your pain, your mood improves, you're more inclined to be active, and you don't need as much medication.
• Yoga can help you stay flexible and strong without putting added stress on your joints and can be beneficial for arthritis sufferers.

Pro tip: Ensure you're hydrating before practicing yoga and maintain your hydration throughout your yoga practice by taking small sips in between poses. 

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6. Maintains your nervous system

• Scientists have monitored yogis who could induce unusual heart rhythms, generate specific brain-wave patterns, and, using a meditation technique, raise the temperature of their hands by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Similar practice can be applied to increasing relaxation for better sleep.
• Studies also suggest benefits of yoga on neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to rewire and create new and stronger neural pathways with increased and repetitive thoughts and actions). The dedication and repetitiveness found in the practice of yoga can help to create new neural pathways and create positive changes in a persons life (eg healthier eating habits, less destructive behaviours, etc).
  

7. Boosts immune system

• Meditation and calming yoga can slow down your heart rate which in turn lowers blood pressure and has also been linked with improving the immune system and lowering cholesterol.
  
• Practicing yoga can raise antibody levels in response to a vaccine and lower it when needed.
• Lower levels of stress following yoga practices can help to safeguard your immune system, lower stress, and even help you to naturally lose weight. 

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8. Reduces stress

• Yoga can ease constipation and other digestive system issues because of movement in your body that facilitates quickening digestion.
• Breathing techniques used during yoga practice can also boost oxygen levels to the brain, leaving you feeling happier and more content with everyday life.

Pro tip: Listen to a Mindfulness-inspired Podcast during your yoga sessions for an added element of relaxation to your practice.

9. Increases self-esteem

• The practice of yoga can be a positive approach to regulating negative self-talk or self-esteem and to get to know yourself, and your body, on a more personal and intimate level.
• The mind-body approach inherent in yoga practices can help you feel relaxed and energized.
• A reduction in feelings of anxiety allows for a greater internal connection with the self which can boost feelings of confidence and reduces the negative perception from external sources (eg. judgment). 

​10. Builds self-awareness

• Studies suggest that chronic anger and hostility are as strongly linked to heart attacks as are smoking, diabetes, and elevated cholesterol. Yoga appears to reduce anger by increasing feelings of compassion and interconnection and by calming the nervous system and the mind.​
• The practice of yoga and mindfulness can help become more comfortable with your body and that changes that it can inevitably go through over a lifetime.

​There are way too many health benefits to list in one blog post.. listen to WedMD's video for even more health benefits from practicing yoga. Pretty incredible!

Also check out this great article about yoga + kids:
10 Proven Benefits of Yoga for your Kids
Stretching Their Skills: Ultimate Guild to Yoga with Kids

A comprehensive yoga guide:
This is What 30 Minutes of Yoga Can Do 

And this yoga review:
18 Amazing Benefits of Yoga, According to Science

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I have always enjoyed yoga and I always knew that it was beneficial for both the mind and body but after doing my research for this article, I am very surprised at just how many health benefits there really are. This article really just scratches the surface of all of the amazing wellness benefits that yoga can offer. I challenge you to do your own research to find out more, or better yet, grab your yoga mat and start practicing!

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More self-care resources:

• Essential Oils: For Aromatherapy
• 5 Discrete Relaxation Techniques
• The Anatomy of a Great Self-Care Routine​​

​​References: yogajournal.com, webmd.com, healthandfitnesstravel.com, gaiam.com

​*Please note: Essential oils are highly concentrated and as such should be used with great care, particularly with children, pregnant women, or those with medical conditions. The statements and information on this website are not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. The links on this page may be embedded with affiliate links that I receive a commission from.