Why Yoga?
When I meet different people and they find out I do/teach yoga, they ask why to which I answer: it helps me restore my physical body and resets my mind mentally. I know that is an extremely general explanation so I wanted to expand on this topic for everyone.
Physical benefits:
Yoga aids in relaxation, which can lessen chronic pain to include lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition, it can lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia (this seems automatic as I have had numerous students snooze in savasana! Haha).
Other physical benefits: increased flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone, improved respiration, maintaining a balanced metabolism, weight reduction, improved cardio and circulatory health, improved athletic performance and protection from injury.
In fact, yoga is now included in many cardiac rehabilitation programs due to its cardiovascular and stress-relieving benefits.
Mental benefits:
In this society of rushing around and constant work, it is safe to say that everyone experiences some form of stress. Yoga can help with that! Stress can manifest itself in many forms, such as physical pain, insomnia, and headaches. A regular yoga practice can help an individual manage their stress and reduce its side effects.
While doing my research, I discovered the biological reason for stress reduction resulting from yoga. To summarize the study, yoga lessens the activity of proteins that are known to play a role in inflammation, which can contribute to a multitude of chronic health problems if constantly activated (according to a study conducted by the University of California).
I can go on and on about the health benefits of yoga but I will stop here and leave you with a thought: can you benefit from yoga?
Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/28/body-on-yoga_n_4109595.html
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-benefits-beyond-the-mat