“Great pleasure and joy come from good exercise, which doesn’t just boost the body but also connects and unite it with the mind and polishes the spirit, giving life a quality meaning.”

When it comes to the topic of Yoga and how this unique form of exercise contributes to a person’s health and fitness, there are million and one things you probably don’t know.

Those delicate and precise body movements and coordination, the striking poses, the focus on controlled breathing and the emphasis on meditation all make Yoga exercises second to none. But what exactly is yoga, and how did it come to be?

What are the benefits of regular yoga practice?

You’ve come to the right place for answers. The word Yoga simply refers to a group of physical, mental, and disciplines or spiritual practices whose source or origin can be traced back to ancient India. Also, Yoga is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophical traditions. Read the history of yoga here.

BENEFITS Of YOGA

Yoga is an excellent form of relaxation and exercise which gives the body flexibility, strength and also reduces stress. This practice has been known to have a lot of great benefits to the individual entity.

Below are several benefits of Yoga to the body:

1. Physical Benefits

One of the major reasons people practice Yoga is because of the numerous physical benefits that yoga gives. Yoga increases muscle strength, increases flexibility and can also boost the general body fitness.

2. Health Benefits

It so happens that a lot of people are yet to understand how effective Yoga is on human health. Scientific studies have provided us with enough evidence that proves the beneficial effects of yoga on the entire body system. It relieves all types of aches, helps with good cardio and circulatory health. Yoga can as well deal with issues like numbness in various parts of the body. Its health benefits are endless with great visible results.

3. Mental Health Benefits

Aside from its physical health benefits, yoga still helps to manage stress, bring about clarity and calmness to the mind and mental health stability.

The meditative period during Yoga is a time whereby the whole body is relaxed, and the mind is experiencing inner peace and freedom. We can then say Yoga is therapeutic. It is applied in the mental or psychological state of individuals, and thus brings consciousness to the human mind.

4. Improves Mental Brain Functions

There are various poses in Yoga which are beneficial to mental health and alertness. The standing forward bend pose (Uttanasana) is a great pose that is seen to improve mental health and treat depression and anxiety. The Corpse pose (Shavasana) also improves mental health by helping you meditate, relax and ease off body stress. These are just a few poses amongst many others, which would of course help with depression, anxiety, neuroticism, and all other forms of mental health problems.

5. Spiritual Benefits

The word “Yoga” means to Unite, while spirituality is being concerned with the human spirit and soul. If indeed we are to appreciate yoga and its many spiritual benefits.

It would, therefore, be said that Yoga is the union between the physical body, the human mind, and soul, thereby linking these three important segments of life and giving it a singular purpose. It’s not said to be a religion but rather a spiritual practice that could bring you inner peace, love, and care.

6. Improves Kids Wellbeing

Kids benefit from Yoga as much as the adults do. It helps in grooming children with excellent health who can overcome the stress they face in school, pressure from friends and peer groups.

Yoga gives them good concentration, body flexibility, and gives them inner peace, assurance, and security to relate to the complexity of the world around them. These are some of the benefits of yoga for kids.

7. Yoga Helps Reduce Inflammation

According to Wikipedia, the benefits of yoga and the impact of postural yoga on physical and mental health has been a topic of extensive research. Findings revealed that regular yoga practice can help to alleviate pain in the lower back and stress. Yoga reduces inflammatory markers in various parts of the body and helps to prevent the consent of any pro-inflammatory disease.

8. Benefits Of Yoga Meditation

The period of meditation is a time when you get to relax your mind, open up your heart, and enjoy nature’s freshness. Yoga gives you that serenity and helps you meditate calmly with your body and environment. This process gives peace and also the clarity of thoughts.

9. Benefits Of Yoga For Men

It’s funny how men tend to feel that Yoga is preferably not for them. This excellent practice is not gender-bias and should be accepted and practiced by all.

Yoga gives men good flexibility, nice body build, and also improves sexual performance with increased libido. Regular Yoga would definitely improve breathing, give good sensitivity, and response to partners.

10. Gives Your Day A Good Start

The morning is basically known to be the coldest part of the day. Though you can practice Yoga at any time of the day, it boosts your metabolism when done in the early hours of the morning before the day’s work. Yoga helps your body and mind wake up and get you ready for the day’s activities.

It also gets you toned up, giving you good body shape and look. Likewise energizes the body, and provides it with enough circulatory oxygen in the bloodstream and brain. Thereby making you start your day with good inspiration and fulfillment.

11. Excellent Health Routine

We can say that all Yoga routines are good for your health. I would mention some basic and best yoga health routines that are simple, more comfortable to do, and would help you stay healthy.

Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

Surya namaskar is a good yoga practice for your health as it’s usually done as the sun rises in the morning.

It is a great way to warm up the body and gives it a free flow of oxygen. This Yoga is also perfect for the physical health of a person as it helps you feel lightheaded, energetic with a great sense of calmness.

Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

Utkatasana gives a sort of comfort and relaxing feel.

It also generates heat in the body. This Yoga health routine helps the muscles in the legs and also helps you stay focused and positive throughout the day.

Natarajasana (Dancer Pose)

Natarajasana is also of great health benefit.

It helps the heart space open and creates a good passage for the free flow of oxygenated blood and energy. This is mainly due to the backbend position. This Yoga also keeps the body and mind in balance. You can take the benefits of yoga from this yoga posters.

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12. Improves Life Quality

Studies have shown that yoga improves the quality of life of people. In particular, various medical conditions such as arthritis and stroke amongst others alongside their medication. Thereby promoting life fulfillment, mental health, emotional balance and promising health with time.

13. Improves Brain Function

Research has shown that yoga improves brain function, behaviors, mood and also boosts the energy levels of an individual. There is a considerable chance to receive behavioral and emotional responses during practice and even gives memory recall and mental flexibility.

14. Promotes Good Eating Habit

Yoga involves paying attention to your body. This exercise has been shown to promote healthy eating habits that help to boost your appetite, blood sugar, and deal with eating disorders. Research has shown that Yoga practice creates mindfulness which will help you to become mindful and conscious of what you eat.

15. Suppresses Anger

Mindful meditation is a big part of Yoga. As meditation occurs, the mind is calm, and there is a flow of inner peace and the gradual suppression of tension and anger.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU DO YOGA?

The time they say waits for no man.

Everybody has a basic day to day routine, therefore, how can one possibly get so engaged and still set aside time for Yoga? It is not so difficult to actually create time for this exercise. Yoga done at least 3 to 4 times in a week with a session lasting between 45 to 90 minutes is a very good routine.

WHAT CAN YOGA DO FOR YOUR BODY?

Yoga is a great form of meditation. It gives the body fitness because you’ll begin to understand your own body flexibility and how to control it. It gives the body the strength to lift itself and practically provides it with good endurance and stability.

In other words, we can say that the muscles of the body are being worked upon gradually. Yoga also gives a woman that firm and sexy looking body. The men are not left out too because it also gives them a good body build with nice abs.

IS IT OKAY TO DO YOGA EVERY DAY?

Yoga from all points and understanding is the perfect form of relaxation and exercise. You should understand that it won’t be advisable to practice Yoga on a daily basis because the body needs to expel as much as it needs to digest.

I advise that you give it a break sometimes, do it at your own pace. You don’t have to practice Yoga every day to get fulfilled. However, a bit of Yoga daily for about an hour or less might do just fine. One needs to also understand that too much of something good could be bad.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO YOGA?

This should not be a source of concern at all. The time to practice yoga should depend on your general well-being since the exercise involves your physical, mental as well as spiritual health.

Traditionally, doing Yoga in the early hours of the morning is viewed as the best time.

It is the perfect way to start the day and also put the mind and body in full check. Practicing Yoga in the evening would also work out very fine because it could help you relax your mind and body after a busy day. Everyone’s schedule runs differently during the day, so it is advisable to pick the best time that duly suits you and your lifestyle.

DISADVANTAGES OF YOGA

So far, we have been emphasizing on the wonderful and great value of Yoga, but let’s discuss a bit about its drawbacks. The first thing we need to understand as human beings is that there is nothing in the universe that’s without cons and so also various exercises alongside Yoga.

The various disadvantages :

Inexperienced Instructor

Having an inexperienced instructor to take you through Yoga sessions could be disastrous. A good instructor should first interact with you before commencing sections. This is to understand the student’s body and well-being to be able to manage the student and know the right Yoga exercises to follow.

Excess Heat

The Bikram Yoga, which is popularly known as the “Hot Yoga”. This exercise places one, under intense heat, leading to dehydration and also causes the muscles to become hot. Giving rise to stretching, thereby causing sprain, strain or even tear to your tendons or ligaments.

Lack of proper concentration

One of the main aims of Yoga is to connect your mind and body, giving it full calmness and focus. Therefore if by any means distraction occurs, then the whole essence of the routine is considered stressful and rather not helpful.

Excess pressure on the body

Overexertion of pressure on the body above its capacity is not recommended or advisable because this could lead to a severe back and general body aches, or even injury.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Living a healthy mental, physical, spiritual, and even emotional lifestyle using Yoga practice is achievable and attainable for everyone.

It is a simple way of life that leaves you energized, gives you the power to control your mind, body, and soul in oneness. Yoga gives you self-discipline, flexibility, and a peaceful body.

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