Yoga has attracted the interest of many people in the past few years. Due to this, yoga studios and different kinds of yoga pants have popped out everywhere. But despite its booming popularity, many people are still not willing to give this ancient practice a try. If you plan to learn more about yoga, you’ve come to the right place.
What Is Yoga?
Yoga can mean different things to various people. Some people consider yoga as their regular exercise. Meanwhile, others think it’s a way to connect to their spirituality. But for many, it can be both.
As mentioned, yoga is an ancient practice that most likely dates back to 2700 B.C. As a matter of fact, yoga is briefly mentioned in the oldest Indian script, the Vedas. The practice what first introduced in the U.S. in 1920 and has grown since then.
Unfortunately, many yoga studios are focusing too much on its physical component, neglecting other areas that involve the person’s inner self, breath, and mind. Experts believe that yoga must be practiced as a whole to maximize its life-changing power.
Benefits of Yoga
There are two primary benefits of yoga: physical and mental. With proper practice, one can experience how powerful it can be. The relaxing yoga poses can greatly help reduce chronic pain, back pain, headaches, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Furthermore, yoga can regulate blood pressure and lessen symptoms of insomnia. Unlike high-intensity physical activities that will prevent you from falling asleep right away, yoga allows you to sleep soundly as soon as your back meets your comfortable mattress.
Physical Benefits
Here are the most common advantages of regular yoga.
- Increased flexibility
- Improved muscle strength and core
- Boosted respiratory, vitality, and energy
- Maintaining good metabolism
- Healthy weight
- Excellent cardio and circulatory health
- Enhanced athletic performance
- Injury protection
Mental Benefits
Apart from physical benefits, one of the most significant advantages of practicing yoga is helping individuals manage stress, which, as we all know, can have adverse effects on the mind and body. Stress can occur in different situations and may result in headaches, neck pain, back pain, and lack of concentration. Practicing yoga is an excellent way to cope with stress, allowing you to have a better outlook on life.
Combining breathing exercises and meditation can boost a person’s overall mental well-being. Yoga exercises create calmness and clarity, enhances body awareness, relieve stress, calm the mind, and improve attention and focus. Self- and body-awareness are particularly critical as these two can help you detect physical health problems, allowing you to get early treatment.
Yoga For Beginners
There are different types of yoga, including goat yoga, vinyasa flow classes, and restorative practices. But don’t let all of these types overwhelm you. In general, the best kind of yoga will depend on your level and not on your interests. The style doesn’t always matter at first. If you are a beginner, taking a beginner class is where you should start.
Basic Yoga Poses
Attending your first-ever yoga class can be intimidating. But fret not! You can practice the basic poses right at the comfort of your home. Practicing at home can make you feel more familiar and comfortable with the poses. Here’s some:
- Mountain pose. First, you need to stand tall by putting your feet together. Put both your arms on your sides, engage your abdominal muscles, and look straight ahead. The mountain pose is the most common starting point for yoga salutations.
- Cat and cow pose. The cat and cow poses are often parts of the warm-up. To start, get down on your hands and knees, slowly arch your back while engaging your spine, and make sure to look up as you do this pose. After a few seconds, move your back in the opposite direction and look down as you round your back.
- Child’s pose. The child’s pose, a.k.a. balasana, is a resting pose if you ever get tired of all the poses in the class. It’s a basic posture you can perform anytime you want to rest. To do this, start with your hands and knees, gently pull your seat back going to your heels, extend your arms forward or on your sides, and rest your head on the ground.
- Deep breathing. Deep breathing may not be a pose, but it’s a critical practice to execute all poses properly. The rule of the thumb is that a person must learn to breathe deeply to maximize the yoga poses he intends to do.
Yoga is a great physical activity for anyone. It won’t just help you get in great shape but will also improve your quality of life. If you are a beginner, you don’t have to worry about the extremity of the practice as it comes with different levels. Generally, yoga is an exercise that can help improve your physical and mental health.
Meta title: The Advantages of Practicing Yoga: Healthy Mind and Body
meta desc: We all know that yoga is generally beneficial. But allow this article to discuss how it can help you become physically and mentally healthy.
