Need a reason to start yoga?
Below are 10 benefits of yoga that may surprise you!
But first:
Yoga is an exercise that has deep reaching benefits for our physical and emotional health.
You may already know how it keeps us flexible, energetic, and helps us lose weight.
However, there are many other hidden benefits, such as improving asthma and managing pain that you probably may not know.
In this article, I’ve combined ten of the most unexpected benefits of yoga.
As you read them, you’ll begin to realize yoga is less about focusing on one part of the body.
Instead, it is a more holistic exercise that doesn’t just work on your body…
…but also your mind and spirit.
Here’s 10 ways that yoga can make your life better…
…and why *you* should make it a regular part of yours:
1. Keeps Your Heart Healthy
The American Heart Association has reported that regularly practicing yoga can make it less likely that a person will develop heart disease.
The surprising part?
Yoga usually isn’t included in exercises that will raise your heart rate or a part of the AHA-recommended aerobic activity.
But don’t drop your existing cardio routine.
Rather, incorporate yoga into it. This way, you’ll get twice the results.
Related: 7 Yoga Poses for Beginners: Simple Poses…Powerful Results
2. Improves Other’s Perception About You
You’re about to step into an interview.
You’ll be meeting the interviewee for the first time.
If they see you adopt a sloppy posture and looking defeated, how do you think it will color their perception?
Here’s the deal:
Yoga helps you attain good posture. This is because it strengthens your core and brings your spine into balance with the rest of your body.
Consequently, you will be perceived as in command of the situation.
Add some confidence and the right set of skills to it, and there is no job you can’t be hired to do!
3. Keeps You Emotionally Stable
The benefits of yoga are not just confined to your physical self.
It also works wonders for your mental health since it enhances emotional stability.
And if you’re stable on an emotional level, you’re more likely to enjoy a much happier life.
That’s why yoga is often recommended to people suffering from mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and depression.
If your goal is to reach a stage where you are strong emotionally and physically, then adding yoga to your daily routine will take you a long way towards it.
Related: 10 Depression Coping Skills
4. Boosts Your Immune System
This Norwegian study found out that the beneftis of yoga aren’t just about change at a superficial level.
In fact, practicing it regularly can result in changed gene expression and cellular activities.
That means, through yoga, you can actually boost your immune system.
The best part?
These changes begin taking place as soon as you start doing yoga, as opposed to other meditative techniques that took time to effect people.
5. Maintains a Strong Back
Desk job?
Most people who end up with desk jobs also have to go through life dealing with chronic back pain.
No more!
Because the stretching exercises that make up yoga poses can help manage back pain.
It gets better:
Not only will yoga make your spine more flexible, but it will reduce lower back pain in just one week!
Practicing yoga will reduce lower back pain in just one week!Click To Tweet6. Soothes Rheumatoid Arthritis
There are different types of yoga and one of them, Iyengar yoga, involves the use of more than a yoga mat.
In this type, a yogi will use positioning props, such as blocks and belts.
Studies have shown that this type of yoga can help people with rheumatoid arthritis manage their condition better.
7. Better Sleep
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly a third of all American adults (40.6 million) are sleep deprived.
Now, you may know that exercising can help improve your sleep.
But do you know by how much and which type of exercise?
Well, if you want to improve your bedtime routine, then don’t do just any exercise.
Yoga is IDEAL for people who can’t seem to fall asleep at night.
It will calm you down and make you focus on your breathing, encouraging sleep.
8. Increases Fertility
You might be wondering how yoga can increase fertility?
First:
Couples who have trouble conceiving are often told by their doctor that their stressful lives are responsible.
And since yoga is known to decrease stress, it can come to the aid of stressed out couples.
The chances that a couple will conceive a child increase through reduction of stress by yoga.
Second:
Yoga is known to enhance fertility in different ways.
For instance, if the mother to be can relax when she practices yoga, the energy channels that help in conception will open up.
Moreover, since yoga can help regulate the flow of blood, it will cause more blood to flow to the reproductive organs.
The organs will receive nutrition, more oxygen, while their performance can improve due to quicker removal of waste and toxins.
Yoga increases fertility, improves sleep, soothes arthritis and lowers stress!Click To Tweet9. Detox
A specific type of yoga known as ‘Detox Yoga’ has been specifically designed for detox.
But here’s the best part: you don’t have to practice Detox Yoga to get the benefits of detox.
ALL TYPES of yoga result in increased flow of oxygenated blood to all your organs, muscles, and bones.
The type of yoga known as Asana is constructed of certain postures that can apply pressure to the organs in dire need of detox. For example, the digestive organs, kidneys, and liver.
Related: 8 Superfood Detox Smoothies (To Boost the Loss of Toxins!)
10. Lowers Stress
Are you aware of your breathing right now?
One of the main benefits of yoga is teaching us the proper way to breathe.
When we breathe the right way, more oxygen reaches our brain…vital for thinking rationally.
And once the brain’s thinking power kicks in, it can help you deal with stressful situations.
The thing is, whenever most of us encounter a similar situation in real life; we tend to hold our breath.
We might not even be doing this intentionally but it still happens. Yoga can help you manage stress better!
Related: 10 Yoga Poses to Relieve Stress
Conclusion
The benefits of yoga will enrich your life in countless ways.
And since I started practicing yoga, I can attest to its many benefits:
My life-long back problem is no more. I have an abundance of energy. Events that used to cause me stress no longer do so.
Why not start practicing today and enjoy the many benefits of yoga for yourself?
I hope you enjoyed these 10 Surprising Benefits of Yoga!
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This strategy forces your body to adapt, giving you a more shapely, feminine body that looks great.
What’s more, Yoga Burn for Women is designed exclusively for women from any walk of life who want to lose weight and get in shape, without trekking to the gym and spending countless hours performing fruitless cardio.
The program is specifically tailored to suit women of all fitness levels from the very new to advanced yoga students.
You’ll also learn how to optimize each pose to take advantage of your very own fitness levels.
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Thanks for staying to the end! Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below:
Thanks for sharing. I had no idea how yoga benefits sleep, detox, and fertility for that matter. Will start joining my local yoga club then 🙂 appreciate the article and look forward to a lot more eye-opening fitness tips from you. More power and Cheers!
Hey Chester! That’s exactly why I wrote this article – yoga offers so many eye-opening benefits! Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Peter
Great post! I have been incorporating yoga into my lifestyle after going to the gym and overexerting myself. I decided to switch to a lowe impact exercise that would also help with stress.
Hi Whitney. Yes, yoga will certainly help combat stress. And the way in which it impacts your health is verging on the mystical! Cheers, Peter
Yoga is not only a healthy practice, but it’s also an eco-healthy one. Yoga has incredible benefits. Thanks For sharing valuable info with us. Keep posting.
Yes! What a good point: eco-healthy! Thanks for your input Healthylife
I didn’t know that yoga could be beneficial for your heart just like cardio. I like to go running for my weekly workouts, but maybe I should consider adding yoga into my routine as well. Especially since it also has emotional health benefits and not just the physical.
Hi Jenna. Yes, you most definitely should include yoga. Like meditation, it has far-reaching benefits for body, mind and soul! Adding yoga to my daily routine, changed my life – I sleep better, enjoy mental clarity and it’s a great stress buster. Gald you found the article interesting and thanks for reading, Peter
Thanks a lot bud…,
You’ve clearly pointed out important things which I really appreciate it…
I’m also sharing this article to my every colleagues and friends…
Again, a big thumbs up for your great work….
I have question : How long can we do yoga?