How Yoga Can Make Positive Changes to Your Body

1. How Yoga Can Make Positive Changes to Your Body

2. Practicing yoga can lead to many benefits in our daily lives - from reducing stress to improving fitness to improving our sense of well-being. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 ways that yoga can help to make positive changes to our bodies as well as improve our mental and emotional state: 1. Greater flexibility The postures performed during yoga practice can help us to increase the flexibility in many areas of our body, including the hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders. Some styles focus more on strength and others emphasize flexibility, but all will help to open the body and increase range of motion.

3. 2. Improved muscle tone and endurance Though introductory yoga classes are not generally strenuous, they do require dynamic and static movements that tax the muscular system and build strength and endurance. The intensity of classes will vary based on the level and the instructor, but even students in basic classes will improve muscle tone and conditioning over time. 3. Better balance Balance training can be an important benefit of yoga as many poses involve standing on one leg or finding stability with feet wide apart or even balancing on

4. just your hands or forearms. All of these postures help to improve proprioceptive abilities and lead to great balance. 4. Reduced stress and anxiety levels Many people report that they feel significantly more relaxed after practicing yoga and science seems to back up these self-reported claims. Studies carried out on people who regularly practiced yoga discovered that regular practice could help to reduce cortisol levels, a key hormone associated with stress. Since those initial studies, further research has been conducted into using yoga to

5. combat the types of illnesses that can cause abnormally high levels of cortisol in patients, such as depression, high blood pressure, Cushing’s disease, and Type-2 diabetes. Other research has shown that GABA levels in the brain often increase after a twelve-week yoga regimen. Since low levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric) in the brain have long been associated with depression and anxiety, scientists theorize that these disorders could be reduced in severity or even eliminated after regular yoga practice.

6. 5. Lowering blood pressure People suffering from mild to moderate hypertension may well benefit from practicing yoga, as it can help to lower their blood pressure. Patients with hypertension who were prescribed a regular yoga practice experienced greater reductions in blood pressure than a control group that used other forms of mild exercise such as walking. 6. Improved brain function Research comparing the brain function in those who completed a highly active aerobic exercise for 20 minutes, with those who spent the same amount of time

7. practicing yoga, has shown that the brain performance of those in the latter group, was significantly better. This could be associated with enhanced self-awareness - something that can come after practicing yoga or other meditative exercises and which may help with cognition. These types of exercises, in general, are known to reduce stress and anxiety, and may also improve cognitive brain performance, boost focus, and assist with memory as well.

8. 7. Vital lung capacity may increase The maximal quantity of air exhaled after a deep breath is known as vital lung capacity, and some forms of yoga - such as Hatha - have been known to significantly increase this capacity. New studies have also discovered that yoga could benefit patients suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which is incurable and can include chronic bronchitis or emphysema (or in some cases, both). The lung function of those who took part in the study and practiced yoga for 12 weeks was greatly improved, along with reductions in shortness of breath and inflammation.

9. 8. Better control of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes When added to an existing healthy lifestyle, yoga may significantly lower cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. This can make a significant difference for those with various types of heart disease and help them to control their symptoms. The regular practicing of yoga often leads to steadier blood sugar levels in those who suffer from diabetes. In recent years, a report by Reuters indicated that within three months of a patient beginning to practice yoga alongside their diabetes care, their body mass index decreased and their blood sugar remained at a safe level.

10. 9. Relief from chronic lower back pain Back pain can affect the lives of many, particularly as they age. Multiple studies have demonstrated that therapeutic yoga practices can be more effective than traditional methods of treatment in reducing pain levels and improving the overall mood of those suffering from chronic lower back pain. 10. Weight is easier to control A recent study in Seattle found links between the regular practice of yoga and decreased body weight in many middle-aged adults. During the study, overweight participants lost an average of 5 pounds in the same amount of time in which

11. those who didn’t practice yoga gained around 14 pounds. Aside from the physical activity itself, yoga also raises body and emotional awareness, which can aid practitioners in making healthier choices when it comes to meal times. If some of the benefits above sound enticing to you, then it’s probably time for you to see if yoga can be helpful to you. Find a local class that caters to beginners and give it a try. You might find yourself on a path to becoming healthier and happier as you discover all of the positive changes that yoga can help you achieve.

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