The Benefits of Yoga Mental and Physical

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is not a trend; it is as old as 5000 years. Millions of people since ages have been enjoying the benefits of yoga. There are people who feel that while doing yoga they have to stretch themselves like gymnasts. They feel that their body is too rigid to be able to do that. The fact is that one is never too old to increase one’s flexibility.

The yoga postures called asanas function by stretching your muscles. This helps in releasing the lactic acid that gets stored with the usage of muscles and it can lead to pain, fatigue, and stiffness. Yoga also helps the joints to gain more mobility. Lubrication in the joints is also increased. The effect is a sensation of fluidity and ease in the entire body.

Yoga stretches ligaments, tendons, and also the fascia sheath enclosing the muscles. You will be able to witness the benefits within a short span of time. Some forms of yoga like Ashtanga, power yoga are more vigorous than the rest. These help in gaining muscle tone. Other less vigorous styles bring about strength and benefits of endurance. If the yoga postures are practiced under the supervision of experts, then they can help to build core strength in the abdominal muscles.

When flexibility and strength increase; the posture also becomes better. The standing and sitting postures help in developing core strength. Yoga increases your body awareness. The deep breathing exercises improve the capacity of the lungs. This helps the individual to perform better in endurance and sports.

Those who perform yoga feel less stressed. They feel relaxed after their first class. The deep breathing process helps the mind to focus on the breath. The mind calms down on account of this. Certain biochemical processes help in reducing stress with yoga. The catecholamine is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands on account of stress. Yoga helps in decreasing this hormone. It also brings down the levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine, epinephrine. This succeeds in bringing forth a feeling of calm.

Yoga students are of the opinion that there is an alteration of mood after the yoga classes. They feel happier and contented. Yoga is sometimes used as a therapy to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Yoga has a therapeutic effect on heart disease. Yoga can lower blood pressure and slow down the heart rate. This will help people with heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Yoga has also been related to a decrease in cholesterol and triglycerides levels and also it gives a boost to the immunity of an individual.

In the West, yoga has gained immense popularity. They have developed a concept called IYT- integrative yoga therapy. It is utilized for treating certain medical conditions. Various other chronic medical ailments like asthma, arthritis, and back pain have been benefitted with the practice of yoga.

Yoga contributes to the learning and memory of any individual. It can slow down the aging process by raising the energy levels of an individual. It can keep him mentally active and fresh. Yoga has a positive impact on the treatment of depression.