Yoga Benefits ? reveillelife

The other day, upon learning that I am a yoga teacher, a man asked me, ?Why is yoga good for you?? His question made me realize that a lot of people don?t know about the benefits of yoga. Most people have heard of yoga as a form of exercise and many people believe that it improves flexibility, but the majority of us don?t recognize the multitude of yoga benefits.

To start, yoga is an ancient practice that has been used to nourish the mind and body for thousands of years. It is a discipline that has lasted the test of time and is still relevant in our modern culture. In yoga, we use poses (called asanas) to safely stretch our muscles, thus reducing stiffness, tension, pain, and fatigue. Yoga also increases joint mobility and stretches our soft tissues, including ligaments, tendons, and fascia.

In addition to stretching, yoga also strengthens the body. Even when holding poses, yoga is an active practice that engages all the muscles of the body. Poses like down dog and plank build upper body strength while standing poses strengthen the lower body. When practiced correctly, almost all yoga poses build core strength, targeting the deepest layer of abdominal muscles, and thus improving core stability and providing lower back support.

The intense focus on breath in yoga classes can also improve lung capacity. As we age we often use less of our lung capacity, but in yoga we learn to breathe deeply, thereby regaining full function of our lungs. Moreover, deepening and lengthening the breath stimulates relaxation and inhibits the fight-or-flight response. Yoga facilitates stress reduction and has a plethora of biochemical anti-stress benefits. According to WebMD, some of these physiological benefits are decreased catecholamines (the hormones produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress) and lowered levels of excitatory neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine). Additionally, some research suggests that yoga boosts levels of oxytocin, which is the hormone associated with feeling relaxed and connected to others.

Other physiological benefits of yoga are lowered blood pressure and slowed heart rate. Similarly, yoga has been associated with decreased cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increased immune system functioning. Yoga is also believed to enhance focus and concentration as well as improve mood. Current studies are examining the use of yoga with a host of medical conditions including cancer, depression, heart disease, asthma, chronic back pain, arthritis, insomnia, and autism.

These benefits are only some of the empirically cited benefits of yoga. Yoga can nourish the mind, body, and spirit, and is an excellent addition to any fitness or health regimen. I encourage you to seek out a yoga studio in your area so that you can begin to reap the many benefits of yoga in your own life.

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Source: http://reveillelife.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/yoga-benefits/

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