Benefits Of Yoga

What is yoga? How does it work?

Yoga is a mind and body practice with historical origins in ancient Indian philosophy.
Various styles of yoga combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation.


What do we understand by the term "yoga"?

The word "yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning "to yoke or join together."

 Some people take this to mean a union of mind and body which helps in the improvement of both. 

There are various types of poses in yoga and their benefits. Some of them are;

1)  Sukhasana

It may seem as an easy pose but it is very beneficial.

It is very calming and a hip opener.

                                        And it helps in lowering the level of anxiety.

2) Triangle – Trikonasana

The triangle pose which improves the flexibility of your spine to a great level.

Also improves alignment of your shoulders and relieves back pain and stiffness in the neck area.

3) Utkatasana

     

 It is very useful pose for chest.  

It stretches the chest and shoulders. 

It reduces symptoms of flat feet and it stimulates your heart, diaphragm and  abdominal organs.

                         Yoga and its benefits 

             

There are many benefits of yoga and they are as follows;

1)  It Makes you happy

     The most important benefit of yoga is you're happier.

     People who do yoga for an hour are 27% more happier than  others.

2) It Improves your flexibility

    Practicing yoga again and again or on daily basis helps you in becoming very flexible and it opens up your body and muscles.

3) Builds muscle strength

    Strong muscles is very essential. They also protect us from conditions like arthritis and back pain.

    And when you build strength through yoga, you balance it with flexibility. 

4) You sleep better

     Yoga helps you in getting a good sleep. 

     according to the observation the person who does regular yoga tends to fall asleep faster than others.

               

5) Perfects your posture

    Poor posture can cause back, neck, and other muscle and joint problems.  

    Yoga helps in getting your posture correct and removes pain and make you more comfortable doing daily activities.        

6) Better Breathing

    What could be more important than our breath? Without  our breath we wouldn’t  last longer than a few short minutes. When we deepen our breath every cell in our body celebrates.

7) Removes Asthma

   A systematic review assessing the effectiveness of yoga as a treatment for asthma, concluded that yoga alleviates asthma.

8) Breast cancer cognitive problems

Yoga can effectively reduce cognitive problems in survivors of breast cancer and prompt further research on mind-body and physical activity interventions for improving cancer-related cognitive problems.

9) Hypertension

Effective stress management is a key part of managing blood pressure, and a number of systematic reviews have assessed the available evidence for yoga as a therapeutic tool for managing hypertension and elevated blood pressure.

10) Migraine

       Yoga exercises as a complementary treatment beside pharmacological treatments, could be an effective way to improve vascular functions in migraineurs.

So basically yoga has many benefits and these were the most important benefits but these were the physical benefits of yoga. 

But other then physical benefits the main benefit of yoga is MENTAL benefit.

MENTAL BENEFITS

Aside from the physical benefits, one of the best benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress, which is known to have devastating effects on the body and mind. “Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life.”

Yoga’s incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person’s mental well-being. “Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns; relaxes the mind; centers attention; and sharpens concentration”.