What does a dog, cobra, cat and cow have in common? Well, they’re all yoga poses of course. There may be something to the increasing popularity of yoga – it is said to improve your mental and physical wellness if you practice it regularly. So, here are just some of its many benefits.
It is easy to start at home
One of the biggest benefits of yoga is that it’s easy to start and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. Create a quiet, comfortable spot and get yourself a yoga mat or use a soft towel. Start slow and learn to do the poses correctly first so you don’t risk injury. As you start to do this consistently, your strength and balance will grow. Here are some YouTube yoga channels to get you started.
It makes you strong
Regularly doing yoga helps you build long, lean muscles because it uses isometric muscle contractions. This means that you exert tension on muscles, or groups of muscles, without actually lengthening or shortening them. This static contraction improves your core strength and, in turn, your posture.
It helps your flexibility
Your muscles become tighter with age. Sitting for prolonged periods of time also has the same effect – in your shoulders, arms, back and hips. The movement and stretching in yoga will help to loosen your muscles and improve your mobility.
It promotes your joint health
Yoga is a low impact activity and you can therefore use your joints and improve the muscles and tendons around your joints with a lower risk of injury.
It helps you to breathe
Yoga teaches you to breathe deeply and focus on your breathing. This also helps you to focus your mind the same way mediation does.
It helps your mental wellbeing
Yoga helps you to concentrate and be in the moment. It has shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and it even boosts your mood and improves sleep.
Resources
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga
https://www.verywellfit.com/top-health-benefits-of-yoga-3566733
