10 Health Benefits of Yoga
Key takeaways:
Yoga is an ancient practice that combines physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation.
Research suggests that yoga can improve various aspects of your mental and physical health.
You can experience the wide-ranging benefits of yoga at any fitness level.
Whether you’re new to yoga or have been practicing for years, there’s no denying its many benefits. The centuries-old practice involves physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. It promotes physical, mental, and emotional health.
And it’s an activity everybody can do. “No matter your physical condition, anybody can practice yoga and benefit from it,” says Samantha Parker, MS, a certified yoga therapist and movement specialist in Washington, D.C.
It’s accessible –– you can do it anywhere –– and cost efficient, depending on where you look. You can find free or inexpensive classes online.
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Find out what science says about the benefits of yoga.
How does yoga affect your health?
Yoga can affect multiple systems in the body, resulting in numerous health benefits. For example, it may help the endocrine system, which controls your body's hormones. Here are 10 science-backed reasons to roll out your yoga mat.
1. Lowers stress
If you polled people about why they do yoga, less stress would probably be at the top of the list — and for good reason. The practice may increase GABA, a chemical in the brain that helps reduce stress. Yoga and meditation techniques may also increase the natural production of dopamine and serotonin. And both of these chemicals may have mood-boosting effects, Parker says.
2. Reduces depression and anxiety
When added to traditional forms of mental health care, yoga may also help with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
"Yoga trains us to better control our emotional responses and reactions to external stressors, most of which are out of your control," says Jess Gronholm, founder and CEO of HIIT & Run Yoga. The average healthy young adult, for instance, has over 6,000 thoughts a day. "At the very least, yoga gives you a break from these daily thoughts, putting you back in control for a short time."
3. Improves focus, memory, and cognition
In yoga classes, instructors will tell you to inhale and exhale during the poses. This breath control helps increase oxygen throughout your body, including your brain, Parker says. As a result, you may have better focus.
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Regular yoga practice promotes mindfulness through meditation. Mindfulness refers to being aware of the present moment without any judgment. It allows you to focus on your body, thoughts, emotions, and environment. A small study found that mindful meditation is associated with better focus and less distraction. Mindfulness has also been linked to better cognitive flexibility, or your brain's ability to adapt to new situations and alternate between tasks.
Additional research shows a possible link between yoga practice and improvements in cognition. For example, doing a meditation called Kirtan Kriya for 12 minutes a day may activate parts of the brain that are essential for memory.
4. Increases flexibility
Increased flexibility is one of the benefits most associated with yoga, and it comes with other payoffs. When you increase your muscle flexibility, you can also improve your range of motion, making it easier to perform certain moves. This, in turn, could enhance your physical performance and reduce your risk of injury during yoga and other activities.
5. Boosts heart health
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for adults in this country. So anything that can improve heart health is a winner. In a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers found some promising evidence that yoga may help boost cardio-metabolic health. Benefits of better cardio-metabolic health include improved body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and heart rate.
6. Relieves muscle soreness
Whether you’re doing new exercises or simply training hard, muscle soreness is part of being active. Turns out, yoga can help. According to a study in the Journal of Strength Conditioning and Research, just one yoga session reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness in women.
7. Eases chronic pain
Practicing yoga may ease various types of chronic or ongoing pain, including low back pain. In one very small study, people with chronic pain and depression practiced yoga as part of a stress-reduction course. Almost 90% said the program helped them find better ways to cope with their pain. The results didn’t surprise Gronholm.
“In yoga, regardless of the style, you use your body differently than you do the other hours of the day,” he says. “You purposely –– and carefully –– put physical stress on your body,” he continues. “You remove the support of the chair or bed, so you can learn to provide that support yourself, which teaches you to manage the pain.”
8. Aids weight loss
Studies suggest that yoga can help you maintain or achieve a healthy weight in various ways. For example, yoga may aid in weight loss and management by helping you burn calories with physical poses. And it may promote healthier eating by increasing mindfulness.
9. Fosters better sleep
If you have trouble sleeping, yoga can be a relaxing way to end your day. In a national survey, more than 55% of people who did yoga reported better sleep. One small study showed that older individuals who did certain styles and poses –– like Hatha yoga –– reported better sleep quality.
10. Promotes healthier habits
According to that same survey, more than 90% of adults who practice yoga do so for wellness or overall health. The survey looked at how people use three complementary health approaches: yoga, natural supplements, and spinal manipulation like massage therapy.
Yoga users were more likely to report that their approach led to positive health outcomes. Some of the respondents said that yoga encouraged them to exercise more, eat healthier, and cut back or stop drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes.
And there is ongoing research on the possible link between regular yoga practice and healthy habits.
The bottom line
From less stress to more flexibility, growing research says it all: Doing yoga can improve your health in many ways. The mind and body practice incorporates physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. And the best part is, you can try it no matter your fitness level.
Why trust our experts?
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