Source: Unsplash by Katie Bush
By the time you did your “shavasana” pose today, you were probably already feeling less tense and ready to have a great day. Yoga is renowned for its stress-reducing properties in people of all ages.
Yoga is beneficial to our personal health in various ways. Everyone has their own motivation for taking it up; whilst some people integrate it into their routines to help combat or recover from illness, others simply utilise yoga for its ability to reduce stress in an increasingly hectic world. Once you’ve designed a plan, you can embark on your journey into the world of yoga!
If you’re not already convinced, here are five science-backed benefits to yoga:
Balance
Whether you practice yoga for endurance or simply to release stress, yoga poses teach one how to improve balance and gain strength whilst doing so.
Sleep
There is nothing better after a long day of work than to have a 30-45 minute yoga session in the evening. You will feel more relaxed and will help you to have a better night’s sleep.
Mood
Whether you’re hanging out with friends later in the day or simply want to make the most of your lunch break, practising yoga will elevate your mood by reducing stress and anxiety, helping you to feel more relaxed and present.
Self-care
Self-care is crucial; building a tailored self-care routine is as important as work engagements or academic commitments. By making yoga an integral part of your self-care routine you can learn to minimise the level of unnecessary stress you face on a daily basis. This, by extension, will improve your overall outlook and attitude to life’s challenges.
Preventing Injury
A 2009 study proved that, if done consistently and with proper form, yoga can actually increase bone density. Moreover, certain yoga positions can be beneficial to achieving correct posture. Good posture is crucial in maintaining the spine’s natural curvature and can aid in preventing lower back pain down the line. Simply put, doing backward and forward bends will keep your bones healthy as ever.
There’s a multitude of other benefits to yoga, the rest you will have to find out by doing it yourself!