Yoga-nna Love It: 5 Reasons To Try Yoga Today!

For thousands of years, Yoga has been used to calm the mind, enrich the spirit, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Yoga can be done nearly anywhere and with minimal equipment. Its physical and psychological health benefits are innumerable as yoga has been shown to increase concentration, promote better breathing, improve posture, tone muscles and improve mind-body awareness. Here are some ways that yoga can help you be a better you!

Flexibility

Yoga is obviously all about flexibility. We’ve all seen pictures of master yogis performing seemingly impossible feats of strength and flexibility which may appear intimidating to the beginner, but the truth is that no matter how inflexible you are, yoga will help you increase range of motion in your joints. Keeping limber is a great way to ward off injuries such as pulled muscles. It also helps relax muscles which can reduce the risk or effects of lower back pain.

Breathing

In yoga, there is much emphasis put on the importance of breathing. As an extremely important bodily function (obviously) it is worthwhile to learn to breath in the most effective manner possible. In most forms of yoga, one is taught to lengthen and deepen their breath which can improve lung capacity. Learning to be a better breather will not only help you in your yogatistical endeavors, but also in any other cardiovascular exercises you might be doing.

Strength

Yoga is always relaxing, but often times it can be very physically strenuous. Almost every yoga position (if practiced correctly) increases core abdominal strength, others focus more directly on triceps, biceps, hamstrings, quadriceps, etc. Increased strength can mean more toned muscles and greater endurance which brings us to my next point.

Posture

With greater range of motion, and increased core strength, good posture (correct alignment of the spine) is more easily maintained for extended periods of time. Over the years, gravity tends to take a toll on most people which causes them to slouch, hunch and slump. Inevitably, detrimental habits are formed. Yoga can help to reteach your body good posture to eliminate back pain.

Psychological

Yoga is proven to reduce stress dramatically due to the release of hormones such as endorphins and oxytocin and reduced levels of hormone neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. This leaves the body with a sense of calm and tranquility. Yoga also emphasizes meditative techniques which can improve one's ability to concentrate effectively over long periods of time. There is also speculation that yoga can help those afflicted by depression and other psychological disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Get out there, give yoga a try and see how it can help you achieve your goals.

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