Yoga can bring many benefits to your body and mind if practiced regularly, including increased flexibility, stability, strength, and balance. With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder yoga has grown in popularity over the years. For example, in the United States alone, it’s estimated that more than 20 million people now practice yoga on a rregularlyou’re interested in giving yoga a try but aren’t sure where to start, take a look at the following seven ways yoga can boost your physical and mental fitness.
1) Improves flexibility
When you think of yoga, you probably think of contorting your body into pretzel-like shapes. And while yoga does indeed improve flexibility, that’s not all it does. A regular yoga practice can also help improve your balance, range of motion, and posture. Plus, the more flexible you are, the less likely you are to experience injuries in your joints and muscles.
2) Flexibility helps you recover from sports injuries
When you do yoga, you lengthen and stretch your muscles, which can help prevent sports injuries. In addition, the increased flexibility can help you recover from injuries more quickly. Yoga can also improve your balance and coordination, which can help you avoid injuries in the first place.
3) Improves the immune system
The benefits of yoga don’t stop at the physical level—regular practice can also lead to improved mental and emotional health. One of the ways it does this is by boosting your immune system. When your immune system is functioning properly, you’re better able to fight off infection and disease.
4) Deeper breathing improves overall health
Most of us breathe shallowly, from the chest. This limits the amount of oxygen that reaches our cells and organs. Proper breathing from the diaphragm allows more oxygen to enter the bloodstream and reach the cells, which can improve overall health. Additionally, deep breathing has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and reduce stress levels.
5) Improved sleep patterns
One of the most common benefits of yoga is improved sleep. If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep, regular yoga practice can help. One study found that people who did yoga for at least six months slept better and longer than those who didn’t do yoga.
6) Increases energy levels
Practicing yoga on a regular basis can help to increase your energy levels. This is because yoga helps to improve your circulation and respiration, which in turn can help to oxygenate your cells and improve your overall energy production. In addition, yoga helps to reduce stress levels, which can also lead to increased energy levels.
7) Overall body awareness
One of the best things about yoga is that it increases your overall body awareness. This is because you are constantly moving your body in new ways and focusing on your breath. As a result, you become more in tune with your body and can better identify when something is off.
