Practicing yoga can not only improve the strength and flexibility of your body but can also boost your mental wellness. The health benefits of yoga are countless. You can start to see changes just after one session of yoga practice.
Certain types of yoga, such as vinyasa or yin, have different benefits, but you should expect to see positive changes in your mind or body, no matter what type you do.
If you’ve been thinking about starting to practice yoga, we’ll go over the top five life-changing advantages of being a yogi.
1. Burn Calories
While there are gentle types of yoga, certain types can increase your heart rate and burn calories. One of the benefits of hot yoga is the increase in calorie burn. For the average woman, they can burn over 300 calories in a 90-minute Bikram yoga class.
In a traditional yoga class, you can expect to burn around 183 calories in a 60-minute session. By increasing the heat, you will burn more calories.
2. Reduces Anxiety and Stress
Studies have shown that yoga can reduce the secretion of cortisol, the major stress hormone. Yoga helps you find inner peace and be present in the moment, working to decrease anxiety and stress.
Adding meditation practice into your yoga routine can add another tool for managing your stress. You can go through a meditation on your own or book a private, guided meditation class. If that’s something that interests you, have a look at some options.
3. Increase Balance, Strength, and Flexibility
The poses you do in yoga stretch your muscles, helping you feel less stiff and tired. It also increases your range of motion.
Power yoga is a style that is extremely physical, helping those who practice it improve their muscle tone. A lot of the yoga poses that you do in less intense styles help build your upper-body strength. Downward dog and plank pose can help strengthen your shoulder muscles.
4. Heart Health Improvements
One of the benefits of yoga for women is having a healthier heart. By reducing inflammation in your body, along with lower stress levels, yoga can help reduce the risks of heart disease.
Daily practice of yoga slows your heart rate and lowers blood pressure. If you are someone that has high blood pressure, heart disease, or had a stroke, practicing yoga regularly will improve your heart rate.
5. Quality of Life Improvements
During a yoga session, you will incorporate breathing exercises. Pranayama teaches you how to focus your attention on your breathing, learning how to take deep, belly breaths. Deeper breaths benefit your entire body and can help calm your nervous system.
By honing in on your mind-body connection, you will gain a better awareness of your body. Being in better touch with your body, you will learn to be more confident. Yoga teaches you how to be more comfortable in your own skin.
Experience the Benefits of Yoga
Whether you’re looking to improve your state of mind or incorporate a new exercise style into your routine, the benefits of yoga are countless. You will experience reduced stress, improved flexibility, and an overall improved state of mind.
For more lifestyle tips, check out one of our other articles.