10 Benefits of Yoga!

The benefits of yoga are numerous and cover a broad range of physical, emotional, and wellness issues. Practicing yoga regularly can not only help you sleep better, keep a healthy weight, and ease back pain, did you know it can also give you a firm derrière and relieve stress? There are so many benefits of yoga, it’s almost too much to put in one article, but we can do it, right here, right now! Here are 10 benefits of yoga you should know about, so put on your yoga pants, turn on your favorite DVD, and let’s get going! So here are a few way yoga can help you live a better life.

1. BETTER SLEEP

With millions of Americans suffering from varying degrees of insomnia on a regular basis, this is one benefit of yoga that’s a real selling feature. Doing yoga a few times a week can actually help you sleep better, for a variety of reasons. It’s true!

2. BETTER POSTURE

Because yoga strengthens your core, you’ll notice that your posture will improve as you practice it for a few weeks. You’ll walk with confidence, shoulder back, tummy in, head held high. Good posture is healthy, and it’s also attractive!

3. STRESS RELIEF

One of the key benefits of yoga is that, if you practice it regularly, it can be a marvelous stress-buster. As part of the yoga routine, you are forced to clear your mind and focus on your body and breathing. Because of this, your stress reactions will diminish, even after class is over.

4. WEIGHT LOSS

Combined with a healthy diet and as part of a regular exercise program, yoga can help you lose weight, and keep it off, too. Is it any wonder so many workout and weight loss DVDs include a yoga segment?

5. MUSCLE TONE

In addition to reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, yoga can also help build lean muscle, and will also help define and tone existing muscle. You won’t be over-huge and buff, but you will have a gorgeous, sexy silhouette!

6. LOW IMPACT

Yoga is a low-impact exercise, which means it’s great for anyone who has joint trouble, including senior citizens. It’s still strenuous, though, so if you’re not sure if you can do it, check with your doctor first, and definitely ease into a beginner’s course!

7. MENTAL SHARPNESS

Regular practice of yoga has been proven to help with memory and concentration, and even, in recent studies, it’s been shown to help prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease. Marvelous! 

8. BALANCE

If you, like me, suffer from balance issues, either from inner ear problems or something else, yoga can help with that, too. I’m beginning to think there’s nothing yoga can’t help with!

9. START SMALL

Another benefit of yoga is that it’s a fantastic “gateway” exercise. Practicing yoga will lead you to want to be healthier in other parts of your life, like your diet, and it will even lead you to consider quitting smoking. Amazing! 

10. TIME WITH FRIENDS

If you decide to take a yoga class at a studio or at the gym, you can do it with friends, and spend quality time with them, doing something far more healthful and beneficial than a night out drinking, shoe shopping, or scrapbooking.   So, lets get out out mats and downward dog our way to better lives!