8 Reasons Why Practicing Yoga Should Be One of Your New Year's Resolutions
Like many Americans, you may have decided that 2021 is the year you're going to exercise more and become healthier. Unfortunately, resolutions can soon be forgotten if they're too difficult or costly to achieve. Yoga doesn't require expensive equipment and can be practiced virtually anywhere. Here are a few reasons why you should consider adding yoga classes to your schedule this year.
1. Better Control of Chronic Conditions
Practicing yoga a few times a week is an excellent way to manage chronic conditions naturally. Yoga keeps your joints limber if you have arthritis and offers a natural way to lower high blood pressure. Patients who participated in a research study documented in the International Journal of Clinical and Pharmaceutical Research reduced their blood pressure and improved their quality of life after practicing yoga for three months. Yoga sessions can also be helpful if you have low back pain, insomnia, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other chronic conditions.
2. Less Stress
Life is more enjoyable if you're not constantly stressed or anxious. When you reduce your stress level, you're less likely to develop stress-related health conditions like heart disease, autoimmune diseases, digestive problems, obesity, and depression. Performing yoga increases your production of serotonin, a natural chemical that helps you feel relaxed and calm. You'll also learn deep breathing and meditation techniques that will enhance relaxation and decrease stress.
3. Heart Health Benefits
Yoga improves blood flow, circulation while also helping you reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Regular yoga sessions may even lower your cholesterol level. In a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers discovered that people who practiced yoga weighed less and had lower blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
4. Fewer Injuries
Injuries are common when you first start a new exercise routine, whether you're lifting weights or running. If "exercise more" is one of your New Year's resolutions, yoga can help you avoid getting hurt. Yoga improves muscle flexibility, increases your range of motion, and decreases stress on your ligaments, muscles, and joints.
Losing your balance during a run or basketball game can cause injuries that will turn you into a couch potato for days or weeks. Yoga improves your balance, helping you avoid devastating falls.
5. An Ideal Weight Loss Solution
Performing yoga regularly increases your muscle mass, which helps you burn calories during and after yoga class. Are you a stress eater? Meditation and mindfulness, key components of yoga, lower your stress level and help you resist the urge to overeat.
6. Relief of Aches and Pains
Do you suffer from neck, back, or leg pain due to tight muscles and joints? Practicing yoga increases your production of endorphins, chemicals that ease pain naturally while improving your mood.
Keeping your muscles loose and flexible will help you avoid aches and pains. Yoga stretches and strengthens muscles, while also toning them. When your muscles are strong, you'll be much more likely to stress or strain them.
7. No More Insomnia
If you can't remember the last time you had a good night's sleep, you'll want to give yoga a try. Thanks to the calming effects of serotonin and endorphins, you may find it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Meditation enhances relaxation and helps you clear your mind of worries that can keep you up at night.
8. Improved Health
Practicing yoga also strengthens your immune system, which helps you lower your risk of catching colds and other illnesses. Yoga improves lymph system function by enhancing the system's ability to remove wastes and toxins that cause diseases and illnesses. Practicing yoga may also improve the movement of white blood cells. The cells attack viruses and bacteria, preventing you from becoming sick.
Are you ready to enjoy all these benefits of yoga? Contact us and we'll help you choose the perfect yoga class for you.
Sources:
Psychology Today: Yoga for Stress Relief, 12/18/15
Yoga Journal: 38 Health Benefits of Yoga, 4/12/17
WebMD: Yoga for Weight Loss, 7/21/06