There’s no denying that exercise is good for the body and the mind, but, unfortunately, not everyone is physically capable of engaging in traditional exercise activities like running or lifting weights. Regardless of why you can’t engage in high-impact exercises, there’s still an excellent option for you: yoga.Not only is yoga a great low-impact form of exercise, but it has numerous health benefits that can improve your life in a variety of ways. While you should always consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise regime, the following information can also help you figure out if yoga is right for you.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga is the practice of stretching and posing that was developed over 5,000 years ago in India. It seeks to calm and unite the body and mind and is the perfect exercise alternative for people of every age and fitness level. There are plenty of different types of yoga, ranging from those that are slow and relaxed to those that are more lively and intense.Check out some of the top reasons you should consider doing yoga:
1. It can help with numerous health conditions.
While it can’t “cure” any medical problems per se, yoga can go a long way toward improving both your physical and mental health. It’s been known to be a great resource for people suffering from conditions like:
- Poor posture
- Lower back pain
- Arthritis
- Neck, hip, and knee pain
- Insomnia
- Poor circulation and blood flow
- High blood pressure
- Osteoporosis
- Headaches/migraines
- Depression/anxiety
2. It can improve mobility and flexibility over time.
Because it revolves around stretching, it’s no wonder that yoga is a great way to improve your overall flexibility. By working your muscle in joints and slowly expanding their limits, yoga can also help with certain mobility issues. It’s especially good for those of us who find ourselves sitting at desks day in and day out, and moving around very little. Yoga is so good at improving flexibility and mobility that you may soon find yourself able to engage in other forms of exercise, like swimming or walking, with much more ease.
3. It can reduce the risk of serious injury in other areas of your life.
Aside from making you more flexible, yoga also greatly improves your core strength, balance, and overall coordination. Additionally, since mindfulness and awareness are also important when practicing yoga, you will even find yourself becoming more aware of your surroundings and your body abilities and limitations. In short, the improvements yoga can have on your mind and body will make you a more spatially and physically aware person, which can help you perform better and reduce the chance of injury in sports or even just everyday activities.
4. It can help relieve stress.
Deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness… these are all important components of yoga. They’re also important components of stress relief. Many studies have suggested that regular yoga practice can not only lower stress levels, but it can help reduce the effects of anxiety and depression as well.
5. It’s a great way to improve brain function.
Yoga is all about focusing very carefully on very particular parts of your mind and body, whether that be through meditation, stretches, poses, or breathing exercises. All of these things can help enhance your ability to concentrate. Yoga can also have a profound effect on your motivation. Since it tends to improve self-esteem and make you feel better in your own skin, many people who regularly practice yoga find themselves feeling more motivated in a variety of different areas of their lives.
6. It improves your posture.
Strengthening and loosening up muscles and joints doesn’t just relieve pain, it allows your body to function as it should, and part of this is by helping your body default to its correct, natural posture instead of a slouched one. Again, this is another great reason yoga is ideal for people who find themselves either exclusively sitting or standing for 8+ hours a day for work.
7. It helps you truly rest and relax.
Most people who practice yoga find themselves calmer and at ease after every session. This effect has also been known to last throughout the day, helping individuals with insomnia or other sleep problems get a full night of sleep without waking up feeling tired or groggy.
Finding yoga classes is easy. They’re typically offered at gyms or local yoga studios. Nowadays, you can also find a lot of easy-to-follow yoga videos on YouTube. Regardless, make sure you consult with your doctor about which yoga program may be right for you.
And while you’re improving your health and fitness, why not add some supplements as well? The Health Guardian has a variety of supplements design to help aid you in your fitness journey. For example, CardioForLIfe® is designed to help with heart health, Health Guardian Flex® has nutrients to reduce joint pain and inflammation, and MAX Fitness contains Arginine which may help boost your immune system.
Whatever you may need to help improve your health journey, you can find it in our store. If you have any questions about which products are right for you, give us a call at 630-961-5145 or click here to send us an email.