Everyone has that one friend who waxes lyrical about yoga – and it’s with very good reason! The Indian practice has been around for thousands of years, but it’s only more recently that it’s become popular.
We reckon it’s a lot to do with the influence of celebs, with a whole host of A’Listers giving it a go and extolling its virtues via social media. And of course, they’re not wrong – there are plenty of benefits to yoga – and here are just five of them:
- It Improves Flexibility – Arguably the biggest benefit to yoga is how stretchy it can make you – there really is nothing more rewarding than discovering you can touch your toes with little to no discomfort. You’ll find most positions a struggle during your first yoga class, but in time you’ll be able to give all sorts of weird and wonderful poses a go. Aches and pains will also start to disappear and your body will loosen up in general; all the soreness you might normally feel as you get in and out of bed will quickly dissipate – and that’s reason alone to give yoga a go.
- It Perfects Your Posture – With increased flexibility comes a better posture; as you gain muscle strength in certain areas of your body, you’ll find that other areas will benefit. You may, for example, discover that by boosting the strength in your back you begin to stand up a bit straighter. And of course, good posture is so important! If you’re someone who’s permanently hunched over a computer, you might experience anything from neck and back pain to general problems with the joints. Yoga will stop your every-day slump and instill in you some new habits you’ll want to maintain. John from www.doctor-4-u.co.uk highly recommends yoga because its essential for: weight loss, cardio an circulatory health, protection from injury and improved respiration.
- Helps Lower Your Blood Sugar – Anyone with high blood sugar will definitely want to listen up now – yoga can help! For people with diabetes, in particular, the hobby is fantastic – helping to lower cortisol and adrenaline levels, as well as encouraging weight loss and improving sensitivity to insulin and its effects.
- It Improves Your Balance – Are you someone that loses their balance when doing simple things like, say, standing on one leg? The good news is you can change this, simply by practicing yoga frequently. Those with bad posture or dysfunctional movement patterns tend to have poor proprioception; this can lead to back pain and knee problems further down the line, so it really is important to work on your balance.
- It Promotes a Better Night’s Sleep – Hooray! Insomniacs will no doubt be jumping for joy – which, incidentally, might help wear them out and aid sleep as well – when they hear more about this benefit! Yoga gives a little much-needed relief from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, which is just perfect for anyone who struggles to doze off at night. Of course, getting more sleep will bring with it a host of other benefits, too, such as boosted focus and motivation when it comes to your work. You’ll also feel more refreshed in general, which can’t be a bad thing at all. More sleep = a less stressed you. Sounds good, right?
If you’re yet to try yoga, we bet you’re more than ready to give it a go now? If we still haven’t quite convinced you, why not try an on online programme first; it’ll help ease you in without the worry of what you’ll look like attempting the mountain pose in front of a room full of people. Go on, give it a go and see if you find yourself becoming converted to the merits of this popular hobby.
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