Any sort of exercise is beneficial for our health, including cardiac exercises, Zumba, running, and more. Yoga is one such form that has been practised in India for a very long period. Yoga has been incredibly popular in recent years due to all of the ways it is beneficial to one’s health. The founder of classical yoga was Patanjali. Yoga, in his opinion, can help us quiet our brains so that we can recognise our higher selves.
Yoga is a Sanskrit word that translates to “Union.” Thus, yoga improves the relationship between our mind and body by utilizing a variety of asanas, breathing methods, meditation, and slowing down conscious fluctuations. The two main categories of yoga are “Hatha Yoga” and “Raja Yoga” (meditation and contemplation) (yoga postures and asanas).
It allows you to reconnect with your inner self and body. One does not have to be a professional athlete to learn yoga. Every yoga pose has a modification, and novices can start in their own way. Anyone can begin practicing yoga.
Yoga’s Physical Health Benefits
Yoga teacher training in India has been incredibly popular in recent years due to the health benefits it provides to people of all social groups and ages. The main benefits of yoga are that they increase the body’s flexibility and loosen up tight muscles.
When bending forward at first, we might not be able to touch our toes, but with continued practise, we can bend and twist our bodies in a variety of startling ways. Yoga causes significant, side-effect-free body fat loss through stretching and perspiration. The best and simplest way to stay fit and trim is to perform Suryanamaskar for a few minutes.
The session doesn’t even begin before the drowsiness sets in. However, after engaging in the Yogic asanas and exercises, we begin to feel extremely energised. Just like when we balance in the Tree Pose on one leg, it helps us develop our strength and enhance our balance. Back pain from prolonged sitting while working or driving is one of the major issues affecting today’s youth. Yoga aficionados can get rid of this condition by performing various asanas, including backbends and forward bends.
Yoga’s twisting postures help waste pass through the body more easily, which improves metabolism and treats a variety of health issues. In comparison to simply lying on the couch, Savasana (Corpse Pose) is thought to significantly lower blood pressure. For patients with high blood pressure, it is useful. On the other hand, yoga also raises good cholesterol while lowering blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol. Additionally, this lessens the chance of diabetes complications.
The sinuses are opened and drainage is facilitated by humming noises, such as those produced when chanting OM or performing Bhramari Pranayama. Many breathing techniques, such Anulom-Vilom, deep breathing, etc., seem to require fewer, deeper breaths. It encourages nasal breathing so that filtered air can reach our lungs. It results in improved oxygenation and lung function.
Exercises like headstands and shoulder stand to promote blood flow to the organs, increase haemoglobin levels, and reduce blood clotting. This can guard against strokes and heart attacks. Regular yoga practice guarantees a lower heart rate, decreased cortisol levels, and a strong immune system. Increased cortical folding in the brain is another physical alteration. The brain’s effectiveness, ability to process information, memory, and ability to make decisions are all improved by cortical folding.
Yoga incorporates a number of activities for improving eye-hand coordination, menopausal symptoms, and regulating conditions like diabetes, asthma, and migraines. Even cancer patients who practise yoga are able to control their motion sickness during chemotherapy and keep a cheerful attitude.
Yoga’s Mental Health Advantages
PATANJALI SUTRAS: “Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.”
Yoga has astounding health advantages, both for physical and emotional well-being. Balasana, Shavasana, Tadasana, Uttanasana, and Makarasana are among the yoga asanas that are good for mental health. The most common mental illness in the world today is depression. Stress, depression, and high blood pressure all have detrimental consequences on our bodies and minds.
Yoga significantly aids in stress management and the development of coping mechanisms for a good attitude toward life. Consistent yoga practice enhances our focus, coordination, reaction time, memory, and IQ scores, which is a huge advantage. We are less easily distracted by our constantly shifting thoughts.
Yoga also offers a way to escape the stress of daily life. Our nervous system is given a soothing touch through yoga nidra, Shavasana, pranayama, and meditation, which promotes better sleep. It stops the mental cycles of regret, resentment, rage, lust, and fear. Through yoga, our nervous system responds in a calm and restorative manner rather than a fight-or-flight response.
Regular yoga practice offers us the inner fortitude to make positive changes in our lives, such as ultimately giving up smoking after numerous failed attempts. Yoga develops awareness for metamorphosis into a considerate and tranquil person. Karma Yoga is the practice of selfless service. Our difficulties begin to seem less overwhelming when we help others and learn about their struggles.
Yoga results in change through the placebo effect as well. It implies that improving ourselves can be as simple as believing it. Some highly skilled Yogis are able to exert incredible control over their bodies, causing abnormal heart rhythms, elevating the warmth of their hands by 150 degrees Fahrenheit, and many other things. Additionally, these peculiar physiological advantages have left scientists in wonder.
