Everything You Need to Know About Yoga

The practice of yoga started about 5000 years ago in India and is still increasingly popular in today’s world. It’s a combination of challenging poses and slow, meditative breathing that is beneficial for both your mind and body. It’s perfect for those that are new to exercise.

Whilst there’s more research to be done into the world of yoga, many studies have shown that regular practice can help with issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, aches and pains, and is even thought to help with anxiety and depression.

Caring for your own mental and physical health should always be a top priority. Yoga is the perfect way of relieving stress and practising mindfulness. It gives you the opportunity to take a time-out and focus on nothing but breathing and moving in a purposeful way without the distractions of every-day life. The stretches are specifically designed to exert every muscle and nerve in your body to improve your physical abilities, and can gradually loosen up tensions and strengthen you. It can even improve posture by strengthening your core, which will result in long term pain relief for sore backs.

One review into yoga found that it is particularly effective at reducing your risk of heart disease. Stretching the muscles helps to make them more sensitive to insulin, which is vital for controlling blood sugar levels. Combine this with deep breathing exercises, and your blood pressure will likely drop to a safer level.

So, although it doesn’t count towards your weekly cardiovascular exercise, doing yoga three times a week can vastly improve your strength, breathing, flexibility and awareness. By making yoga a part of your well-being routine, you’ll start to reap the benefits in no time!