Benefits of Yoga

Physical Benefits

Yoga has been proven to have multiple physical benefits such as:

Decreased blood pressure
Improved cardiovascular and pulmonary function
Decreased blood lipid levels
Lower body mass index (BMI)

Recent studies have shown that college athletes who participate in regular yoga practice have significant increases of flexibility and balance in as little as 10 weeks! (Polsgrove et al., 2016) Regular yoga practice can help athletes with muscle soreness and pain as well as increased strength in their core, back, arms, and legs.

Mental Benefits

Yoga has been shown to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety and provide overall positive effects on the mental health of those who partake in the practice. Studies show that yoga:

Has synergistic neurobiological effects on neurotransmitters that contribute to mental health conditions like depression, meaning that it chemically battles depression.
Can be used as an intervention to improve cognitive performance, aid in stress management, and help to regulate emotions.
Helps you to enhance your consciousness and your ability to manage life’s stressful demands.

Emotional & Spiritual Benefits

Although yoga is not a religion, it can incorporate unique benefits to create a mind-body connection. The concept of this is to find balance in our mind, body, and emotions (Louie, 2014). The emotional and spiritual benefits expand towards:

Creating a deeper connection with oneself can stimulate the third eye; find goals, thoughts, emotions, passions, and desires.
Encourages a balance of emotions leading to increased happiness and energy.
Can create inner peace with a cleared mind.
Improves focus and memory from a steady state during practice.