Before we get into yoga and its benefits, it is really important to understand what actually Yoga is and why it is so beneficial for health and the mind. Many people call it an ancient method of training, and others call it a set of difficult poses. Some call it their way to peace and good health. So let’s catch up on what actually yoga is and why it’s beneficial for us.

WHAT IS YOGA?

The word ‘yoga’ actually means “Union” Or “To Unite”. It is a practice that connects the body, mind, and spirit altogether through different body postures, meditation, and controlled breathing. Simultaneously, the body’s six senses work along.

The renowned Yogi, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev calls yoga “an expression of life.” He says, “Yoga essentially means finding the keys to the nature of the existence.”

Yoga is not only about bending or twisting the body and holding the breath. It is much more than that. It is a mechanism to bring you into a form or state where you see & experience the reality, just the way it is, in a peaceful manner. So, If you allow your energies to become exuberant and ecstatic, your sensory body expands alongside. All of this enables you to experience the whole universe as a part of you that resides within you, making everything one – this is the union that yoga creates.

Performing Yoga helps you achieve the greater good. It aims to create a perfect harmony between your mind, body, and soul. When you fine-tune yourself so that everything functions wonderfully within you, you will bring out the best of your abilities.

The perfect union of body, mind, and soul can be achieved through Hatha Yoga and its various branches which are named as follows (Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Yin Yoga, Kundalini Yoga), it all depends on what you like and the problems you are looking to tackle through the practice of Yoga.

BENEFITS OF PRACTISING YOGA

Practicing yoga regularly has quite a lot of benefits in hand, which will positively impact your body physically and mentally. From internally working with your body to externally performing, yoga works in every possible mechanism whether it is to work on reducing your blood pressure or raising your pain tolerance, improving your posture, and many more benefits.

The Internal Health Benefits Of Yoga

Enhanced Blood Circulation –The very first thing that yoga does is that actually improves blood circulation, which means better transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the whole body. It also indicates healthier organs and gives you glowing skin.
Lowers down the Blood Pressure –Practicing yoga regularly, enhances the circulation of blood in the body. Thus allows oxygenation in the body.
Drops the Pulse Rate – Yoga reduces the extra strain in the body, thereby easing it down. When the body relaxes, the pulse rate gets lowered. A low pulse rate indicates that your heart is strong enough to pump more blood in a span of fewer beats.
Lowered Respiratory Rate –Yoga helps you to get controlled breathing. It entails filling your lungs to their full capacity, thus allowing them to work more efficiently than ever.
Better Cardiovascular Endurance –Yoga improves oxygenation in the body and also lowers the heart rate. This results in higher cardiovascular endurance.

The External Health Benefits Of Yoga

Keeps Premature Aging Far Away – We already know that Everyone has to age, but it is important that we age gracefully and in a healthy manner. Yoga helps to detox the body. Thus, eliminating toxins and free radicals from the body. It also helps delay aging. Yoga relieves stress, which is another important factor to beat aging.
Improves Body Posture –It is in the nature of yoga to make you learn how to control your body. With regular practice, your body will automatically assume the right stance and gets in control. You will look confident and healthy, with the same internal feeling.
Increasing Strength –When you practice yoga on a regular basis, you use the weight of your own body to increase your strength without the use of an external source. This is an amazing method of performing strengthening training, without straining the body by heavy lifting.
Helps to Maintain The Ideal Weight –With an increased or regulated metabolism with the help of yoga, and a workout that helps you build lean muscle, yoga can work quite wonderfully to reduce, increase or maintain your ideal weight.
Balance –Yoga also aims at increasing balance and focus because it allows you to gain control over your body. Doing it regularly will improve your ability to balance the poses in the class and focus well outside the class as well.

The Mental Health Benefits Of Yoga

Uplifts Your Mood –When you practice yoga, your body is filled with a refreshing energy that uplifts your mood almost instantly and makes you feel fresh.
Reduces Stress –When you are on the mat performing yoga, you focus on the practice. This means that all your attention is concentrated on the matter at hand, and your mind slowly drains out the stress and troubles that are plaguing it.
Anxiety Management –A combination of feel-good stretches and controlled breathing helps you overcome anxiety and thus making your mind a peaceful place to cook new and fresh ideas instead of anxiety–related thoughts.
Fights Depression –When you practice yoga, repressed feelings surface. While you may feel sad, the negative energy is released. This helps to combat depression.
Allows Self-Acceptance –Yoga brings you on a journey of self-awareness, the betterment of health, and whatnot. It uplifts your self-esteem, and you become more confident inside out.

There are numerous benefits that reflect how Yoga helps a person internally, externally, physically, and mentally, all of its benefits but, there’s so much more to it. Yoga transforms life and brings out the best of individual horizons in ways they can never imagine. It is absolutely worth trying.

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