In the present age, Yoga is a practice that has gained worldwide recognition over the years and has been recognised as a trend. It’s wonderful that the significance of Yoga in our lives is finally attracting the attention of everyone but do we truly understand the essence and value of this ancient Indian practice?
What exactly is Yoga?
The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, which is a synonym for adding. The addition of strength, energy as well as beauty for the body, mind and soul. The Sanskrit sutra ‘Yog Chitta Vritti Nirodha’ describes the real purpose of Yoga – calming the mind to find peace and moving toward self-realisation. It may sound too extreme, but that’s actually the essence of Yoga. It doesn’t just aid in achieving physical well-being, but it also penetrates the various layers of our body to restore the mind and the soul.
Types of Yoga
There are many kinds of Yoga. Hatha (a mixture of a variety of styles) is among the most well-known styles. It is more of a physical form of Yoga than a quiet, meditative style. The focus of Yoga is pranayamas (breath-controlled exercises). They will be followed by a set of asanas (yoga postures) that are completed with yoga savasana (an interval of relaxation).
The aim of Yoga is to test your physical abilities but without causing you to be overwhelmed. When you are at the “edge,” the focus is on your breath while your mind is relaxed and centred.
A more appealing image of the body
Yoga develops inner awareness. It is a way to focus on your body’s capabilities right now. It aids in improving breathing and the strength of your body and mind. It’s not all about physical appearance.
The majority of yoga studios do not have mirrors. This lets people concentrate their attention on themselves rather than how they posture or the person who is around them. Research has shown that those who took part in Yoga were more conscious about their body than those who did not do Yoga. They also felt more content with their bodies and less critical of their bodies. Because of this, Yoga has become an integral element in the treatment of eating disorders and programs that encourage confidence in one’s body and self-esteem.
Learning to be a mindful eater
Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment and what you’re experiencing in the present without judgement.
Yoga has been proven to improve your mindfulness, not just during class but also daily.
Researchers define mindful eating as an unconstrained awareness of the physical and emotional feelings accompanying eating. They designed a questionnaire that can evaluate mindful eating by using these actions:
- Consuming food even when full (disinhibition)
- Be aware of how food appears and tastes
- Food intake in response to external clues, for example, the smell or sight of food.
- Food intake when stressed or sad (emotional eating)
- Distracting yourself from eating while distracted by other activities
According to their scores, researchers found that those who took yoga classes had a higher level of mindfulness when eating. Yoga practice for both years and the number of minutes of yoga practice each week was associated with higher scores on mindful eating. The practice of Yoga can make you more conscious of how your body is feeling. The increased awareness you gain can be carried over to your meal when you enjoy every bite or sip and observe how food smells, tastes, and feels inside your mouth.
It is difficult to summarise the numerous benefits of Yoga in a couple of sentences. However, in this article, we are highlighting some of the best benefits of Yoga with the hopes that this could encourage others to embrace the lifestyle of Yoga.
Benefits of Yoga
Here’s a list of the benefits of Yoga, which will help demonstrate the importance of practising Yoga in our daily lives.
1) Regular practice of Yoga can help to ease stiffness in our muscles. It also makes the body supple, light and flexible.
Yoga can be combined with other exercises to increase the range of motion that stretches your muscles and increases flexibility. The more athletic versions of Yoga such as power yoga can make you sweat.
2) Yoga helps strengthen the body. It helps us use your body weight, and not depend on weights from outside.
Make use of Yoga to shape your body. For those who lift weights, they are well-versed in exercises that build muscles and increase endurance. Certain yoga postures can accomplish the same goal without equipment while also bringing your body into a more balanced state.
3) Yoga can be done wherever and at any time without equipment.
All you need is determination and enthusiasm for the sport. This is among the most significant advantages of Yoga and why it is so easy to do.
4) Yoga asanas help improve blood circulation.
A number of twisted positions stop blood flow to a certain area of the body. When one lets the posture go, the blood flow is delivered to that area and cells.
5) Yoga improves posture.
It is not often that we take note of our posture when we are working at a desk, standing, or even just going about life, which can cause numerous issues, including neck pain, backache, a back that is hunched, etc. Regularly practising yoga poses can not only strengthen your body but also improves posture, which in turn decreases the likelihood of having posture-related issues.
6) Yoga calms our minds.
Our hectic lives, our busy schedules for work, and other personal demands make it difficult to ease our minds and experience inner peace. This can lead to anxiety. One of the most effective and most popular methods of managing this problem is pranayama, yoga breathing and a myriad of other breathing exercises.
7) Yoga is a way to teach us how to breathe.
Breath is the life force of our body, however, we often don’t give it the attention it deserves. We don’t really pay attention to the way we breathe, which results in slow breathing, shallow breathing and short exhalations. Yoga assists us in regulating the way we breathe through a series of breathing exercises as well as pranayama.
8) Regular practice of Yoga can help to improve pulmonary function.
Improves lung capacity, which helps to prevent pulmonary conditions in many cases. Yoga is also a great way to heal those who suffer from pulmonary diseases through proper and consistent exercise.
9) Yoga Combats Depression
Depression is among the most prevalent problems that a lot of people suffer from. Yoga is considered to be among the most effective methods to fight depression. Yoga asanas and breathing exercises aid in calming our minds and soothe the mind. Regular exercise of Nadi Shodhan Kriya Ujjayi Pranayama Kapalbhati as well as Anulom Vilom, along with poses such as Balasana, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana Paschimottanasana and many others can help us feel more energetic, improves our depression and helps keep it at lower levels.
10) Yoga is a great way to improve sleep.
Sleep deprivation and disturbed sleep, and insomnia are frequent problems for many people in the present. Sleeping soundly and comfortably is among the primary requirements of an optimum body and mind. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation can increase the risk of heart disease, kidney issues, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more. One of the most effective ways to tackle this issue is through Yoga. Asanas such as Balasana, Uttanasana, Supta Baddha Konasana, Viparita Karani, Savasana and the bee breath technique known as Brahmari aid in improving sleep quality.
11) Yoga enhances mood.
It is stated that you’re just one class away from being in a great mood. It is a truism that has been proven since Yoga can help you to get rid of fatigue or dullness and helps to eliminate blues. It not only heals the soul and soothes the mind, but it can also make the person who is practising it more energetic and positive.
12) Yoga helps prevent pains and aches.
Yoga is not just a way to strengthen your body, and increase flexibility and agility, but it’s also among the most effective ways to treat injuries and alleviate aches and discomforts. That’s why Yoga is a must for anyone and all.
13) Yoga aids in addressing back issues.
A consistent and proper practice of yoga postures can help to alleviate back issues such as disc slip, lower backache, a weak back and more. Yoga poses help to strengthen the back, make it supple and robust, improve posture and enhance stability. This results in a healthier spine.
Final words
Let’s conclude this discussion fast – practising yoga can indeed be good for your health. Regularly moving and connecting your breath to your physical body, being aware and thus reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety, is a great thing. So take on the yoga mat and do a few relaxing breaths, clearing ones, and begin to move.