Many people who come to practice yoga want to improve their mental health. While it's true that yoga reduces stress, increases well-being, and relaxes the mind and body, it also has many physical benefits that can help us improve our bodies.
As noted in the books “Yoga” and “Medicine”, Eastern cultures have used this discipline for thousands of years to enhance human health, which is reflected in increased lifespan and improved body shape. Yoga is an ideal practice for improving your body in a holistic way, from improving your immune system to gaining strength or losing weight.
you breathe more and more
When you start doing yoga, one of the first things you learn is to breathe well, and naturally we don't do it the way we think we do. Diaphragmatic breathing is basic in this exercise, where you inhale through your nose, draw air into your belly, and exhale through your mouth, the opposite of what you would normally inhale through your mouth. This breathing increases cellular oxygenation with all the benefits; improved circulation, relaxed muscles, and balanced heart rate.
Plus, according to a report published by University Ball 2000, practicing yoga not only allows you to breathe better, but it also allows you to breathe more with increased lung capacity, the maximum amount of air we can exhale.
strengthen the immune system
It turns out that yoga helps lower levels of cortisol, better known as the hormone that causes all of our stress problems. But, in addition to creating anxiety or stress, high levels of cortisol can lead to depressed mood, weight gain and a worsened immune system. So by reducing cortisol, you improve your immune system.
flexibility, balance and resistance
Yoga is the perfect tool for developing or restoring the body's natural mobility and elasticity. In fact, our body is ready to move, flexible and reluctant, but after half a life of being sedentary, it loses all these qualities and we need activity to restore our vitality. Yoga asanas, like poses as we know them, healthily stretch our body fat and muscles, which increases flexibility.
Many of these poses, called balances, work primarily on the balance of the body, as they force us to hold onto our arms or legs. To that end, it's important to not only have a good night's body, but also to work on connecting your body and mind to maintain balance so you can improve this quality.
stronger muscles and bones
Although it may not seem like it, yoga is an aerobics exercise, that is, it is designed to increase our strength by using our body weight. Asanas cost, and all that cost us, to build strength and compliant muscles. This not only improves the appearance of our bodies, but also prevents injuries, conditions like arthritis and protects bones.
Unlike work done in the gym, yoga prevents lactic acid from building up in the body, resulting in less fatigue or soreness, and less flexibility, allowing us to have sleeker, more beautiful muscles. As if that wasn't enough, this type of training has also been shown to benefit bones, as it prevents bone density.
lose weight
Like any other physical activity, yoga helps maintain a healthy weight. However, as demonstrated in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Evidence, this type of training is also beneficial for weight loss, allowing the body to maintain sustained physical activity without causing pain. With this, the practice of the activity is more enjoyable and the body demands repetition.
In addition, yoga contributes to other healthy lifestyle habits, such as relaxation, increased sleep time or good eating habits, which have the importance of losing weight and improving your life.
more enjoyable sex
According to Harvard Medical School, yoga is not only good for physical and mental health, but also for sexual health. Through this study, they confirmed that women who practiced it experienced a general increase in libido and libido. Additionally, these women are more likely to experience pleasure and sexual satisfaction. Most importantly, it can help people become more familiar with their bodies, which can lead to increased confidence and comfort during sex.
