Benefits of Yoga Exercises and Poses
Yoga and Health Benefits
Many people scratch their heads and wonder what all the hullaballoo pertaining to Yoga is about. Is it just hype or perhaps a passing fad? Isn’t Yoga a mysterious Eastern art that is practiced by half-naked ascetics? Well, as the saying goes, there is no fire without a smoke. The reason why Yoga has been rapidly becoming more and more popular over the last couple of years is because it is possibly one of the best forms of exercise.
In fact, Yoga is not only an excellent form of exercise, but it is also renowned for promoting spiritual growth. Yoga involves physical poses or exercise knows an Asanas and breathing exercises known as Pranayama. This combination of Asanas and Pranayama makes you feel fitter and more energetic.
The yoga asanas build your stamina and improve your endurance. Stretching of the muscles stimulates blood flow to different parts of the body, thereby encouraging the circulation of blood. Moreover, the tendons and ligaments are lubricated, thereby increasing your strength and flexibility. Yoga Asanas improve metabolism levels as well, and can thus help tone your body and aid the weight loss process. Various stretches help improve the posture and alignment of your body. Thus, the overall balance of your body improves.
It is believed that these Asanas can also help improve the functioning of the lymph system, responsible for the defence of the body, thereby flushing out toxins from your system. Yoga has been proven to stimulate the endocrine system, and can help correct any hormonal imbalances you might have. It is very useful in integrating the functioning of various body organs and systems.
Pranayama improves your respiratory functions and normalises breathing by reducing your respiratory rate. The respiratory exercises increase your breath-holding time and consequently help regulate your heart rate and keep your blood pressure normal. The regular practice of Pranayama also improves concentration and memory levels. It is also effective against psychological problems such as stress and depression.
Yoga is extremely useful in integrating your mind and body. Physical yoga exercises bring the body to a state of balance while meditation helps you achieve emotional balance. Yoga can also be used as a preventive treatment against a variety of diseases and disorders. The best part about yoga is that once you have learned the exercises, you can always practice them at home and your individual experience with yoga can always evolve.