10 Reasons to Try Yoga for Physical & Mental Health
Yoga is an ancient form of meditative exercise originating from India. The practice focuses on a series of stretches and poses that are combined with breathing exercises. There are many reasons why you should try yoga and here are ten important ones.
Anyone Can Do Yoga
Many believe you have to be young and very flexible to practice yoga, but that is not true. Yoga is an all-inclusive exercise easily altered to suit your needs. No matter your age, gender, or physicality, yoga is for you.Â
As we age, balance is one thing that begins to leave us. Without balance, you are prone to tripping and falling and therefore to breaking bones or spraining ligaments.
Yoga has been proven to improve balance, thus reducing fall risk.
It's Low Impact
Yoga is a relatively low impact exercise. This is one reason why yoga is popular with people who have certain conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Yoga does not normally put an excess or adverse strain on the body as it encourages gentle transitions between poses. If a pose ever causes any pain, alter it to accommodate your body’s needs.
It Reduces Stress
It Improves Your Mood
It Eases Pain
Knee, back, and other pain can be eased by regular yoga exercises. Yoga poses target areas of the body promoting stretching. Downward dog and upward dog are two of the most popular and well-known yoga poses that stretch and alleviate back pain.
It Improves Breathing
One of the lesser known yoga techniques involves strategic forms of breathing. Well timed and focused breathes during poses and transitions during a yoga series improve your breathing.
It Builds Strength
If there is a muscle, you are hoping to strengthen there are more than likely one or more yoga poses that engage that muscle. Many yoga poses target muscles not be used to engaging. Stretching and working these muscles will help you strengthen your body.
It Improves Flexibility
It Reduces the Risk of Injury
By strengthening muscles and building flexibility through regular yoga practice, your body will have a lower risk of injury in the future.
It Helps Improve Posture
Some of your lesser engaged muscles that you strengthen through yoga will help you improve your posture. Poses that strengthen the shoulders and upper back encourage your body to maintain a more proper and healthy posture throughout your day.
Practice Yoga Daily for a Healthier Body + Mind
Try yoga. It’s focused breathing, gentle stretching, and muscle targeting will help you achieve a healthier body and mind.
You can easily join a yoga studio or practice at home to begin your yoga routine. Don’t feel that yoga isn’t for you; it can be for anyone willing to try.
Healing Redefined by Dr. Meredith Warner
Dr. Meredith Warner is the creator of Well Theory and The Healing Sole. She is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Air Force Veteran.
She is on a mission to disrupt traditional medicine practices and promote betterment physically, spiritually and mentally to many more people. She advocates for wellness and functional health over big pharma so more people can age vibrantly with more function and less pain.
At Well Theory, Our surgeon-designed products are FDA Registered and formulated to help people:
- Manage the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain
- Recover vibrantly from orthopedic related surgeries
- Fill the gaps in our daily diets
- Manage pain associated with inflammation