Yoga
I have got to be one of the most inflexible people. My whole family isn’t flexible honestly. We are STIFF. My mom and I gravitate towards weight lifting versus pilates or yoga. My dad, brother, and I run. The two other brothers play baseball. We’d avoid yoga if we could. However, I still force myself to do it anyway - it’s a workout we often don’t consider “exercise,” but it is! It has several health benefits and can be used as a way to cope.
Yoga has been around for a long time. It came from Indian philosophy and began as part of a spiritual practice. Since then, it has evolved into a way to promote mental and physical well being. Here in the U.S., yoga emphasizes asanas (posture), dyana (meditation), and pranayama (breathing).
Let’s talk about some physical benefits first. Yoga can help relieve lower back pain and neck pain, as well as manage chronic pain. It can also be a great way to get into shape or lose weight (NCCIH, 2021). It helps build muscle mass, strength, endurance, and of course, flexibility. Because yoga focuses on mindfulness, many individuals who regularly practice find that this goes further than just yoga. They become mindful eaters as well. This looks like noticing when you’re full, paying attention to how foods smell and taste, and understanding emotional eating. Cardiovascularly, practicing yoga can help lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels (Harvard Health, 2021).
Mentally, yoga has the same amount of benefits. In general, those who practice yoga have a better sense of well being. Stress doesn’t feel quite as unmanageable when practicing yoga. With this, yoga can help with anxiety and some depressive symptoms (NCCIH, 2021). Those who practice yoga also have a better body image. Yoga studios don’t have a bunch of mirrors for a reason. You’re supposed to focus on your inward self. People tend to become less critical of their bodies and more appreciative instead (Harvard Health, 2021). When we focus our minds inward, think about our breathing, and stretch, we aren’t worried about anyone else or whatever is going on. It’s a mental break we could all use.
Apart from the physical and mental benefits, yoga can provide community. If you’re lacking friendships, people to just be around, or others with common goals in mind, you may benefit from looking into joining a yoga studio. There are people who go every day at the same time, a few days a week, once a week, etc. Talking before or after a session may help build some friends, and from what I’ve seen, those who regularly practice yoga are pretty calm and level-headed individuals to have around.
On the other hand, yoga doesn’t require heading to a studio. There are plenty of YouTube videos, poses you can look up, etc. Implementing just a few minutes throughout the week to practice posture, breathing, and meditation can help us cope with whatever else we have going on and makes for a pretty cool hobby to talk about!
References:
Yoga: What you need to know. (2021). NCCIH. Retrieved from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/yoga-what-you-need-to-know.
Yoga benefits beyond the mat (2021). Harvard Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-benefits-beyond-the-mat.
Challenges/Points:
Yoga is a good form of physical exercise and has many physical and mental health benefits.
Yoga can decrease back and neck pain, decrease blood sugar and blood pressure, and help strengthen muscles and increase flexibility. Mentally, it can reduce stress and anxiety and promote a better body image.
Either look up yoga studios in your area or find some videos you can use to practice yoga at least once this week.
Questions:
Have you ever tried yoga? If so, what did you think?
What would be your main benefit you hope yoga would provide from what is listed above?
Would you be willing to try yoga this week? Maybe even grab a friend and do it together!
To talk more about this or something else on your mind text the number 494949 to chat with our team or visit RemedyLIVE.com/chat anytime, day or night.
Did someone send you this post, and you want to subscribe to our free self care guide? Text CARE to 494949 to receive daily posts.
