Yoga has so many health and well-being benefits, you’d be silly not to give it a try. It’s a relaxing and fun way to get fit without straining yourself too much and is therefore a great activity for beginners if you’re wanting to start getting active.
First off, yoga improves your flexibility and balance. It is very important, especially as you age, to keep up with your balance and flexibility as much as possible to prevent sprains and injuries. Balance and flexibility also helps with mastering other forms of exercise like swimming, weight-lifting, and cardio. It promotes core strength which is crucial to good posture. This in turn alleviates back pain and problems.
Mentally, yoga is great for eliminating stress and anxiety and can be a great way to start off your day with a positive attitude. The calming flow and breathing of yoga allows you to clear your mind for the day ahead, whether that be a stressful day in the office or an action-packed family day, you’ll find that practising yoga makes you feel more positive and aligned with your tasks and goals. By clearing your head you are also making way for clearer decision making and confidence.
Yoga can also really help with improving your sleep quality. When practising yoga we go into a meditative state that encourages mindfulness and regulated breathing. This slow rhythm of breathing and self-awareness makes us feel more relaxed and centred. It alleviates stress and worries that we may take with us when trying to fall asleep.
While a rest day is very important, if you’re keen to keep in to the routine of exercising, yoga is a great light-impact way to keep your body moving. It can also help stretch out some of those tight muscles after an intense workout.
Joining in on a yoga class is also a good way to get active within your community. Joining your local yoga studio will help you meet new people that have similar interests as you and are on a similar fitness journey. Or, if you feel better doing it alone, there are plenty of great online yoga tutorials.
So, whether you start doing yoga in the morning when you wake up, right before you go to bed, or anywhere in between, there are some major health benefits! We highly recommend you give it a try if you’re looking to change up your fitness regime.