Benefits of Yoga

I have been a big advocate of yoga for awhile now.  There are many different types such as vinyasa, hatha, or even fitness yoga for a better workout. I was never a very athletic person but always found yoga to be a great workout. It was not too strenuous of a workout but for some reason I always left feeling refreshed and better than I did before. Harvard University Medical School decided to look into the benefits of yoga and published a series of articles discussing the positive effects of yoga on the mind as well as the body. The first article describes how yoga can improve body image. I can agree with this because practicing yoga, even for a short period of time, helps me feel more in touch with both my mind and my body. Besides helping feeling a connection to the body, helps with body image because yoga promotes mindfulness in everyday life which transfers over to eating habits. People become aware of what they are putting in their bodies, and this results to healthier eating and weight loss. Although yoga did not change my eating habits I agree with the idea given by the article. In yoga we are taught to be good to our body and eating junk food is not recommended. Yoga did, however, make me more aware of how I was overeating. The second article  by Harvard Medical School goes more into depth about the health benefits. It describes how practicing yoga can decrease chances of heart disease, improve cardiovascular health, and lower blood pressure. One of the main components of yoga is meditation and relaxation. This helps to lower of blood pressure as well as cholesterol which can lead to a lessened chance of cardiovascular diseases. This is proven by a study done by the author of the second article. After participating in yoga classes on average it was found people lower cholesterol by 12 points and blood pressure by 5 points (Harvard Medical School). In an article from the Huffington Post, it was found that just 20 minutes of yoga can improve memory and strengthen the brain. This was shown in a study done by the University of Illinois. Thirty female students participated in a yoga class and were tested, then took a aerobic workout class and were tested again. The students were found to do better on the test after yoga, with better focus and a higher accuracy rate.

Yoga is not just a form of stretching. Yoga is a workout for both the mind and the body. It helps you feel relaxed and calm in everyday life. This calmness results in the lowering of stress and blood pressure. Instead of taking various medications and going to doctors, yoga has the same or even better effect. It turns into a workout I actually look forward to. Related to how we learned about prayer healing people, many are skeptical about the benefits of yoga. But it has helped me and many others have a more positive view of ourselves and the world around us.

 

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-benefits-beyond-the-mat

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/28/body-on-yoga_n_4109595.html

https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/204796

More than a stretch: Yoga’s benefits may extend to the heart

5 thoughts on “Benefits of Yoga

  1. Jason Schwartz

    I have actually taken a yoga class before, so I do see where you are coming from. I like the relaxation part of it and the fact you can relieve a lot of stress, but do you think there may be any side effects to doing yoga? If it is done the wrong way it may lead to many various injuries as listed in this article below. So if you are going to partake in yoga make sure it is with a licensed instructor. Have you seen any other side effects from yoga?

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/365722-side-effects-of-yoga/

  2. Nicole Paniccia

    I love Yoga. I started taking Yoga classes my junior year of high school when school got a little tough and the classes really helped me. They made me less stressed and helped me get in such better shape. My friends dad is a Yoga instructor so I always loved going over and doing some Yoga with the both of them. I really believe Yoga can help heal you mentally and physically. I would want to know if Yoga could cure any kind of diseases and help with making your life span longer. Here is an article on how Yoga can help you live longer!

    https://www.washington.edu/wholeu/2015/09/28/yoga-for-longevity/

  3. Rebecca M Link

    Yoga has been a huge part of decreasing stress in my life. It started in high school when my coach had us do yoga and breathing exercises after practice. I’ve gotten out of it lately due to my schedule and need to start finding time to fit it back in. I do better and school and sleep better when I do it regularly and those are just two of the benefits i see.

  4. Emma Murphy

    I was on a rowing team in high school and for cross-training we would do yoga. I always wondered if yoga was actually benefitting me or if it was just something our coach picked out to fill up our practice times. Personally I felt as though after a hard, strenuous work out, the yoga we were doing was helping to relax and stretch my muscles. I did some more research after reading and found even more benefits of doing yoga such as preventing injuries, developing core strength and mental focus, and improving breathing.
    http://yogafromtheheart.com/yoga-rowers/
    http://www.row2k.com/features/901/A-Pragmatic-Guide-to-Using-Yoga-Postures-for-Rowing/
    https://www.rowperfect.co.uk/cross-training-for-rowers/

  5. Jarrod T Skole

    One of my old high school teachers used to teach yoga after school and she gave my gym class a free lesson one day. I was skeptical about how yoga would affect me, but by the end of the lesson I felt very relaxed and at peace. It sounds corny to say that yoga put me at peace but it actually did. Have you ever thought about how yoga could affect the stress level of people or even help bring stress down. After my experience with yoga, I would definitely say that it could help stressed out people become more relaxes. Here is an article about how yoga can de-stress you.
    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733

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