I’ve done yoga on and off for a few years. But, when the world got a bit weird and we all locked down, it became a daily habit.
I was anxious, stressed out, tired, busy trying to work and home school and I couldn’t go to the gym.
I started trying to practice yoga every day. Sometimes a full hour session, other times, a quick ten minutes in my PJs in the morning. Honestly, it’s changed my life.
It’s one of those things that’s a bit slow build. You don’t notice yourself becoming stronger, and calmer until you look back and see how much has changed.
I love yoga now. I don’t still practice daily, but I always do a short routine after a run, which has completely got rid of all those day-after agonies and try to fit longer routines in when I can.
Here are nine of the reasons I love yoga, and why I’d recommend it to anyone.
Disclaimer - I'm not a trained professional. Any advice is just that. This post is based on my experience. Please consult a doctor before undertaking any new exercise, or if you have any concerns about your health or wellbeing.
Yoga Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Yoga isn’t a miracle fix.
But, it can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Or, at least, it has for me.
It helps in a few different ways. First, practising yoga means taking some time for yourself. Even the act of doing this can reduce stress.
Next, yoga focuses heavily on your breathing. Deep, controlled breaths can calm and focus your mind, easing worries and taking you away from whatever else is going on.
Third, it can be what you need it to be. If you are tired, you can enjoy a soothing practice. If you’re full of negative energy, you can burn it off with a more intense session. Yoga can give you what you need when you need it.
Yoga Can Help You to Sleep
Exercise helps you to sleep. You burn more calories, you tire your body out, and both falling asleep, and sleeping peacefully become easier.
Yoga also has the added benefit of calming your mind, which always makes it easier to drift off.
Personally, I enjoy an early morning practice, but if you are struggling to sleep, try a more meditative practice in the hour before bed.
A Big Boost to Flexibility
I rarely feel as though I’m gaining flexibility. But, If I go back and practice a beginners routine, that I might not have done for a year, I realise how much I’ve changed.
I no longer have to adapt every move to an easier version because my leg won’t go up there.
It’s slow progress, and I still can’t do everything, but my body has become so much more flexible.
Yoga Will Improve Your Posture
Yoga is fantastic when it comes to building core strength, but also using all those little muscles in your back and obliques that maybe don’t usually get much attention.
With every plank, cobra, down dog etc, you are building, lengthen and toning all of these muscles that support your spine.
My posture improved that much after a few months of yoga that I had to adjust the mirrors in my car because I was sitting so much taller.
Yoga Can Help You to Focus
You know when you really need to concentrate, but your head is filled with other stuff? And you just can’t focus. And the more that you try, the harder it gets?
Well, yoga is a great way to clear your mind, helping you to focus on whatever it is that needs your attention.
You’ll Develop a Better Relationship with Your Body
When you practice yoga regularly you learn to listen to your body. You start to spot all those little niggles, giving you a chance to rest and repair, or to focus your practice on particular areas that might need a little more attention.
And Your Breath
We all know how to breathe. But, we don’t all have the best relationship with our breath.
When you practice yoga, you learn to move with your breath, to slow your breathing down, and even techniques like alternate nostril breathing.
This relationship gives you the power to reset, to relax, to unwind and to focus, with a few deep breathes, whenever you need to. It also helps you to control your breathing when you are anxious or practising cardio exercise.
Yoga Makes You Stronger
Yoga works all of your muscles, not just one group. It strengthens and tones your whole body, from the big groups to the muscles you didn’t know that you had. Through regular practice, you can increase your strength massively.
Practice Yoga to Get Better at Cardio
This increased strength, better relationship with your breath, improved posture flexibility, and a reduced recovery time can mean that you get far better at cardio because of your yoga practice.
Even ten minutes of yoga a day can have a huge impact on your life, so why not give it a go?