HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA
10 Ways Yoga Helps Your Body and Mind
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IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY
Increased range of motion is one of the first and most noticeable benefits of yoga. Flexibility improves your posture, balance, dexterity, blood flow and mobility in joints.
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HEALTHY BODY CHEMISTRY
As with any good exercise program, regular yoga practice helps improve several aspects of our body chemistry, such as lowering cholesterol, triglycerides, sodium, and blood glucose levels; promoting a strong lymphatic system; and increasing the body’s production of red blood cells.
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ENHANCED BRAIN FUNCTION
Yoga has been hailed as a great way to enhance your brain function. As yoga becomes part of your regular exercise routine, you will experience increased cognitive function, memory and focus. You will also be introduced to a new language – Sanskrit!
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STRONGER MUSCLES
Yoga helps build muscle as your body holds poses or asanas. With increased flexibility comes access to more muscle fibers, and an enhanced ability to build those muscles. Yoga also helps you tone your existing muscles.
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STRESS RELIEF
Yoga is a wonderful stress-buster! It loosens up tense muscles, and the controlled and focused breathing helps you relax your mind, calm your nerves, and de-stress.
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INCREASED ENERGY
Regular practice of yoga will keep you energized, recharged, and fresh even after a long day.
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BETTER SLEEP
Yoga can help improve your quality of sleep. In addition to helping you decrease stress, which improves sleep, certain yoga postures can increase blood circulation to the sleep center in the brain. This helps normalize the sleep cycle.
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IMPROVED MOOD
Feeling down? Yoga is a great way to bring a smile back to your face. Many studies suggest that yoga can effect positive states of your mind and boost your mood. Regular practice has also shown to improve scores in life satisfaction, and lower scores for aggressiveness and depression.
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EVERY SIZE, EVERY AGE
Yoga practiced appropriately can be beneficial to all adults whether you are a 6’5” 250-pound basketball player or a 5’1” 70-pound senior citizen. The secret is finding a level of yoga that suits you. Additionally, due to the low impact of most yoga poses, the risk of injury is quite low.
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NATURAL PAIN RELIEF
Studies have found yoga to be an effective relief for chronic pain. Yoga can benefit many types of pain, including joint pain, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and arthritis.
