There is a common misconception that yoga is tricky to master. It can be hard to reach an advanced level, but the simplistic practice of yoga is easy to learn. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t flexible or have poor balance - you can start from the beginning and work your way to a more advanced level as you go on.
Practicing yoga often will increase your flexibility and balance, so don’t panic if it is not there to begin with. Everyone goes at their own pace and reaches various levels of success at different stages. Below, we will explore three reasons yoga is so beneficial and how you can get started.
Posture and Balance Improvements
Balance is not everyone’s best ability. Care stability and balance are two of the primary focuses of yoga - making it perfect if you topple every time you stand on one leg. Basic yoga techniques slowly teach you to find core stability and balance from the offset, focusing on building the basics before advancing to more challenging movements. There are hundreds of basic yoga tutorials on YouTube.
In terms of posture correction, yoga is excellent - when combined with other treatments. Severe posture abnormalities are best treated first by an appropriate clinician such as a chiropractor. Chiropractors use specific techniques to massage and manipulate the back into the correct position. Try searching for Chiropractic Vernon Hills if you want to learn more. While chiropractic treatment treats abnormal posture, yoga enhances the treatments by increasing body awareness and postural position.
Mental Health Benefits
There are significant mental health benefits associated with yoga. The mind-to-body connection — mainly through controlled breathing — can help to ease stress, anxiety, and depression. One study carried out at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine found yoga is effective at treating various anxiety disorders, although not as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy.
The reason scientists believe it works so well is thanks to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system while reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system - the latter being a cause of stress and anxiety. Known as restorative yoga, it can help with inducing relaxation, aiding digestion, and reducing heart rate.
Can Promote Better Sleep
Interestingly, one study completed by the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation — comparing yoga and sleep aids using a group of 69-year-olds — found that those practicing yoga before bed fell to sleep quicker and for longer.
Yoga promotes better sleep by slowing down the heart rate, promoting beneficial blood flow, and calming the mind. Most people report that before bed is the time when anxiety and stress peak. Yoga before bed eradicates that and puts your body into a state of calm- perfect for sleeping!
Yoga has many other benefits that we could spend hours writing about. It’s a holistic treatment recommended for a wide range of health conditions - there’s even baby yoga! Start with a basic tutorial that focuses on stretching rather than yoga movements and work your way up.