Looking for a convenient way to keep fit? Yoga is one of the best ways to nourish your mind, body and soul. It can accommodate anything from mastering your spirituality to learning how to get your entire leg over your head. Here’s why you should consider making yoga your new workout routine. 

Yoga has a history that stretches back thousands of years, originating in ancient Sanskrit texts found in India. The word ‘yoga’ actually means ‘union with the divine’ in Sanskrit [1]. These days, however, yoga has been adapted to suit anyone’s needs.

Here are some of the top reasons to consider training with Yoga: 

1) It’s designed for you

Yoga is an umbrella term for a huge variety of poses and practices. If you struggle with finding a workout that balances a challenge with enough wiggle room for you to be able to finish it, yoga is the thing for you. Many poses have beginner versions, and there are workouts for all levels of skill. No matter what time of the day or night you want to do it, there will be a workout for you.

2) It’s a cheap workout

If you want to start a new exercise routine, but are worried about the costs of equipment or classes, look no further. Yoga is one of the cheapest forms of exercise out there. All you need are some workout clothes and a mat, and you’ll be good to go. If you want to invest in classes, there are yoga instructors for every kind of yoga there is. But you don’t need classes to develop your practice. YouTube, as well as the rest of the internet, is filled with dedicated, expert instructors ready to show you how to do every kind of stretch imaginable [2]. Yoga really is one of the cheapest workouts out there.

3) It sharpens your mind

One of the biggest benefits of yoga is how it develops mental strength. Since it’s a practice so focused on mindfulness and being in the moment, it develops your ability to concentrate and focus on a single thing. During yoga, you clear your mind, and focus solely on the stretches, breathing techniques or meditation instructions at hand. As such, it’s great for clearing your mind and making it sharper. 

4) It improves posture

Since yoga is a discipline focused on controlling, bending and twisting the body, it’s no surprise that it gives you more control over your body in all aspects of your life. Yoga has been proven to improve posture enormously. Since the seated and breathing positions require you to sit up straight and unsupported, it’ll provide tons of practice for you to get that straight posture you’ve always dreamed of. You’ll go from someone slumped over their desk to someone who always walks tall.

5) It’s great for sleep 

Have trouble going to sleep at night? You’re not alone. Studies estimate as many as 40% or more of Americans struggle with insomnia [3], whether that’s going to sleep in the first place or waking up at night. But yoga can help you. All exercise releases serotonin, a chemical in the body that calms and relaxes people. But as yoga is specially designed to relax people, lessen pain and relieve tension, it takes this effect even further. Some yoga is even designed to be done right before sleep [4]. Overall, it’s perfect for helping with insomnia.

6) Get back in touch with your body

Since yoga is intended to stretch and move your body in order to increase strength and flexibility, you need to pay lots of attention to your body while you’re doing it. You’ll have to ensure the poses you’re doing give you enough of a challenge, but also make sure you don’t strain yourself too much. This means that yoga gives you a way to really engage moment-to-moment with your bodily experience. You’ll be much more aware of how it feels to live in your body after yoga.

7) Get into spiritualism

To engage with your spirituality, you don’t have to go to church or start chanting in a darkened room. Instead, yoga allows you to develop a spiritual practice and exercise at the same time. As yoga was originally developed to allow its practitioners to train their minds as well as their bodies, it’s perfect for opening yourself to the world around you. The meditative aspects of yoga are key to creating the serene, enlightened state of mind yogis reach for. 

Conclusion

It’s clear that yoga is one of the best workouts anyone can start. It nurtures body and mind, helping you sleep better, be more aware of your body, pay attention to your spirituality, straighten out your posture, be mentally stronger and work out in any way that works for you. Of course, we aren’t always the experts around here. If you want more information, it’s always best to do your own research. Overall, yoga can get incredible results for your physical and mental health.

Bibliography: 

1.“Yoga: Its Origin, History and Development”, Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Government, accessed 10th January 2021, https://www.mea.gov.in/search-result.htm?25096/Yoga:_su_origen,_historia_y_desarrollo#:~:text=The%20word%20’Yoga’%20is%20derived,and%20body%2C%20Man%20%26%20Nature.

2. “Yoga with Adriene”, Yoga with Adriene, YouTube, accessed 10th January 2021, https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene.

3. “Sleep and Sleep Prevention”, CDC Data and Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed 10th January 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html.

4. “30 min Bedtime Yoga For A Good Night’s Rest – Beginner Evening Yoga”, YouTube, Yoga with Kassandra, accessed 10th January 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdMdqZ6slpM.