We all have heard about yoga. We see it in movies and TV shows as a solution for those who need to calm down or as a hobby, like a synonym of interior peace. But in real life, yoga is even more than that.
This practice is originally from India and is about exercising not only the body, but also the mind, at the same time. “Yoga” is currently classified by WHO (World Health Organization) as a mind-body practice. For Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, the practice “fits in very well with the healthy lifestyle that WHO has been strongly advocating for”. One of the reasons that can justify this statement is that it can be practiced anywhere by anyone, regardless of age or socio-economic status.
Another argument that sustains very well the incentive to yoga is related to its benefits. It involves several movements that are complemented by meditation through breathing. So when it comes to the benefits of yoga, we are talking about scientifically proven improvements on physical and mental health. Get to discover more about what this practice can improve in our lives!
- Effects on our body
-
The regular practice of yoga is able to strengthen our joints, once they are a active part of our body during the practice. It stimulates the lubrification of the joints between the bones, preventing future pains in those areas. And for the bones themselves, yoga is capable of improving its density in only a few weeks of practice and helps them maintaining calcium (once it influences on the cortisol levels). Our muscles are also strengthened as the complexity of the poses increases.
As yoga works with a lot of our breathing during its practice, it ends up helping us to avoid breathing problems and heart diseases, once it teaches us how to breathe properly in terms of rhythm and deepness.
- Effects on our mind
-
As a mind-body practice, all these benefits mentioned above also affect our mental health. During this practice, the breathing is combined with meditation, resulting in a deep relaxation. It promotes the decrease of anxiety, depression and chronic stress.
Yoga has been a subject of many studies as a technique of stress management or even therapy. In the book “Principles and Practice of Stress Management, Third Edition” (1984) – a collaboration between the psychologists Paul M. Lehrer, Robert L. Woolfolk and Wesley E. Sime -, yoga is approached as a Therapeutic Intervention. Tested and studied with real examples, Yoga is understood as the ideal stress management intervention.
With all the researches and studies, the impact of yoga has been proven as real and positive. So if you are looking for a healthy practice that can lead you to emotional balance and self-control, you might want to try yoga and connect your mind to your body!
—————————————
The article above was edited by Helena Cardoso.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Casper Libero home page for more!