I remember first trying out yoga – a ‘Yoga With Adrienne’ 30 day challenge – during
lockdown and enjoying it so much that by the end of the year I had completed almost 5 of
these. Even returning to school, yoga was something I’d willingly find time for in my day, be it
10-minute yoga in the morning, or a 30-minute session in the evening or afternoon. I’d like to
share the benefits I personally experienced on this journey, which may be points you’ve
come across before, but which I can say I felt the difference of in my own life and well-being.
First, the benefit which was most prevalent to me was my enhanced flexibility – a definite
weakness of mine before embarking on my fascination with yoga. I would always avoid any
sports involving flexibility, such as gymnastics or trampolining, and would even find it a
barrier to some of my hobbies. Hence, anything flexibility-related was avoided by a large
radius. However, just after my third yoga session, I was beginning to notice an improvement
in my performance and being able to carry out certain poses (such as the forward fold or
downward dog) with much more ease. Not only did this motivate me to see more
improvement, but this also translated into many more benefits, including comfort in
maintaining good posture and even helping prevent many injuries and aches, which were
quite common to me beforehand.
Another major benefit I experienced through yoga was improved mood. Finding time to
commit to the yoga mat everyday and putting worries and stress aside for just 20 minutes
really helped me recentre and relax (especially in the evening and before sleep). Although
sometimes it was very difficult to want to spare some time, the feeling that followed every
session was worth it every time. Improved mood also has knock-on impacts on sleep quality,
friendships and other relationships, and improved focus, concentration, and productivity.
Additionally, the teachings of yoga to recentre and breathe meaningfully and mindfully
translate into improved coping with stress and challenges, which also can come as a result
of improved mood – something which helped me out a lot particularly during lockdown.
The last benefit I’d like to share (of many) is one which surprised me the most but had the
greatest effect. Going through very painful menstruations every month would offset my
whole week and make me feel exhausted, drained, and moody. However, I once came
across a ‘Yoga With Adrienne’ video for period cramps, and I was in disbelief at what comfort
and relief it brought me. Oftentimes I would be in too much pain to commit to the session,
but when I had enough strength to do so, even the slightest alleviation of pain would bring
me comfort and peace. And this was not only effective when I took part in the session during
my period, but I also noticed an improvement in my ability to manage the pain with more and
more yoga completed. This is because yoga not only relieves muscle tension and promotes
muscle relaxation (which contribute to period cramps), but also encourages deep and
directed breathing, meaning oxygen can reach tense muscle areas effectively. This was a
big game-changer in my love for yoga.
So, although yoga, as a physical activity which comes with general benefits of movement
and cardiovascular health, has brought much more to my life than I could imagine, and I
would definitely recommend trying it out for anyone looking for more balance and a stronger
self-connection in their life and with themselves. Committing to a 30-day Yoga Challenge
may just be the deal-breaker to implementing this practice into your long-term life, just like it
was for me.
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.