Life Benefits of Yoga: Build Strength, Flexibility, Peace of Mind and More
There are many life benefits of yoga. Yoga helps you get more flexible, feel better, and become physically strong. These things are important for so many reasons. Let’s look at some of them.
A Few of the Many Life Benefits of Yoga
Better breathing. Yoga will help you breathe better. Your breaths will be slower and deeper, which will enhance your cardiovascular system. Your heart and lungs will work better when your breathing is full and deep.
Feeling great both inside and out. You’ll use your own body weight to support yourself, so you can build muscle without using weights.
Better metabolism. By building strength, you’ll boost your metabolism. And yes, that means yoga can help you lose weight!
Presence and Awareness. Yoga also teaches you to be present and listen to your body. One benefit of this is you’ll tap into your body’s hunger signals. You’ll know when you need food and when you don’t, so you’ll be less likely to overeat. You’ll also know your body well enough to make food choices that are best for you.
Athletic Prowess. If you’re an athlete, yoga is an ideal way to stay flexible and increase your range of motion.
Better Posture. If you work at a desk, yoga will improve your posture. This is important because when you’re not slouched or hunched over, you’ll breathe better. You’ll also be less likely to suffer from neck or back pain.
Stress Management. One of the greatest life benefits of yoga is the tools it gives us to manage stress. If you’re a stressed student, a busy mom, or just plain busy with life, yoga will help you, not only physically, but mentally and socially as well.
Putting the Life Benefits of Yoga into Practice
Are you ready to begin a yoga practice at home? Even if you only have ten minutes, you can practice yoga and experience its benefits. Here’s a quick sequence you can do in just ten minutes right in your own home.
- Inhale and lift the arms up over your head
- Follow with seated twists, twisting to one side and then the other
- Fold forward toward your toes
- Move into tabletop and practice a few cat/cows.
- Transition to modified plank on your knees.
- Thread the needle by sliding your right arm under your left shoulder and bringing your ear to the ground. Then switch sides.
- Move into downward facing dog and then child’s pose.
- Return to your comfortable seat, close your eyes, and breathe.
If you’re brand new to yoga and need help learning these poses, sign up for my free 28 Yoga For Beginners Program at Do You Yoga. In these 28 videos, I teach the basic poses and more about the life benefits of yoga. Join me, and see for yourself how yoga changes lives! Already know the poses but want to diver deeper? The series is for you too. See you there!
Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!
One thought on “Life Benefits of Yoga: Build Strength, Flexibility, Peace of Mind and More”