Yoga, an ancient practice and meditation, has become increasingly popular in today’s busy society. For many people, yoga provides a retreat from their chaotic and busy lives. Yoga is a form of mind-body fitness that involves a combination of muscular activity and an internally directed mindful focus on awareness of the self, the breath, and energy.
The goal during yoga practice is to challenge yourself physically, but not to feel overwhelmed. At this “edge,” the focus is on your breath while your mind is accepting and calm.
Benefits of Yoga
1. Improved flexibility is one of the first and most obvious benefits of yoga. Yoga helps to build muscle mass and/ or maintain muscle strength, which protects from conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and back pain.
2. Consistent yoga practice improves depression and can lead to significant increases in serotonin levels coupled with decreases in the levels of monoamine oxidase, an enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters and cortisol.
3. Yoga increases blood flow and levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells which allows for more oxygen to reach the body cells, enhancing their function. Yoga also thins the blood which can decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke, as they are often caused by blood clots.
4. Research shows that a consistent bedtime yoga routine can help you get in the right mindset and prepare your body to fall asleep and stay asleep.
5. You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing yoga.
Common Yoga Poses for Everyone
- Cat and Cow Pose
The Cat and Cow pose can be used as a warm-up for your spinal cord. It would also help you improve your balance and posture.
- Child’s Pose
This is a calming pose and can be used in between two poses or at the end of the entire routine. It helps you stretch your back, hips, thighs, knees, and ankles and relaxes your neck, shoulders and spine.
- Downward Dog Pose
This pose strengthens your arms, shoulders and back and helps you in stretching the arches, calves and hamstrings of your feet.
- Plank Pose
This helps build your core strength and also strengthens your shoulders, arms and legs. For those who are looking for an exercise to tighten your abdominal muscles, this is the one for you.
- Cobra Pose
This helps you in increasing the flexibility of your spinal cord, stretches your abdomen, chest and shoulders and strengthens your back muscles.
- Triangle Pose
This pose helps you by strengthening your legs. It stretches your calves, hamstrings, thighs, hips, spine, chest and shoulders.
- Tree Pose
The tree pose aids you in improving your balance. It also strengthens your core, spine,
Thighs, calves and ankles.
- Bridge Pose
This helps in gaining strength in the back muscles and hamstrings, and it stretches your neck, back and chest muscles.
- Supine Twist
This pose can be done to cool off your body towards the end of the yoga routine. It stretches your chest and obliques. It also helps in posture correction.
- Mountain Pose
This pose is a neutral pose that involves standing erect and breathing steadily.