5 Ways How Yoga May Improve Mental And Physical Health

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For many people, yoga is a way of life, but you don’t have to adopt all yoga practices to benefit from it. Doing just a few yoga positions can be beneficial in a number of ways – from reduced stress to chronic pain relief. There are more and more studies on health benefits of yoga conducted every year, and some of yoga health claims are now proven by research, while others remain anecdotal. Anyway, yoga is worth trying if your doctor allows it. And you may begin from these simple poses:


Here’s what yoga can do for you:

Improved mental health

Yoga is often recommended to people who suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep disorders, and other mental health problems. Yoga is known to reduce stress, and people who practice it have higher levels of neurotransmitter serotonin, which is sometimes called ‘happiness hormone’.


Back pain relief

Yoga may or may not relieve the pain itself, but it can help improve your spinal flexibility. The studies on back pain-relieving effect of yoga have been mixed so far, and the effectiveness of yoga for reducing back pain depends largely on the etiology of the pain. If your back is healthy, yoga can help keep it that way.


Cardiovascular health

Some studies show that yoga can help reduce high blood pressure. Some other studies suggest that yoga can even help moderate the levels of cholesterol and blood sugar. This way, yoga helps prevent cardiovascular disease and decrease the risk of a major cardiovascular event in those who already have a condition. Yoga can also be a part of cardiac rehabilitation programs.



Improved cognitive performance

Yoga helps you unwind, clear your mind, and relieve physical tension. It can improve your memory, help you focus, and make you feel more energetic.


Weight control

Yoga can help you develop a more mindful approach to eating habits, e.g. give up so-called ‘emotional eating’. It can also help you better understand the signals your body gives you when you are hungry or full. A small study showed that yoga may help improve muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardio-respiratory fitness. That makes yoga a nice addition to your exercise program.

Research into the effect of yoga on various health conditions, such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis, is ongoing.

If you want to start doing yoga, you should also consider the following:

- if you have a health condition or are pregnant, ask your doctor whether yoga is safe for you;

- don’t substitute conventional medical care with yoga;

- if you don’t have any experience with yoga, choose an experienced yoga instructor and closely follow his or her directions.