When it comes to yoga, the answer is almost always yes. Yes, yoga “works.” Yes, yoga is actually a good workout. Yes, yoga can help weight loss. Yes, you can do yoga. Yoga and its benefits date back millennia.
Yoga is about balance in your body and in your life. You gain flexibility and strength. You’ll find it easier to touch your toes or reach behind your back. You’ll walk taller and breathe easier. You’ll set more goals and finish old ones. You’ll gain patience and be more tolerant. You’ll have an easier time being still. You will be more present.
And that’s just a small sampling of the benefits of yoga. I tell my students that yoga doesn’t just affect your muscles and bones — it affects every single system of your body. From sleep to energy levels and from your brain to your balance, yoga has plenty to offer your body and your mind.
More people take up yoga for wellness than for a specific health reason, though healthcare providers are increasingly "prescribing" yoga. There’s no “one size fits all” practice for all the health benefits of yoga. The benefits are immense and varied and differ from person to person. Everybody comes to yoga with their own unique set of circumstances, and part of the beauty of yoga is that it helps each individual learn how to address his or her own situation. Yoga practiced for a stiff neck might look different than yoga practiced for strength or stress relief, but there’s more overlap than you might expect. Yoga doesn’t need to be intense to help the body, nor does it have to be gentle to help the mind. And while you might be drawn to yoga for abs or core strength, it might be the mental benefits of yoga that keep you practicing.
If you can breathe, you can do yoga and experience its profound benefits. In short, yoga is good for life. Whether you're looking for inner peace, life and mental balance or just better flexibility, yoga has plenty to offer. Here’s a rundown of just some of the benefits of yoga.
Calms the nervous system
Yoga’s focus on breathing is the key to this benefit. Yoga directly influences your autonomic nervous system, which is your body’s master control system. By calming the nervous system, going into ‘rest and digest’ more often, your body can function optimally and have a greater capacity to heal.
Lowers stress and builds resilience
There’s been significant research into yoga for stress relief. Yoga may be more effective than walking for stress management, and, if you stick with it, you may be able to recover from stress faster. Yoga can help build resilience - our defense against stress. The more we practice, the more we learn to do things simply for the love and joy of doing them, and not for a specific outcome, which often creates stress, discouragement, frustration, anger and even heartbreak.
May help anxiety
In research on yoga many studies have shown a significant decrease in symptoms and measurable biomarkers. When we practice, the nervous system has the potential to move from ‘fight or flight’ to a more calm ‘rest and digest’ response. Yoga has also shown promise for performance anxiety.
Boosts mood
As with any form of exercise, yoga “releases feel-good chemicals like adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine".
Helps with energy
Those same chemicals that give you a mood boost also help with energy. Even two minutes of yoga can give you a boost of energy and self-esteem.
Helps you sleep better
One in three adults don't get enough sleep. In research on yoga for sleep, the practice has been shown to help both men and women improve their sleep. Indeed, more than half (55 percent) of yoga practitioners report improved sleep.
Increases flexibility and functional fitness
Just 10 weeks of yoga can significantly improve flexibility, according to a study in the International Journal of Yoga. The benefits of yoga extend far beyond the mat. A 2016 study found that yoga is just as effective as stretching and strengthening exercises at improving functional (real world) fitness, improving balance, strength, mobility, and flexibility.
May help weight loss
Yoga can help with weight loss and a 2016 research review found it to be safe and effective for doing so. Yoga can count as cardio — especially if you do vinyasa yoga. But the research on yoga for weight loss shows positive effects even with restorative yoga because it decreases the hormone, cortisol. In response to stress, levels of the hormone cortisol rise; for people who continue to worry, those levels can stay high. Elevated cortisol levels not only stimulate eating, they ensure that any additional calories are efficiently converted to fat. Worse, under the influence of cortisol, that fat tends to get deposited in the abdomen, a particularly unhealthy place. By combating stress, yoga helps normalize cortisol levels.
Helps build strength
Yoga is a weight-bearing practice that’s low impact, and its ability to build strength is among its most important benefits. Research on yoga for strength shows it can help maintain and build muscle mass.
Promotes bone health
The weight-bearing aspects of yoga also help maintain and build bone density. Research by Dr. Loren Fishman, a physician and yogi, found that even 10 minutes of daily yoga improved bone density in the spine and hip bones. Another decade-long study showed 12 minutes of yoga a day bolstered bone quality.
Keeps joints and connective tissues healthy
Yoga can help with the alignment, flexibility, mobility and overall health of joints and connective tissues. Yoga can help increase the range of motion in all of your joints, as well as create strength around them so you feel better supported. And studies, specifically on yoga for knee pain, show an improvement in both pain and stiffness.
Helps with balance
A well-rounded yoga practice can help improve strength, flexibility, agility, balance, and fall prevention. Working on balance throughout your lifetime can help prevent dangerous falls as you age. Yoga can significantly improve balance by increasing proprioception (awareness of your body’s position in space) and by building strength in your ankles and legs.
Supports back and spine health
Yoga’s benefits for your bones and muscles also apply to your back. The practice works your entire core, the primary job of which is to support your spine. As you start your practice, your muscles will strengthen and activate, and your spine will be better supported — you’ll have better posture as well. One study scanned the spines of longtime yoga teachers and found that, when compared to non-yogis, their spines showed less degeneration of the discs.
Helps with pain
Numerous studies suggest that yoga can be effective for reducing acute neck and back pain. Back pain is one of the areas where yoga shows the most promise. Research suggests that yoga is not only effective, but also cost effective when it comes to back pain. For pain in the lower back, yoga has been found to help even severe, chronic pain.
Supports healthy blood pressure and cardiovascular health
The benefits of yoga extend to the heart, too. The practice may help manage blood pressure and improve heart function including heart rate variability, which may be a measure for cardiovascular and nervous system resilience.
So now you know: Yoga is good for you. Are you ready to actually feel the benefits in your own life?
We have three levels of yoga classes at The Yoga Barre:
9:00 am Tuesdays, Flexibility and Flow (Level I)
9:00 am Thursdays, Vinyasa Flow (Level II)
5:30 pm Thursdays, Form and Flow (Level I - II)
Our yoga teachers are 200 hour Registered Yoga Teachers with Yoga Alliance, and we have a class for everybody. Get started with your yoga practice at The Yoga Barre by downloading The Yoga Barre app and reserve your classes today!
Left to right: Grace Douglas, Flexibility and Flow; Sandi Anderson, Vinyasa Flow; Monica Durbin, Form and Flow