10-Optimal Benefits Of Yoga for Beginners

Yoga is an ancient Hindu practice and discipline that has been around for over 5,000 years. It is a physical, mental and spiritual practice of postures, meditation and breathing.

Since yoga is a combination of both physical activities and mental calmness, we can see why it works. To that end, I’ve highlighted 10-optimal benefits of yoga for beginners.

10-Optimal Benefits of Yoga

1. Reduces Stress

Did you know that yoga is an excellent form of stress management?

We all know how stress can creep up on you in so many ways and in so many areas. Stress can manifest in tight muscles, neck and back pain, lack of focus and concentration, insomnia and irritability, to name a few of its symptoms. When you practice yoga and incorporate its’ breathing and meditation techniques, you develop excellent skills to manage your stress levels.

2. Greater Flexibility

When you do yoga, you are essentially stretching your muscles and the more you stretch them, the longer they become. Additionally, stretching your muscles relieves tension and increases blood flow, which in turn, reduces the risk of headaches and stress. To that end, this form of movement does not overwork the muscles because it is primarily about repetition and control of movement and form.

3. More Muscle Strength

Have you noticed that people who practice yoga are quite strong?

You can build strength and resilience through yoga, contrary to popular belief that you need to pump iron along with a heavy cardiovascular workout.

The balance and control needed in the many combinations of poses helps to build strength. Consequently, when you use bolsters, straps and balls and such tools to support or enhance your practice, you also strengthen and tone muscles. Additionally, with yoga you are often required to hold your own weight, ergo helping your body achieve overall strength.

4. Improved Weight Loss

Yoga is a low impact form of exercise which is optimal for those who suffer from arthritis or any other joint inflammatory disease because it does not place any impact on the joints.

When you combine low impact yoga training with a balanced diet you can also benefit from weight loss. Even though, it is not a cardio form of exercise, your body is still working hard and will lend itself to losing weight.

5. Better Sleep Quality

Having poor sleep quality or poor “sleep hygiene” is associated with obesity, high blood pressure and depression among other disorders. However, incorporating yoga into your routine have shown to improve and promote better sleep.

A study conducted in 2005 with 69 older patients who were assigned to either practice yoga, take an herbal preparation or be part of the control group showed that the yoga group fell asleep faster, slept longer and felt more rested in the morning than their experimental counterparts.

In addition, it was found that the practice also increases the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for regulating sleep.

6. Better Breathing and Respiration

Your respiratory system, apart from helping you speak is also responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the body as it replenishes the body with oxygen.

The respiratory system is made up of the lungs, the bronchial tube and the nose as well as, air passages such as the larynx, pharynx and trachea. The breathing practices in yoga helps promote calmness and relaxation, but it also strengthens the respiratory system.

7. Higher Metabolism

Your metabolism in simpler terms is how your body turns food into energy. Most exercises, movements and activities help increase your metabolism, however, yoga as an all-encompassing form of exercise–– working and balancing your mind, body and spirit, will also balance your metabolism.

8. Improved Focus and Concentration

Another benefit of yoga is that it improves concentration and focus. It promotes mindfulness–––present moment awareness. Mindfulness meditation has many documented benefits and helps you develop the ability to stay in the present moment and in deep concentration of what “Is” without judgment.

9. Injury Protection

Yoga works every part of your body and as a result, it can affect areas of your body that have been untouched by other activities or training. Therefore, it can protect you from unforeseen injuries because these parts have been take care of from the practice.

There are many different types of practices such as, restorative yoga. This type of practice can help prevent and assist in the healing and restoration of an injury. A restorative practice is both good for injury protection and injury recovery.

10. Circulatory System

Your circulatory system consists of a network of organs and vessels in your body, which are responsible for blood flow, oxygen, hormones and nutrients.

You may know it as your cardiovascular system, made up of the heart, lungs and the systemic circuit. Thanks to its breathing techniques, muscle targeting and controlled positioning, yoga works all three of these systems.

Also, when you practice it, you detox your body through poses and body movements. Additionally, you are stretching and massaging your internal organs, coincidentally removing toxins from your body.

A Way To Begin Your Yoga Practice

Yoga has so many other benefits, in fact, because it is a mental and physical activity, you will experience benefits you wouldn’t even be aware of and coincidentally, have the ability to do things that you didn’t think possible prior to yoga.

If you have been thinking of incorporating some type of yoga practice into your life––– now is the time. If you don’t know where to start, there are many resources available on the internet.

Personally, I am a beginner and I use the Gaia network to guide my practice. I feel refreshed, calm and ready for anything after my practice. When I skip days, my body feels the difference physically and mentally, and not in a good way. So I encourage all my readers to give yoga a try and gain all its benefits.

The Yoga Studio App from Gaiam.com offers Studio classes for every yoga level from beginner to intermediate to advanced. You can choose from many focus areas, for example, strength building, flexibility training, relaxation, balance or a combination. In addition, you can also choose a tolerance or duration level from 15-, 30- to 60-minute practices.

Furthermore, you can develop your own classes by using pose blocks as short sequences of your favorite poses. These building blocks help speed things up and in no time, you will have a personalized practice, unique to you.

Alternatively, if you are not sure how to make a class flow, the app will do it for you using a smart-link to connect poses and you can see how smoothly the poses flow from one to the other. In addition, the Yoga Studio includes 75+ ready made classes.

Gaiam.com can be your one-stop shop to yoga heaven for everything from yoga mats, towels, bags and apparel, props and accessories, amongst a myriad of free resources to build your fitness, meditation and yoga muscle and lifestyle.

Are you ready to build some yoga into your routine to gain all those amazing benefits for physical and mental optimizations?

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