7 Benefits of Yoga That You Don't Want to Miss Out On

Does walking into a room full of strangers fill you with anxiety? Does signing up for a yoga class you’ve never done before cause complete panic? Do you feel like everyone is staring at you because you are the “newbie” in the room?

Yeah, me too. And that is exactly how I felt when I signed up for my first yoga class.

I was always one to use the “starting yoga at home” DVDs or YouTube videos, so I could practice in the comfort of my own home. Without embarrassing myself in front of a group of people. But what I did not realize was that I was never able to get the full benefits that yoga provides through the 10-minute video done on my bedroom floor. There were always chattering kids, cats trying to get my attention, and dogs attempting to knock down the door. 

I had to dig deep into why I wanted to practice yoga and what benefits I wanted to get out of each session. Then, I had to find a place that nurtured those wants in order to be successful. I wanted a place that had valuable teachers, a calming environment, a good layout, ample equipment, a variety of classes, and held special events. 

Now, I was a newbie to the yoga world, but not the fitness lifestyle. But whether or not you are brand new or experienced, yoga has many benefits that you benefit from both on and off the mat. 

Stress Relief

Who doesn’t have some form of stress in their lives? You have a high-stress job, or a family to take care of, or life isn’t going right for you. Whatever it is that you have going on, taking an hour out of your week or day can help relieve some of your stress. Yoga is about physical movement, but also, is a mental exercise as well. Yoga encourages mental relaxation, it puts you in the here a now, which can help banish those stressful thoughts you have bearing down on you for the one hour you are centered in your practice. According to the National Library of Medicine, “Yoga has an effective role in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression that can be considered as complementary medicine and reduce the medical cost per treatment by reducing the use of drugs (1).”

Increased Strength

So you want to start yoga for the strength benefits? Yoga is mainly bodyweight exercises that can, and will, increase your strength. When most people think of yoga, they see calming stretching and breathing exercises … which is not entirely incorrect. But it also includes using muscle power to get into and hold poses, which is, according to Merriam-Websters definition of strength training, any “activities that make muscles stronger (2).” 

Increases Flexibility

Can’t touch your toes? Wishing you have a better range of motion? Yoga increases flexibility, which helps reduce pain in the body. Who doesn’t want less pain when they roll out of bed in the morning? Even if this is not one of your main reasons for wanting to start yoga, you will reap the rewards exponentially after a few regular classes. I started coupling yoga with my running routine and the pains that I often felt in my lower back after a long or hard run dissipated over time with my regular yoga practice.

Weight Management

Are you looking to start yoga to lose or maintain your current weight? Yoga burns calories, yes, but the mental stress relief and community support you gain when starting yoga classes can set you on the right path to your goals. Yoga helps to burn off extra fat and leaves you feeling rejuvenated. This can put you in a state of mind that will help you make good choices to help manage or reach your goal weight.

Core Strength

One of the biggest benefits of starting yoga was my balance and stability improvement. What most people might not know is that it all starts with your core. You will certainly be doing lots of balancing poses that will help improve your balance, but those are also building up your core. Having strong core muscles help you in everyday life; bending down to pick up your baby, doing laundry, standing for long periods of time, or being able to carry all the groceries in one trip. All these come from a well-built and strong core.

Being Present

Do you have 100 tasks on your to-do list? Finding it hard to be in the present with the amount of stress in your life? Practicing an hour of yoga centers you in the here and now. When you are in class you could be instructed to clear your mind, remove any negative thoughts, or acknowledge thoughts entering your mind and let them go. Then you can focus on the pose you are in, focus on your breathing, and focus on the right now. Cleansing your mind puts you in a state of euphoria that will set you up for a successful, productive day, week, month, or year!

Yoga Pants

Need an excuse to go get yourself some more yoga pants? Sign up for that class, and get yourself a cute new pair that make you feel comfortable and confident. Now, this may not be a scientific fact, but rather a personal benefit for myself - but who doesn’t want more yoga pants? When you feel good in what you are wearing you are inspired to do great things!

Are you ready to take a chance to become a healthier, stronger, more confident you? 

Everglow Wellness is here to help you get started.

Sign up for one of our many classes offered on the Vargo app or send us a message for a free consult!

We look forward to hearing from you!

-Mariana Brown

References

National Library of Medicine (1)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5843960/

Merriam-Webster (2)

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strength%20training