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Whether you're looking to strengthen your body, soothe your mind, or both, yoga can be a good option.
This ancient practice, which originated in India over 5,000 years ago, continues to be practiced by people around the world. As it has different types — from Ashtanga to Iyengar to Kripalu—almost everyone can find a style that works for them.
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Health Benefits of Doing Yoga Every Day
People practice yoga for its physical and mental benefits, including toning the body and strengthening the mind. On that note, here are a few health benefits you can have by doing yoga every day:
1) Enhances Immune System
Everyone gets sick, but some people seem to catch a bug no matter what they eat or drink. If you're one of them, consider adding a regular yoga practice to your immune-boosting regimen.
Yoga moves work deep into the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you rest and digest. These moves work less in the sympathetic nervous system, which is the body's flight-or-flight response mechanism.
When activated too often, this mechanism causes stress response and inflammation, which can dramatically lower the immune system.
2) Improves Concentration
It can be tough to stay focused when you have many responsibilities. If you find yourself struggling to read books or complete tasks without frequent breaks, starting a yoga practice might help you with it. Practicing yoga can help you get re-centered and focused.
Certain forms of asanas require physical self-development and devotion; continuous dedication to your practice can lead to high level of focus and dedication in other areas of life as you train your mind to reach your goals.
3) Strengthens Core
Do asanas every day to tone your arms, chisel the abs, and add definition to your legs and back. You become stronger and physically fit, as you use your bodyweight for resistance. It takes great strength to build up to certain poses that require coordination, poise, and power.
Ashtanga and power yoga are two forms of yoga that can help you build strength without putting too much strain on your joints. However, if you're just starting out, don't worry about doing any moves wrong — as you practice, you will get better.
4) Helps with Anxiety and Depression
According to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), about 30% of adults deal with an anxiety disorder at some point.
Women are more likely than men to develop an anxiety disorder, putting them more at risk for panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety, agoraphobia, and other conditions.
One way to fight anxiety is to do yoga every day. It reduces anxiety by keeping you in the present moment, as the union between your breath, thoughts, and movements prevents you from thinking too much about the future.
5) Helps Get Better Sleep
It's frustrating to fall asleep at night, only to wake up a few hours later and not be able to doze off again. You can't count sheep forever, so you might as well look at your phone. However, that can make the situation worse, as looking at the phone has been linked with high blood pressure and depression.
If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from insomnia in the United States, it may be helpful to do some asanas every day. That could help restore your natural circadian rhythm. After a few weeks of practicing, you should notice that your sleep quality improves, which will improve your overall well-being.
6) Improves Posture
Bad posture can lead to aches and pains, but it's the long-term effects that are really problematic. Bad posture can cause inflammation and arthritis in the joints, making everyday movements difficult.
You can improve your posture by strengthening and stretching your muscles. If your muscles are weak and tight, you might develop poor posture, which can exacerbate the problem. To ensure that you reap the benefits of yoga, it's important to have a consistent regimen.
Takeaway
Yoga is unique, as unlike other types of fitness exercises, it's both a physical and mental practice.
If done every day, yoga can help improve your overall fitness, as well as mental state and ability to relax. As you only need to practice it for about 20 minutes at a time to reap the benefits, you can easily fit yoga into your workout routine.
Yoga also encourages body-mind connection and taking time out of the day to regularly meditate and focus on the present. Having a daily yoga routine can help you reap all the benefits that come along with meditation and mindfulness.
