6 Surprising Benefits of Daily Yoga Practice

You may have heard of the many health benefits of yoga practice and may have a question of whether yoga is as good as it is claimed? The answer is… yes! It is good for both your body and mind. But the results depend on how often you practice. In this article, we show you the 6 health benefits of daily yoga practice and why it is good for everyone.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a body and mind practice that includes physical postures and control of breath for complete relaxation and better concentration. There are many different Yoga styles and a session can take from only 10 minutes to a few hours. The most important thing is that you practice it daily or at least regularly. You can simply start by following yoga videos on YouTube that are suited for beginners. Later on you can enroll in a yoga class with a professional yoga teacher to develop and improve your flexibility and skills.

Here are 6 health benefits you will get from yoga if you practice it on a daily basis:

Improve Your Flexibility and Mobility

Of course, daily yoga practice is a great way to increase flexibility and mobility. Yoga poses such as Child pose, Downward-Facing Dog, and Bridge pose can help stretch your muscles so you can move more freely without any stiffness or pain. A daily yoga practice can also help prevent cramps in your legs and reduce their frequency as it stretches muscles, hamstrings, and tendons.

And as everybody is different, you don’t have to worry about how much you can stretch or if your pose doesn’t look exactly like the yoga practitioners’.

Increase Strength

Yoga training requires a lot of strength to hold your body and balance the different poses. The yoga sequences will strengthen muscles in your legs, arms, back, and core. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to do the difficult poses to get fit. Instead, you can start with less intensive poses like the Tree pose and Utkatasana pose at the beginning and you will see that you gradually build more strength. Yoga is not a competition and you should always listen to your body to prevent injuries.

Body strength increases joint flexibility and bone density which prevents risks of bone fracture. It also keeps your muscle fit so you can perform daily tasks more easily.

Improve Your Posture

A daily yoga session can help adjust your body to a correct alignment. On the long run,  you will be able to stand taller and sit with your back straight, shoulders squared, and chest out without putting an effort. A good posture also reduces risks of chronic pain and, if you work in the office, painful office syndrome.

If you’re having muscle pain, especially in your lower back, neck, and shoulders, try 3-4 sessions of yoga and you will feel that the muscle tension in those areas will decrease. Moreover, studies found that a good posture can increase your self-confidence and lift your mood.

Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Yoga practice is a great way to alleviate stress in your daily life and anxiety. It improves blood circulation throughout the body and delivers more oxygen to the cells. Controlled breathing and deep breathing will make you feel calm and less anxious. Breathwork and meditation are an important part of yoga and help you to let go of your emotions and achieve emotional stability. Moreover, while practicing yoga, your brain releases happy hormones such as serotonin and endorphin which will also lift your mood.

Having stress and anxiety is common. It is a part of life. But if they lower your quality of life, then Yoga might not be enough and, getting help from a therapist is the best way to get through these difficult situations.

Better Sleep

When was the last time you had a good sleep? As we already know yoga can help combat stress and anxiety. Furthermore, it improves sleep. A study by the National Institutes of Health shows that over 55% of yoga practitioners reported improved sleep. Yoga helps with that by stretching your body and releasing the toxins in your muscles. It stimulates circulation and lowers blood pressure, so your body and mind are calmed down. 

If you usually feel tired during the day and cannot think clearly because of the poor quality of sleep, try adding yoga into your bedtime routine.

Build Self-Awareness

Daily yoga practice allows you to have solitude time for yourself so you can effectively focus and observe your actions, thoughts, and emotions. If you do yoga in the morning, you will be able to concentrate on your day ahead and find it easier to accomplish your tasks and goals. Practicing yoga at the end of the day also provides time for self-reflection and will ease your mind after a long tough day.

Besides, a daily yoga practice can strengthen the mind-body-breathe connection, which will not only create relaxation but also keep your mind and body in balance.

These are the 6 benefits of a daily yoga practice. If you want to unwind but don’t have time to practice it every day, a relaxing session of a massage by RLAX can give the same result. RLAX offers a wide range of massages including Traditional Thai Massage and Aromatherapy Oil Massage straight to your doorstep. With just a few clicks in our app or on our website, you can easily book a heavenly massage. Our well-trained therapists are approved by the Ministry of Public Health to ensure quality massage service and customer satisfaction. Book now and RLAX! ☺