60+ Benefits of Yoga for Mental & Physical Health

Could you tell me if you have ever tried yoga?  These days, the answer to that question is "yes" for the vast majority of people. Now more than ever, yoga is sweeping the United States as a preferred method of exercise and social gathering.
In the West, yoga was once associated with hippies seeking spiritual enlightenment through the use of LSD or other mind-altering substances; however, the practise has since become increasingly mainstream and is now regarded for the positive effects it has on both the physical and mental health of its adherents.
A wide variety of illnesses, issues, diagnoses, and stressful situations may benefit from yoga's calming and healing techniques, as those who have tried it can attest. You probably already know that it takes more than just physical exertion, like stretching or exercise, and that it necessitates the use of your mind as well as your muscles.
Running is one of the few physical activities that effectively links your mind and body. If that piques your interest, keep reading to learn more about the intersection between yoga and psychology, as well as the ways in which yoga can improve the emotional and physical well-being of people of all ages.
Before continuing, you may wish to get your hands on our free 3-Exercise Mindfulness Pack. These scientifically-based, all-encompassing practises will not only help you find more calm and serenity in your day-to-day life, but will also equip you with the means to increase the mindfulness of your customers, students, or staff.
Advantages of Yoga
You've probably heard that yoga has many advantages, including but not limited to the following:

• It’s a confidence booster.
• It's a great way to learn how to relax and let go (figuratively and literally).
• You'll keep an eye on your posture more closely as a result.
• It improves awareness.
• It's a great way to increase your stamina and strength.
• It's a great stress buster (Rues, n.d.)

The benefits of yoga are supported not only by anecdotal evidence but also by scientific studies that have been peer-reviewed.
Yoga has been shown to have positive psychological effects, according to a number of systematic reviews (Büssing, Michalsen, Khalsa, Telles, & Sherman, 2012). These include alleviating depressive symptoms, increasing energy levels, decreasing anxiety, and providing a buffer against the negative effects of stress.
Those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can benefit greatly from practising yoga (PTSD). In the case of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yoga has shown positive results in several studies (Novotney, 2009). The beneficial effects of yoga on PTSD symptoms are evidence of the body-brain connection and of yoga's potential to facilitate this connection and overcome the barrier between the two.
Some of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder manifest physically, such as an elevated heart rate and sweating in response to "flashbacks" or reliving traumatic memories. Because it can alleviate the physical manifestations of stress, anxiety, fear, and depression, yoga may be particularly effective in treating these conditions.
 
Physical Advantages to Your Body from Yoga
The great thing about this place is that visitors who come to stretch their muscles usually leave with a lot more than they brought with them. (Ciano, Liza)
The health benefits of yoga are comparable to those of other forms of exercise, but with fewer negative effects on the joints and a greater emphasis on relaxation.
There is some evidence that yoga is more beneficial than most other forms of exercise when it comes to a number of health-related factors, including but not limited to:
 

• Finding a better equilibrium
• Increasing Sensitivity of the Baroreflex
• Decreasing exhaustion
• Expanding adaptability
• Regular beating of the heart
• Optimal heart rate variability
• Renal function has been enhanced.
• Reduced or attenuated menopausal symptoms
• Reduces discomfort
• Mitigating or relieving psychotic symptoms
• Bettering people's lives in meaningful ways
• Improvements in the quality of sleep and fewer interruptions
• Facilitating better interaction in social and work settings
• Fostering a more robust physique
• Reducing Body Mass Index
• Calming Anxiety
• Cutting down on cholesterol (Ross & Thomas, 2009; Ross, Friedmann, Bevans, & Thomas, 2013)
• Insomnia, depression, low energy, and depression are all things that yoga can help you overcome.

 
Participants who practised yoga for 45 minutes every night before bed for eight weeks saw significant improvements in their insomnia (Novotney, 2009). Another study found that regular yoga practitioners had a greater sense of well-being in all areas of life (Ross et al., 2013).
Those who practise yoga regularly also benefit from improved balance, flexibility, strength, and weight loss, as well as elevated feelings of self-efficacy and confidence (Büssing et al., 2012).
Yoga has been reported to have a number of health benefits, including increased cardiovascular endurance, decreased hypertension, better pulmonary function, and more (all by the same study). Be wary of drawing any firm conclusions from these results as they are still considered to be in the early stages of investigation.
How Yoga Can Help Men
In addition to the physical and mental benefits listed above, which are great outcomes for anyone who engages in yoga, there are many benefits that men particularly appreciate about practising yoga.
In the case of men, yoga benefits include:

• Boost their athletic performance by increasing their energy, flexibility, awareness, lung capacity, blood flow, and the efficiency of their movements.
• Reducing inflammation in muscles, tissues, joints, and fascia, as well as repairing connective tissue and raising awareness of one's body, can help prevent injuries and hasten recovery.
• Increase their sexual satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronisation, control, and even the quality of their orgasms.
• The level of muscle tone can be improved by increasing the amount of oxygen reaching the muscles.
• Reduce their anxiety by getting them moving.
• Sharpen their minds and boost their cognitive abilities through the meditative practise of yoga, which will allow them to think faster and more creatively (Ross, 2018).

Men who are curious about yoga and its benefits will find this list quite convincing. Don't get too envious just yet, ladies; yoga has many advantages that are especially relevant to women.
 
What Women Can Gain from Practicing Yoga
Some of yoga's benefits that women tend to enjoy more than men are:
Allowing you to better manage the hormonal shifts that occur during your menstrual cycle and menopause.

• Calming one's nerves after receiving bad health news.
• Reducing the intensity and frequency of anxious and depressed feelings and stress.
• Adjusting your stance to look better.
• Heightening one's stature, increasing one's sense of self-assurance, and better controlling one's weight are all ways to boost one's outward appearance (Cespedes, 2018).

Although we touched on yoga's effects on PTSD already, it bears repeating that women who have experienced trauma may benefit greatly from the practise.
The Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts, recruited women with PTSD to take part in an experimental yoga treatment. During the course of a few weeks, the women participated in eight Hatha yoga sessions, each lasting 75 minutes.
There was a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms among participants compared to a talk therapy group for women (Novotney, 2009). While these results may not be typical, it is encouraging to know that yoga can be just as effective as professional therapy for PTSD in some people. Yoga is a great practise, and at that price (free or very cheap), it's hard to pass up.
 
Kids Learn More, Grow Stronger, and Relax with Yoga in the Classroom
 
If you've been thinking, "These benefits are great, but those who could really benefit from more relaxation, awareness, better focus, and enhanced self-esteem are children and young adults," you're on to something.
For this reason, yoga for children has garnered a lot of attention. Kids have to deal with the same kinds of pressures and triggers that adults do, but they don't have the wisdom of age or the social awareness to know how to handle them appropriately.
The proliferation of constantly available social media has also made it more challenging to take a few moments each day to sit quietly and reflect, let alone just exist. There is as much, if not more, pressure on today's youth to excel academically as there has ever been before due to the increased globalisation of the economy (Hagen & Nayar, 2014).
Given these facts, it's tempting to think that yoga could help bridge an important gap in kids' psychological, emotional, and physical development. It has been shown to improve physical and mental health, as well as resilience, mood, and the ability to self-regulate (Hagen & Nayar, 2014).
One study found that high school students who participated in an evaluation of yoga for students reported significantly less anger and more energy after practising yoga. (Khalsa, Hickey-Schultz, Cohen, Steiner, & Cope, 2011).
In addition, studies have shown that regular yoga practise can improve a student's or child's life in the following ways:

• Increases Wellbeing
• In the classroom, they do better.
• Maintaining a steady emotional state
• Healthy Pulse Rate
• Reduces Anxiety
• Boosts resiliency and encourages self-control

 
The Positive Effects of Yoga on the Elderly in a Long-Term Care Setting
The practise of yoga is the key to eternal youth. Just how supple your spine is will determine how young you feel. (Harper, Bob)
 
Yoga not only has the potential to greatly benefit the physical and mental well-being of children, but also of the elderly. Even though the moves and poses are adapted for seniors with less robust bodies, they still present a stimulating challenge.
Researchers in Taiwan recruited seniors with mild to moderate dementia living in a long-term care facility to participate in a yoga programme. The course was 12 weeks long, and each session was 55 minutes long. While the control group continued with their typical routine, the experimental group took part in the yoga classes.
 
The study's findings revealed numerous health benefits for yoga practitioners aged 65 and up, including:
 

• Decreased blood pressure
• A slower rate of breathing
• Improved aerobic capacity
• Greater bodily adaptability
• Heightened stamina and muscle strength.
• Increased stability
• Enhanced Mobility of Joints
• Decreased depressive symptoms
• Decreased antisocial behaviour (Fan & Chen, 2011)

These benefits are exciting to see in anyone who practises yoga, but they are especially encouraging to see in older people who are experiencing cognitive decline.
 
The Daily Benefits of Yoga Practice.
When you take the time to practise yoga, you are making a conscious decision to take care of yourself. It's a wise choice every time, no matter how often you make it!
It's likely that your yoga instructor, doctor, or other yoga experts have all stressed the importance of a consistent practise if you want to reap the full benefits of yoga.
What are the advantages of a regular yoga practise? The answers you get will vary depending on who you ask, but they are likely to include:
 

• When you practise yoga, you immediately start to feel better.
• Your range of motion will expand as a result of practising yoga.
• Time management is improved through regular yoga practise.
• Practicing yoga regularly can significantly increase your stamina.
• The practise of yoga has been shown to increase metabolic rate.
• The practise of yoga can improve concentration and awareness.
• When you practise yoga, you can rest easier at night.
• The practise of yoga has been shown to boost skin health.
• Joints are fortified by yoga's practise.
• The spine benefits greatly from yoga, as it both stretches and strengthens the muscles around it.
• Both during and after practise, yoga can help you stand taller and more confidently.
• One of the benefits of yoga is a decrease in stress and anxiety.
• Practicing yoga can help you feel more appreciative of the things you have in your life.
• Inflammation is something yoga may help with.
• To put it simply, yoga makes you stronger.
• Your equilibrium will improve as you practise yoga.

You can gain some of these benefits from occasional yoga practise, but regular practise is required to sustain them.
Murdock Movement creator and yoga expert Amanda Murdock puts it this way -"if you only take one yoga class per month, you'll have to basically start over every time you get on the mat." trying to figure out what you should be doing in class can make it hard to tune in to your physical self (Kelly, 2017).
Murdock counters that regular practise yields more sustainable results, such as those described above. Although daily practise is not required to experience these advantages over time, practising yoga at least twice a week is recommended.
 
Are there any advantages to practising yoga first thing in the morning?
The verdict on this issue has yet to be reached. In the end, it's up to you to decide if morning yoga is a good fit for you. Is it stimulating to you? Do you feel rejuvenated and ready for sleep after a yoga session?
Trying out morning yoga is a great idea if you think you might like it. You should try morning yoga for the following reasons:

• Moving and stretching helps clear away the "fuzz" that accumulates around your muscles over the course of a night's sleep.
• If you do yoga first thing in the morning, you can reduce your cortisol levels and better handle stress throughout the day.
• In terms of getting you up and ready for the day, morning yoga can be just as effective as coffee.
• One's disposition is improved after a morning yoga practise.
• You'll be less likely to put it off because you'll be able to check it off your list right away.
• If you practise yoga first thing in the morning, you may find that you have a more peaceful and alert outlook on the rest of your day.
• Doing some yoga in the morning can help you maintain calm and regular breathing patterns all the way through the day and into the night.
• At the very outset of your day, it can prime your brain for optimism.
• Doing yoga first thing in the morning may also prime you to keep making good decisions all through the day.
• It has the potential to make you a morning person (Newlyn, 2016A).

Don't worry if none of these seem compelling enough to get you out of bed at an earlier time than your alarm is currently set to go off. Still, any amount of practise is preferable to none at all.