The word ‘Yoga’ has derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’ which means ‘to unite’, ‘to yoke’, or ‘to join’. It is an ancient practice having its roots in the Indus Saraswati Valley civilization, dating back to 2700 B.C.
In this modern world, it can be defined as a thoughtful process that restrains your brain from focusing on negative things and encourages you to attract positivity thus providing a sound body and mind.
You might also have heard of yoga as the best exercise to improve your body flexibility and strength but it is something beyond just a simple workout. From being a stress buster to being the most effective remedy for anxiety, depression, and body pain, this ancient exercise has all these essentials. Thus, people who practice yoga in their daily lives call it a panacea, however, experts claim otherwise.
Even though Yoga offers significant benefits it cannot cure everything that ails you. But this doesn’t mean that you will ignore its numerous other benefits. Whether you are practicing it on an exercise mat in your bedroom or somewhere in an Indian ashram, it provides innumerable benefits.
Before hopping into the benefits that it offers, let’s explore the core elements of yoga practiced worldwide.
Three Core Elements Of Yoga
Yoga comprises three core elements including Physical postures, Breathing Exercises, and Spiritual Contemplation. This unique blend of physical and mental exercises is believed to have arrays of health advantages.
1. Physical Postures
The physical postures of this ancient exercise technique are designed in a way that encourages your body to relax and reduce stress and anxiety. Several studies have revealed that yoga postures help cut off the secretion of cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone.
These postures further help improve your cardiovascular health and lower the risk of heart diseases. These also help reduce chronic pain and serve as an antidote to mental illnesses like anxiety and depression.
Some of the common poses practiced worldwide include:
Tree pose, Triangle pose, Downward-Facing dog, Chair pose, and mountain pose. All these postures are the ultimate ways to improve balance, strength, endurance, and flexibility of the body.
2. Breathing Exercises
‘Breathing’ is the key component of yoga and breath awareness is essential to perform each of its poses.
The element of breath regulation ‘Pranayama’, which is a Sanskrit term comprising two words ‘Prana’ and ‘Yama. Prana stands for ‘energy’ while Yama means control. So, ‘Pranayama’ is the way you control your breathing patterns to relax your body and mind.
The common breathing exercises followed worldwide are:
- Alternate Nostril Breathing, also known as Nadishodhana
- Victorious Breathing also called Ujjayi
- Female honeybee humming breath, which is also termed Bhramari
- Bellows Breath also called Bastrika
All these breathing techniques can be used to connect one’s mind with their body and it also helps supply oxygen to your body whilst removing toxins.
Some other scientifically-proven benefits of these breathing exercises are improved quality of sleep, decreased stress and anxiety, reduced blood pressure, increased mindfulness, and improved cognitive and lung function.
3. Spiritual Contemplation
Spiritual Contemplation is the third core element, which is defined as the ‘deep reflective thought’. It is the state of mystical awareness that is attained when the first two core elements are conducted effectively.
Spiritual Contemplation is also used as a synonym for meditation but most commonly meditation is referred to as a human mode of prayer while contemplation is divinely infused into the soul.
This element helps you witness things from a different perspective. It enables your mind to absorb the essence of things that you might not observe otherwise.
A scientific study conducted in 2018 has also proved the benefits of contemplative practices in improving health and removing disparities.
Why Is Yoga Really Good For Your Body? 5 Important Benefits
Regular practice can provide numerous physical and mental health benefits. The most prominent benefit explained by experts is increased physical strength, harmony, and balance of your body.
Natalie Nevins, a California-based yoga instructor, and a board-certified osteopathic family physician says, “The purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness, and harmony in both the mind and body”.
Number One: Improved Body Flexibility & Balance
The reason why the majority of people add this ancient technique into their fitness routine is that it is the best workout to attain maximum levels of body flexibility and balance. Scientific studies also back this benefit, revealing that demonstrating specific yoga poses can increase several measures of your body’s flexibility.
A study conducted in 2016 revealed that regular yoga practice can boost your body’s flexibility and balance, and it may also enhance your athletic performance.
It can improve body flexibility and mobility in older adults also. This 2013 study concluded that yoga has numerous balance and mobility-related benefits for older adults.
So, for those eyeing improving their flexibility and balance, practicing yoga for just 15-20 minutes can help you reach your goal in no time.
Number Two: Reduced Anxiety And Depression
Several scientific studies have backed the fact that practicing yogic postures can help decrease the secretion of the primary stress hormone known as cortisol.
A study conducted in 2005 to assess the effect of yoga on depression and anxiety revealed that women suffering from mental distress showed significant improvements in the level of stress and anxiety after participating in a 3-month Iyengar yoga class. The participants also reported improvement in back pain, and headache, and their overall physical well-being also improved.
Another study conducted in 2009 involved 20 women who suffered from different anxiety disorders. After participating in a two-month yoga class these participants reported a significant decrease in their stress levels. Thus, the study suggested yoga as a contemporary therapy for yoga disorders.
Number Three: Improved Heart Health
Alongside improving body flexibility and reducing mental health issues, it also plays a vital role in improving heart health.
Several studies have been conducted to assess the role of yoga in decreasing heart diseases and most of the studies have concluded that yoga plays a vital role in improving heart health.
A study conducted with a sample group of people aged 40 and above found that people who practiced yoga for five years showed a lower blood pressure and pulse rate as compared to those who didn’t practice yoga.
Though it is unclear how much of a role yoga can play in improving your health compared to other factors like diet, it surely plays a crucial role in boosting your cardiovascular and mental health.
Number Four: Improved Sleep Quality
The quality of sleep of an individual is another important factor in determining their overall health. Insufficient sleep is determined as the foremost factor causing obesity in the majority of individuals.
Several other studies reveal that getting less than 7-8 hours of sleep per night can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Thus, it is important to make sleep the top priority and consider all the factors that disturb your sleep patterns.
You can easily improve your sleep quality by incorporating yoga into your daily workout routine and resultantly can have improved physical and well-being.
A 2005 study reveals that they conducted an experiment with some elderly patients and divided them into three groups. The first group was assigned to practice yoga, the next has to take a herbal preparation and the latter has to be part of a control group. Among all other patients, those who practiced yoga fell asleep faster, slept longer, and had quality sleep.
Many other studies have blacked out the fact that yoga decreases sleep disturbances and improve sleep quality.
Number Five: Improved Breathing
Breathing plays a vital role in yoga, in fact, Pranayama, or yogic breathing is one of the core elements of this ancient practice.
The majority of poses incorporate breathing exercises thus it improves your breathing patterns and reducing the risk of problems like asthma and several other lung diseases.
It also enables you to control your breathing by incorporating different breathing techniques that ultimately help you optimize your lung performance.
Several studies have talked about yoga’s role in building endurance and lung function. According to a study conducted in the year 2009, a group of patients diagnosed with mild-to-moderate asthma showed improved lung performance after practicing yogic breathing.
The Bottom Line
The benefits of yoga are not limited to what we have talked about in this article. From improving your eating habits to boosting your overall strength and alleviating chronic diseases yoga has several other scientifically-proven benefits.
What is important now is to identify the right yoga technique and time to reap the most health benefits.
Also Read: 5 Best Types of Meditation for Peace of Mind