How A Yoga Lifestyle Can Improve Your Overall Health

Jason Lewis, Strongwell.org

A Busy Life can Create Stress

Many Americans struggle with stress, anxiety, fatigue, and other symptoms of a busy lifestyle, all of which can lead to exhaustion, issues with family members, and problems at work. These feelings can actually cause physical pain or depression, and in some cases, can even lead to substance abuse. When your entire body is involved, it’s hard to see a way out or imagine finding a way to make it better.

Yoga is More than Exercise

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to feel better, and incorporating yoga life is one of them. Largely hailed as one of the best forms of wellness for your body and mind, Yoga can help to you relax, learn to focus on the present rather than being anxious about the future, and find inner peace even when you’re in the midst of a stressful event. It can be done alone or in a group, meaning you can find balance no matter where you are, and it doesn’t require a gym membership.

Learn to Relax

Yoga Asana can help you to  loosen your muscles, guide you to taking deeper breaths, and help you to find inner peace so that you can work toward letting go of stress. If you have a very demanding job or work long hours, practicing Yoga can help you stay calm when those stressful situations kick in, and it can also help you find ways to manage your emotions. This is especially useful for individuals who are single parents and have a lot going on, or for people with high-stress jobs.

Have Fun

Yoga is a great way to chill out, but did you know it can be fun, too? You can play your favorite music while practicing Asana, try it outdoors for a change of scenery  -- head to  the Beach or Paddle Board.  Seek out a practice that suits your desires, at first.  For example, some teachers are allowing you to bring pets while you practice Asana.  It’s not always about teaching them the poses--although some do participate--but rather, showing them how to be calm. This may be the place for you to begin, but remember, the practice is much more than just doing poses.  For more info on places that welcome dogs during the asana practice, click here.

Build Strength

Many first-timers are surprised at how much energy it takes to get through a single yoga asana session, because it tends to look easier than it is. It’s a great way to build up muscle strength and perfect your posture if the instructor guides you through proper alignment in the poses.  This is perfect for individuals who sit at a desk all day. The best part is, because Yoga can be done just about anywhere.    Some instructors can even offer adaptations of the various poses for chairs and with tools  (blankets, straps, blocks, etc.).

Connect Spiritually

The practice of Yoga includes 8 Limbs or aspects one of which is learning to focus your mind so that meditation may happen.  This practice  can bring you closer to  spiritual health. This can mean different things for different people, so think about what it means to you and allow Yoga to give you a bit of a boost when you need it. Simply practicing mindful practice, directing your breathing and physical body can help you learn to be more present in the moment and appreciate your strength. For a guide on all the ways Yoga can help your body and mind, read on here.

Because Yoga is appropriate for any age, can be done almost anywhere, and is beneficial to many different parts of the body, it’s ideal for many different kinds of people. Not only can it help alleviate symptoms of various health disorders, it can also prevent them. Talk to your doctor about whether Yoga is right for you.

Jason Lewis is a personal trainer with a focus upon senior health.