YOGA: MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO

Achieving a total and balanced harmony between body and mind has extraordinary benefits for our health, both physical, mental and emotional. One of the activities that has more positive repercussions in this seemingly difficult task is Yoga. That is why in this post we want to tell you about all the benefits of this practice.

Despite being considered a sport, yoga is much more than that. It is a discipline that requires a total concentration on what we are doing, as it tries to cultivate and work body and mind. This practice has its origins in the East, specifically in India, hundreds of years ago. It was not until the 60's that it reached the West, and since then it has become a discipline that thousands of people have decided to incorporate into their routine for the many benefits it has, both physical and mental.

 

Physical benefits of Yoga

  • Improved flexibility. Improved flexibility is one of the main physical benefits of this activity. Yoga makes your muscles stretch, tone and contract constantly. A continued practice of yoga will improve your flexibility, while contributing to a better posture, and gradually you will notice how many muscle aches and pains will disappear.

 

  • Increases blood flow. Specifically, yoga relaxation exercises contribute to better circulation, especially in the hands and feet. It also causes the cells to receive a greater amount of oxygen.

 

  • Strengthens muscles. The practice of yoga helps prevent the onset of physical problems such as arthritis and muscle pain in the back or other parts of the body. In addition, by practicing flexibility at the same time, both skills are balanced.

 

  • Improves bone health. Many Yoga postures require lifting your own weight, which contributes to the strengthening of bones, as well as preventing osteoporosis. In addition, yoga is very good for protecting and strengthening the spine. This is because the intervertebral discs need movement to get nutrients, so yoga is an ideal practice to maintain a healthy and exercised spine.

 

  • Increases heart rate. The continued practice of yoga helps to reduce the heart rate at rest, and increase it during exercise. This results in the body needing less oxygen to work, which improves cardiovascular health, helps reduce cardiac risk and helps prevent depression.

 

Mental benefits of Yoga

  • Reduces stress. Cortisol is a hormone in our body that is released when we face stressful situations. The practice of Yoga helps to reduce cortisol levels, which causes a reduction of stress and prevents the onset of problems such as depression or anxiety.

 

  • Improves mood and state of mind. Yoga causes an increase in blood levels of serotonin, one of the "hormones of happiness". Therefore it contributes to an improvement of our mood and state of mind, thus avoiding obsessive or depressive behaviors. In short, Yoga helps us to think more positively.

 

  • Improves concentration. The practice of this discipline and its demands require a constant and continuous concentration, thanks to its relaxation and breathing techniques. All this contributes to an improvement in coordination, reaction time, memory, learning...

 

  • Improves sleep quality. By practicing yoga we release melatonin, the hormone that is responsible for regulating our sleep cycles. This helps us to rest better when we go to sleep, avoid insomnia or bad dreams.

 

  • Contributes to improving self-awareness. The meditation, concentration and relaxation that yoga requires helps us to be more aware of ourselves. All this contributes to an increase in our self-esteem and self-confidence, and above all to know ourselves better.