The Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. Yoga is all about harmonizing the body with the mind and breath through the means of various breathing techniques and physical poses which are called Asanas. There are different styles of yoga that teach you how to move your body in new ways. Choosing one of these styles offers the greatest health benefits by enabling us to develop  flexibility, strength, and balance. Stay Safe While Practicing Yoga.


Even though yoga is safe but still there can be a risk if you are suffering from these problems.

• Severe osteoporosis
• High or low blood pressure
• Ear problems
• Problems with your spine
• Pregnancy (include risks to your unborn child)

 Here are some tips to help you reduce your risk of injury from yoga:

• If you are pregnant or have a pre-existing health condition:
• Consult your yoga provider. Your yoga  provider can help you know how to judge what type and level of yoga exercise is safe for you during pregnancy or how can yoga  be beneficial to  you during pregnancy.
• Learn yoga with an experienced and credentialed instructor to perform the exercises and avoid injury. Yoga is not a substitute for medical care. It offers many health benefits.
• Before beginning any new type of yoga, ask about its physical demands. Talk with the instructor if that particular yoga is suitable for you.
• Go slow. Learn the basics, such as proper breathing and how to maintain balance, before you attempt the more ambitious stretches.
• Warm up properly. Cold muscles increase your chance of injury.
• Wear proper clothing. Wear clothes that allow you to move freely.
• If you don't understand an exercise, ask to see it again before you attempt it yourself.
• Stay hydrated, if you are practicing  "hot" yoga, which is done in a very warm and humid room.
• Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Yoga isn't supposed to hurt. If you feel pain, stop. If the pain persists you should stop immediately. If you have chest pain, feel faint or overheated, or become dizzy. Get immediate medical help.

Asanas and Flexibility
When some people think of yoga, they imagine having to stretch like a gymnast. That makes them Yoga stretches not only your muscles but all of the soft tissues of your body. That includes ligaments, tendons, and the fascia sheath that surrounds your muscles. And no matter your level of yoga, you most likely will see benefits in a very short period of time.
The series of yoga poses called Asanas work by safely stretching your muscles. Yoga increases the range of motion in joints. It may also increase lubrication in the joints. The outcome is a sense of ease and fluidity throughout your body.

Yoga and Strength
Some styles of yoga, such as Ashtanga and Power yoga, are more vigorous than others. Practicing one of these styles will help you improve muscle tones. Lyengar or Hatha, which aims on less movement and more precise alignment in poses, can provide strength and endurance benefits.

Yoga Benefits Breathing
Because of the deep, mindful breathing that yoga involves, lung capacity often improves. This in turn can improve sports performance and endurance.  Taking an intense power yoga class that gets you breathing hard in a heated room, however, can provide an aerobic benefit.
Most forms of yoga emphasize deepening and lengthening your breath. This stimulates the relaxation response.




Yoga Means Less Stress, More Calm
Even beginners tend to feel less stressed and more relaxed after their first class. Some yoga styles use specific meditation techniques to quiet the constant underlies stress. Other yoga styles depend on deep breathing techniques to focus the mind on the breath. When this happens, the mind calms.

Yoga, Concentration, and Mood
Nearly everyone who practices yoga feels happy and it also helps in depression also.
Yoga's Benefits the Heart
Perhaps one of the most health benefits of yoga is its effect on heart disease. Yoga has long been known to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate. A slower heart rate can benefit people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Yoga also boost  immune system function.
Yoga's Effects on Other Medical Conditions
Yoga also help in chronic medical conditions, relieving symptoms of asthma, back pain, and arthritis.

Other Benefits of Yoga
Some studies have suggested that yoga may have a positive effect on learning and memory also. Researchers have been studying whether yoga can slow the aging process, increase a person's sense of self-acceptance, or improve energy levels. Yoga also increase spiritual awareness. Nevertheless, there is an abundance of anecdotal claims for what yoga can do. The only way to be certain of all that yoga can do for you is to try it for yourself and see.