Some people avoid Yoga because they think it is only for people who are athletic, strong, young and flexible. This could not be further from the truth. There is no doubt that Yoga is a unique type of exercise, however people who regularly practice Yoga enjoy many health and fitness benefits. If you are avoiding Yoga, you are actually missing out on benefiting your body, your spirit and your mind. Read this article to learn about how Yoga can be beneficial to your life.

Practicing Yoga Can Help Strengthen Your Lungs

Yoga involves deep purposeful breathing and studies have shown that such exercises can strengthen the functioning of the lungs. This can benefit you in several different ways.

You will be able to run or walk longer distances without getting too tired. Also you will not lose your breadth so easily when you climb a flight of stairs. If you participate in sports, you will find your performance improving as your lung capacity increases. So start practicing Yoga today and watch your performance levels soar.

Yoga Will Make You Stronger and Fitter

You might be wondering how Yoga can make you stronger since it does not involve lifting heavy weights. Yoga is actually a body weight bearing workout. When you do Yoga, you lift your body weight against gravity and this will help to build your muscles.

Perhaps, you do not care about body building or developing big muscles. What you should understand is that a bigger muscle mass burns more calories in a day. Also, you continue to burn calories even when you are not exercising. Therefore, your body will be burning fat while you are watching television or sleeping. And as you age, you lose muscle mass, especially if you do not work them. Therefore you should make Yoga a part of your everyday routine so as to preserve your muscles.

Yoga Can Give You a Better Posture

This might be difficult to believe because Yoga involves twisting and bending your body into unconventional positions. However, it is a fact that Yoga can improve your posture. This is because Yoga makes your body stronger so that your muscles can better support a good posture.

In addition, you will become more flexible by practicing Yoga regularly. It will help to remove the stiffness and tension in your body, so you can comfortably walk and sit with your back and shoulders straight, and your stomach tucked in. You may think that posture is not important, but it has been shown that poor posture can damage the spine as well as its associated ligaments and muscles. Also, poor posture can cause gastrointestinal disorder, jaw pain and headaches. Yoga can help you avoid these problems.

Yoga is Beneficial for Heart Health

If you have high blood pressure, Yoga just might help you. Several studies have shown that people who practice Yoga regularly have lower blood cholesterol levels and lower risks of developing heart disease. Because it is extremely effective, some doctors now use Yoga breathing techniques and exercises to reverse symptoms of heart ailment plus other stress induced diseases. Therefore, by adding Yoga to your daily routine, you can reduce the risk of a stroke and heart attack.

Yoga Helps Alleviate Depression Symptoms

If you feel depressed, and have tried everything to deal with it, then Yoga may be the answer. People who practice Yoga regularly say that Yoga helps improve their mood, energy and focus.

Some healthcare professionals believe that the deep breathing is what actually helps. When your brain receives more oxygen, you will have more energy, feel better and have a more positive attitude. Other experts believe that it has to do with Yoga’s stress relieving effects. When you engage in an activity that causes your body to feel more relaxed, your mind will also feel good.

Also, some other experts say the improvement in mood is the result of Yoga’s ability to balance the endocrine and nervous systems of the body, both of which influence your emotions. All these will give you a feeling of calmness and wellbeing. In view of the numerous health and fitness benefits of Yoga, you should seriously consider including it in your daily routine.