26 Reasons Harvard Medical School
Says Yoga is the Best Exercise You Can Do
Did you know Harvard Medical School put out a book all about the benefits of yoga? According to them:
1. Yoga is a very unique exercise practice.
According to Harvard Medical School, yoga is one of the very best exercises you can possibly do. Especially as we get older! Yoga will keep our bodies strong, flexible, balanced, and moving. It will keep our minds focused and increase the parts of the brain associated with memory. It can even keep the exterior of our bodies young looking and keep wrinkles away. Yoga is a better exercise than running, weight lifting, and walking in what it can do for your overall health and wellness. And it is the best exercise you can do as you start to get older.
2. Yoga builds Strength and Endurance
Many styles of yoga provide low-impact aerobic exercise and are good for your heart. One study found that 24 rounds of sun salutations 6 times a week significantly improved upper body strength over 6 months. Another study found that an hour of rigorous yoga twice a week for 8 months increases leg strength.
3. Yoga improves Balance and Flexibility
A twice weekly yoga program helped improve flexibility and balance in college athletes in just 10 weeks.
4. Yoga builds your awareness and connection to your body
The more you can tune in to your body, the more you are able to listen to it and protect it from injury.
5. Yoga builds the mind-body connection
Your body and mind are powerfully connected to each other. Stress and emotions can have a major impact on your body and health. Building your mind body connection helps you feel more whole and empowered to improve your health.
6. Yoga helps people who are already healthy.
Yoga has been shown to improve the performance, wellness, and fitness of people who are already healthy, including athletes. Many professional athletes in football, basketball, baseball, tennis, and golf do yoga to help them with their athletic performance.
7. Yoga encourages you to pursue a healthier lifestyle
Yoga motivates nearly two thirds of people to exercise more and 40% to eat healthier. Yoga practitioners are more likely to live green and eat sustainable food. Yoga may also inspire you to pursue many other physical or self-care activities.
8. Yoga gives you stronger “body-responsiveness”
Body-responsiveness refers to our relationship with our own body, and, like any other relationship, listening and trust are essential for a strong relationship. A strong relationship with your body means: “I am confident that my body lets me know what is good for me” or “I am able to ‘listen’ to my body and what it needs.”
9. Yoga improves your sleep
Yoga, including poses, breathing techniques, and meditation, are useful research-backed methods to help improve quality of sleep and treat insomnia. Sixty percent report that yoga helps them get better sleep.
10. Yoga improves your immune system
At the biochemical level, yoga boosts your immune system so you’re better able to fight off illnesses and heal faster.
11. Yoga is beneficial during healthy pregnancies
Prenatal yoga reduces stress and anxiety and helps women feel connected to their changing body during pregnancy.
12. Yoga is adaptable and useful to help with medical conditions
The most common health problems that lead to yoga are back pain, stress, and arthritis---all conditions that research has shown improve with practicing yoga regularly. Toga has been shown to be helpful as part of treatment for a variety of medical conditions, including chronic lower back or neck pain, fatigue, obesity, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, migraines, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, and for cancer survivors.
13. Yoga helps you cope with health problems
Yoga not only can be integrated into the treatment of many different health issues, but it can ease coping with health problems. Yoga is adaptable and focuses on the individual’s needs, so it be tailored to people who are frail or bed bound or not used to being physically active.
14. Yoga relieves stress
More than 80% of people who do yoga report that it reduces stress. You’ll feel more calm and grounded with yoga. You don’t have to escape your inner thoughts and feelings. You aren’t encouraged to push your body too far. The original purpose of yoga and its poses is to calm the mind and prepare you for meditation, which is considered an important part of yoga. Stress is the leading case for visits to the doctor and wreaks havoc on your physical body, so being able to relax is essential for your physical health as well.
15. Yoga improves your mood
More than two thirds of people who do yoga notice that it improves their mood.
16. Yoga creates a more flexible mind
Yoga’s effects are not all just physical. By using a comprehensive yoga approach, including breathing, meditation, self-reflection, and poses, you will improve your ability to stay with the moment with an open, uncritical attitude. This starts building a more flexible mind.
17. Yoga gives you tools to balance your mind (and body)
Yoga offers both energizing and calming principles and the combination of the two can produce a balancing effect on both body and mind.
18. Yoga puts you more in your body and less in your head
With the breathing techniques, postures, and also meditations, contrary to what you might assume, you will be less “stuck” in your head and better able to escape the self-criticism and judgments that might live there.
19. Yoga builds self-esteem and confidence
The more you do yoga, the more you will feel empowered and confident about both you body and mind as a whole.
20. Yoga improves your memory and attention
Studies show that yoga strengthens the parts of the brain that are responsible for memory and attention. An 8-week yoga program helped older adults improve their memory and decision-making capabilities. Yoga also improves academic performance and classroom behavior in children and teens.
21. Yoga helps with such problems as depression and anxiety
Growing research shows that yoga can be integrated successfully into treatment for mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, binge eating disorder, and schizophrenia.
22. Yoga helps people cut back on drinking and smoking
Yoga reduces cravings and helps people who are interested in using less alcohol, tobacco or other substances.
23. Yoga builds your relationship with yourself
Yoga encourages you to be more self-aware and self-reflective, while letting go of any self criticism.
24. Yoga helps you connect better with others
Yoga fosters empathy and compassion. Yoga is rooted in ethical principles of self-compassion and awareness that can both increase your empathy for yourself and others. Yoga expands your awareness and helps you discover the powerful connection between your body and your mind.
25. Yoga encourages you to give back to your community
One form of yoga is called seva, or selfless service. The philosophy of yoga encourages you to be aware of what’s happening around you and to follow a sense of purpose or intention. Nearly 50% of yoga practitioners report that they donate time to the community.
26. Yoga may lead you to delve into self-reflective and spiritual explorations
Yoga is more commonly a secular practice in the United States, but you may be inspired to explore the spiritual dimension of yoga.
26 Reasons to Start Practicing Yoga Today!
Purify Wellness Center offers gentle and beginner yoga all the way up to advanced yoga classes.
Come in and start practicing yoga today for better health and wellness. Come in and meet our all star teachers and instructors and become a part of our growing community of health minded people. Beginners are welcome! And we specialize in having amazing gentle and beginner yoga classes.
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