If you think that yoga is only about stretching, consider that it can actually make you happier.
Yoga means different things to different people. Some people avoid it due to its religious, philosophical roots, and some people flock to it for its fitness and flexibility benefits. For those concerned about its roots, worry no more. The form of yoga practiced in the United States today is mainly hatha yoga, which is “the variety that centers on postures, breathing, and drills meant to strengthen the body and the mind, as opposed to the yoga of ethics and religious philosophy” (William J. Broad, The Science of Yoga).
Physically, yoga can help improve balance, promote less spinal degeneration, decrease inflammation, and help prevent osteoporosis. Unlike most forms of exercise, however, yoga turns you inward rather than outward. Due to the physiological slowing of yoga, it can reduce stress, decrease blood pressure, lower heart rate, boost immunity, and help prevent disease. Numerous studies have been done showing the effects of yoga on the mind with benefits, such as decreased depression, anxiety, tension, and insomnia. Yoga, as it is practiced today, has a little bit of something for everyone. You may try out yoga for the external, physical benefits and find that your mental health is benefiting too.
Yoga has a sly, clever way of short circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety.
– Baxter Bell, MD
Fresh Ideas to Extend Your Expiration Date
So how do you get in on this action? It’s really simple. Find a yoga studio in your area with a price and schedule that work for you. This way, you get feedback and guidance with the practice in order to do it safely.
Other ways that may fit into your lifestyle but without the feedback is choosing a yoga DVD for beginners, such as Rodney Yee’s A.M. & P.M. Yoga for Beginners or go online to yogajournal.com for tips and recommendations. Learn to focus on your breath and develop a sense of your body position. How it feels is important, too, and can aid you in preventing injuries and from feeling overwhelmed.
Learn More
Yogaglo.com gives you access to over 1,000 yoga classes, searchable by skill level or body area you wish to target. Class lengths range from 5 to 90 minutes to fit all schedules. Although it may be clearer to have one-on-one instruction in a class setting, this can be a fabulous resource for at-home learning. It requires a subscription fee, but you can try it for free for 15 days.
If you are looking for yoga in a group setting, then search yogaalliance.org to find registered yoga teachers in your area.
Yoga for Dummies, by George Feuerstein, is a helpful introductory book into yoga. With helpful pictures, it introduces yoga to a broad range of age groups.
