10 Reasons Why You Should Practice Yoga

If you’re looking for a reason to get down and namaste, here are 10 reasons why you should practice yoga for your mind, body, and overall health!

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I think yoga is sometimes underestimated as a workout.  For someone unfamiliar with yoga, it may be viewed as merely stretching (Hi, Mom).  While yoga does gives you a good stretch, it provides many more benefits.  I have been a fan of yoga for a few years now.  While I may have strayed from yoga workouts over a stretch of months, I’m back to rolling out my mat and getting down…dog.  Here are 10 reasons I think yoga is beneficial to your mind and body.

10 Reasons Why You Should Practice Yoga

 

1. Mental clarity.  I find myself thinking so much clearer after a good yoga session.  I feel refreshed and in tune with my thoughts and happier overall.  My focus is increased and I find myself less distracted because my mind is calm.
2. Balance and posture.  I’m a clumsy girl and the bruises I have from walking into things prove that.  But during yoga, I am so aware of the poses I’m getting into that it’s easier to focus on my balance and posture.  The first time I was able to get into crane, I couldn’t believe it.  While that pose takes strength, it takes a lot of balance, too.  Balance I didn’t think I had, but I kept working at it and accomplished so many yoga poses I didn’t think I could.
3. Breathing.  With yoga, you inhale into one pose and exhale into another.  The breathing is cleansing and calms you.  Since getting back into yoga, I find myself using these breathing techniques when I have trouble falling asleep at night.  While my sleep patterns still aren’t where I’d like them to be, calm breathing is helpful.  These techniques are also important for meditation.  Clear your mind and breathe!
4. Build muscle. Sometimes I’ll do a short yoga workout just to stretch my body out.  Other times I want a workout that leaves me sore the next day.  Because you’re holding your posture and moving with your muscles, yoga can help you tone and burn fat.  Working yourself into some of the trickier yoga poses, you can really feel your core working to keep you balanced.  You might even find yourself waking up sore the next morning.  Knowing your muscles are being worked is so satisfying.  It’s really a motivator to keep moving.
5. It’s a turn on.  Practice yoga in front of your significant other and you might find your concentration broken…but for good reason!  Hello flexibility!
6. Energy. Right after yoga, I feel calm and relaxed.  Following that, I get a boost of energy.  It doesn’t matter whether I do yoga designed for the morning or night.  It’s like somehow hits the turbo boost button and I’m off and running.  
7. Your BFF for back aches. Even my husband gets down and does a little yoga from time to time.  He gets back aches from his big, bad job.  I get back aches just from life.  So yoga is definitely helpful to ease some of the pain.
8. Connections. Every move in yoga is some sort of connection, starting with your body on the mat.  With each breath you’re connecting to your body, mind and–from what I learned in meditation yoga–the cosmos/a higher power.
9. Stress be gone.  Having a bad day?  Yoga puts me in such a good mood.  Because it allows you to focus on the motions and clear your mind, you’ll forget what you were stressed about when you’re ready to roll up your mat.
10. Self-respect.  I haven’t always treated my body the best, but yoga makes me want to treat myself a lot better.  It’s a confidence builder.  It teaches me to respect what I put into my body and banish negativity.    

Do you practice yoga?

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