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One of the most transformative lifestyle changes I experienced was with my introduction into mindfulness based practices. Since then, I have become an active yoga practitioner, in addition to facilitating seminars on mindfulness practices in both corporate and academic settings. As many of us are still in the first month of fulfilling our ambitions for the New Year, I would like to encourage each of you to consider embarking on the yoga mat as a catalyst for positive change in your life. With that in mind, here are the 5 reasons why you should consider including yoga into your weekly routine, if you haven’t yet experienced its transformative effects:
1. Physical benefits. Improvement of flexibility, bone strength, immune system, building muscle strength, improvement of posture, reduction of inflammation, and effective pain management—especially for the back—are all documented physical benefits of this practice (e.g. Mccall, 2007). For instance, one study found that, “yoga practice results in changes in gene expression that boost immunity at a cellular level” (as reported by Domonell, 2014, para 1). Other research documents benefits for cancer patients regarding pain management and fatigue, as well as improvements in breathing for practitioners with asthma. Additionally, patients with insomnia can benefit from better quality of sleep with a regular yoga practice (Domonell, 2014). The physical benefits of this practice are wide reaching and very well documented, ranging from the obvious to the unexpected. For instance, sexual performance is reportedly improved for yogis, as are migraines (Domonell, 2014).
2. Stress Management/Stress Reduction. One of the most obvious benefits of maintaining a regular yoga practice is that it is an effective way to combat stress and improve overall mental health. For instance, one study found that serotonin, a neurotransmitter that boosts mood, is increased for practitioners, while stress hormones such as cortisol are decreased (as reported by Mccall, 2007). Moreover, the increase of blood flow and oxygen that this practice enables is good for the health of the brain, in addition to other parts of the body. In fact, stress reduction is consistently reported as a core benefit of this practice, in addition to the numerous physical benefits that have been documented. Thus yoga and other mindfulness practices are viable alternatives to traditional psychiatric interventions for patients suffering from mood or anxiety-related disorders, or can be done in conjunction with more traditional therapies.
3. Mind-Body Connection. Improvement of mental health is very strongly related to the way in which practitioners of yoga become more mindful of the connection between the mind and the body. It is common for the body to manifest pain or symptoms that reside in the turmoil of one’s mind. A particular pose may trigger a strong negative reaction on the mat, which offers the yogi an opportunity to reflect on what tension or trauma they may be holding in that part of their body. The greater awareness of the mind-body connection further enables a reduction of stress and boost of mental health, as the practitioner becomes more attuned to how the body reacts to thoughts, and vice versa. In fact, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health lists mindfulness practices such as meditation and yoga as effective techniques or therapies to facilitate mind-body alignment (Hart, 2015). Thus, yoga as a practice enables greater cohesiveness for the individual on the mat, and thus goes a long way towards enabling an individual to develop a more complete and aligned disposition between their mental and physical states.
4. Digital Detox. Walk through any busy street or observe others during your morning commute and the ubiquity of technology and our obsession with screen time is everywhere for us to see. We are as a culture, for better and worse, a highly digitized and technology-dependent populace. Numerous researches has been documenting the stress that constant exposure to technology can have for users, from the taxing of the brain to the pressures of always multi-tasking to distraction and mindless actions, not to mention the negative physical (e.g. eye strain), social (not being present in the moment, alienation from others, cyber bullying, social comparison, etc.) and economic (poor worker productivity, etc.) impacts of being constantly wired. As a mindfulness practice, yoga compels the practitioner to digitally unplug for the duration of the yoga session. In fact, depending on the instructor, cell phones may not even be allowed in the studio. For regular yogis, the opportunity to unplug—even temporarily—from digital gadgets and to remain present in the moment is one of the less obvious but equally beneficial results of this practice.
5. Focus. Strongly related to the last benefit, the digital unplugging and lack of stimulation during the yoga practice also fosters greater focus. In fact, a core feature to any yoga practice is the ability to hold poses for an extended period of time, a feat that requires focus and concentration. Balancing poses in particular help to harness focus, as a wandering mind can lead to a wandering body that can pull the yogi off balance. In fact, “studies have found that regular yoga practice improves coordination, reaction time, memory, and even IQ scores” all of which benefit from a greater ability to focus (Mccall, 2007, para 18).
When I first started yoga, I was very intimidated by how little I knew about the practice and wondered if my body had the capability to endure the different poses my instructors appeared to model with such ease and grace. I felt as if I were out of place and bumbling. Over time, however, I started to notice changes in my body (and mind), and found that poses I used to struggle to maintain I was able to slip into with ease. Today, my yoga mat is the purveyor of my sanity and one of the most sacred spaces that I have the privilege of embodying. I got a new mat for the New Year, but the practice itself remains the same. I encourage each of you to consider getting on the mat, wherever you may be physically and mentally, and set yourself up to experience the benefits listed here in addition to many more.
Namaste!
Domonell, K. (2014). 5 Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga. Huffpost Healthy Living. Retrieved on January 26, 2016 from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/12/yoga-health-benefits_n_4768746…
Hart, P. (2015). Mind-Body Therapies. Taking Charge of your Health & Wellbeing: University of Minnesota. Retrieved on January 26, 2016 from: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/what-are-mind-body-therapies
Mccall, T. (2007). 38 Health Benefits of Yoga. Yoga Journal. Retrieved on January 26, 2016 from: http://www.yogajournal.com/article/health/count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-keeps-fit/
Copyright 2016 Azadeh Aalai
