Why Yoga Exercise is Good For You

Yoga books tell us that Yoga, as we all know, is aimed to unite the mind, the body, and the spirit. Yogis view that the mind and the body are one, and that if it is given the right yoga kit and tools and taken to the right environment, it can find harmony and heal itself. Yoga therefore is considered therapeutic. It helps you become more aware of your body’s posture, alignment and patterns of movement.

It makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even in the midst of a stress stricken environment. This is one of the foremost reasons why people want to start Practicing Yoga – to feel fitter, be more energetic, and be happier and peaceful.

Yoga is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years. It is consists of Ancient Theories, observations and principles about the mind and body connection which is now being proven by modern medicine. Substantial research has been conducted to look at the Health Benefits of Yoga – from the Yoga Postures (Asanas), Yoga Breathing (Pranayama), and Meditation. The information on Yoga Poses & Benefits are grouped into three categories-physiological, psychological, biochemical effects. Furthermore, scientists have laid these results against the benefits of regular exercise.

 

Some of Physiological Benefits of Yoga:

■ Stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium

 ■ Pulse rate decreases

■ Respiratory rate decreases

■ Blood Pressure decreases (of special significance for hyporeactors)

■ Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases

■ EEG – alpha waves increase (theta, delta, and beta waves also increase during various stages of meditation)

■ Gastrointestinal function normalizes

■ Endocrine function normalizes

■ Breath-holding time increases

■ Eye-hand coordination improves

 ■ Reaction time improves

■ Posture improves

■ Energy level increases

■ Weight normalizes

■ Sleep improves

■ Immunity increases

■ Pain decreases

Psychological Benefits of Yoga:

 ■ Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase

■ Mood improves and subjective well-being increases

■ Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase

■ Social adjustment increases

■ Anxiety and Depression decrease

■ Hostility decreases

■ Concentration improves

 ■ Memory improves

 ■ Attention improves

 ■ Learning efficiency improves

■ Mood improves

 ■ Social skills increases

■ Self-acceptance increase

■ Memory improves

■ Learning efficiency improves

■ Depth perception improves

Some of Biochemical Benefits of Yoga:

■ Glucose decreases

■ Sodium decreases

■ Total cholesterol decreases

■ Triglycerides decrease

■ HDL cholesterol increases

■ LDL cholesterol decreases

■ VLDL cholesterol decreases

■ Cholinesterase increases

■ Catecholamines decrease

■ Hematocrit increases

■ Hemoglobin increases

■ Total white blood cell count decreases

■ Thyroxin increases

■ Vitamin C increases

Source: www.cyberastro.com

Compiled by: Raghda Sawas