“Healthy mind resides in a healthy body”-Almost all of us have heard it, right?
Well, this is as true as it seems. Studies have shown that lifelong exercise can lead to improved brain function in later years. People performed better in mental tests at the age of 50 if they had been engaged in physical activities since childhood.
Okay, so you got the point that physical activities are a must, right? Now wondering what option to choose? Sports, Gym, Swimming, Yoga or what?
Well, that completely depends on your personal opinion. But if you are looking for something that not only boosts physical health but fosters mental calmness too, then our preference would go with YOGA!
Yoga is a 5000-year-old ancient Indian practice which aims of harmonizing the body with the mind and breath using various breathing exercises, yoga poses and meditation.
Sounds challenging to perform? No, it ain’t!
As there are so many different kinds of yoga practices, it is possible for anyone to start. It comprises many different postures (asana) ranging from easy to complicated, you can actually begin with what befits you.
And over time, can start spreading your legs in the complicated ones.
Benefits? Many!
Fosters mental health: Studies have shown that performing yoga regularly can actually take away that mental stress your mind has been holding on to. Since yoga is a combination of meditation and physical movements, it provides the two important elements for relieving stress. Meditation helps a person to stay in present and controlled, focused movements intensify body-mind connection. This union just serves the purpose.
Helps in depression: Yoga is a natural way to increase serotonin production. Serotonin is the happy chemical found in our bodies and deficiency of which may lead to depression. Performing Yoga regularly can just solve the root.
A Better Body Image: Yoga focuses on developing inner awareness. It focuses our attention on the body’s ability to perform various acts.
Surveys have concluded that those who did yoga were more aware and satisfied with their bodies than those who didn’t. Considering this thing, yoga is being used to heal eating disorders too.
Increases concentration: As the wise sage Patanjali stated, Yoga is the reduction of fluctuations of the mind and it stills the natural turbulences of our thoughts. Thus, Yoga works to relax the mind and body so that we can think more clearly and with more concentration.
Cardiovascular Benefits: If yoga is coupled with good eating habits, it can actually save lives.
A study was done on 133 patients of heart diseases for checking the effects of yoga and a healthy diet. And the outcome was just astonishing. The progression of heart disease stopped in 47% of patients.
Better sleep quality: Yoga can improve your sleep quality. A study was done on patients of lymphoma to see the effects of yoga on their sleep cycle. And to be amazed, they did saw decreased sleep disturbances, improved sleep quality and duration.
There are many other health benefits than we could jot down here. You can get this all just by giving half an hour to yoga.
Really determined to start? Oh, we can account the reasons for!
Let’s start the journey from this International Yoga Day,2020.
Written by
Ms. Sacheta Saini
I like this article very much.
Very well organized article, almost constitutes all beneficiary aspects . Great work 👍