There's no denying that yoga is a fantastic way to get fit. Many people will be considering taking the practice up to improve their
physical health. However, did you know that it's fantastic for your mental health too? Here are some of the ways it can help you stay healthy mentally, and bring in a calming new outlook on life this year for you.
Yoga Increases a Sense of Calm
These days, everyone is on the go all the time. No matter what you do, whether you're a CEO or a stay at home parent, you're always stressed out. The addition of technology to the mix just makes things worse, as you're trying to keep up with the world no matter where you are. It's just all too much.
According to
study conducted by University of California, yoga is perfect way to de-stress, increase
support to your immune system, lower level of anxiety and just get back on an even keel. The focus is on you and your body, nothing else. You can leave the real world behind for a while, and simply spend some time in a calm environment.
Get In Touch With Your Inner Self
There are lots of ways that you can get in touch with yourself, especially during this hectic season. Yoga helps to increase your inner power and brainpower,
according to the study. Also, yoga has a very similar effect on the brain to writing. The good way to improve your mental health is to combine those exercises by using
State Of Writing and
Via Writing resources.
This could be because yoga and writing give you the chance to slow down and reflect on yourself and clear your mind, rather than having to react to everything around you.
Improve Your Concentration
Do you find that it's difficult to concentrate on one task for a given period of time? If so, then yoga could help you improve your attention span.
Studies have shown that participating in yoga can actually increase your attention span, and help you focus more on the things that matter.
"There are certain poses that have been shown to really help," says health writer and yoga practitioner, Michael Fisher. "The prayer pose, the eagle, and the warrior 2 are all recommended." If you're looking to improve your concentration, this could be how you do it.
Become Happier With Yoga
If you've ever done a yoga session before, you may have noticed how centered you feel afterwards. This is thanks to the fact that yoga asks you to focus on the here and now. In today's society, you're always asked to look into the future or worry about the past. It's no wonder that you often feel worse off in your life, as you're not 'allowed' to focus on what's good right now.
Yoga is fantastic for centering yourself and really letting go of things that you cannot control and have a
huge effect on your mood. If you're the kind of person who finds it hard to switch off, then this might be for you.
Yoga Can Help With Psychiatric Disorders
If you live with a psychiatric disorder, the best way to treat it is to talk to your doctor who can advise you on what to do. If you're already on a treatment regimen, then yoga can actually be a great way to top it up and help yourself feel better on a bad day.
One study saw that people with bipolar disorder, questioned about how yoga helped them, said that they found it 'life changing'. It helped them manage their symptoms in a healthy way, meaning they felt much better about themselves when otherwise they may have been struggling.
Of course, yoga can't replace medical help, but it can certainly help you get out of a funk if you're feeling low. It's easy to get into so it's certainly worth a try.
Practicing Yoga Can Prevent Brain Aging
Some studies have found that
yoga can protect against aging. Those who practiced yoga were found to have larger brain volume than those who didn't, meaning they didn't suffer as much shrinkage with age as you usually would."
Many people are concerned about delaying ageing, especially as we now live in an aging population. Taking care of yourself now can prevent a lot of problems further down the line. This includes eating healthily, exercising, and taking care of your mental health. Yoga can be a big part of that. Taking it up now can help you feel better than you've ever been. says health blogger Tim Corner.
As you can see, yoga has so many benefits it's hard to know where to begin. If you've never tried it before, it's also very welcoming towards newcomers. This new year, why not give yourself the gift of better mental health? You'll be amazed at how much yoga can help you.
