For thousands of years, yoga has been practiced around the world for both its many benefits. From the parks in San Francisco to the banks of the Ganges River in India, yoga has become a common source of physical and spiritual relief amid the daily pressures of modern life. Whether you practice intense hot yoga or are just experiencing yoga for the first time, it can be integrated into almost any wellness routine with near-immediate noticeable benefits.
Yoga improves flexibility
As we grow older, it’s no surprise that we begin to lose our flexibility. It’s a known fact, and can have effects on both one’s ability to take part in certain activities such as martial arts and gymnastics, which can also have mental repercussions. Yoga is great for improving flexibility and can even help keep joints strong and supple. While the process of regaining lost flexibility won’t occur overnight, even the stiffest senior should be able to improve over time. It’s also worth noting that improving flexibility can also help avoid costly injuries from falls and other accidents.
Yoga Can Revitalize the Mind
Despite the physically demanding positions involved, yoga practitioners report a very calming yet revitalizing feeling following an intense yoga session. Yoga can be great for mental health as it gives people time to take a step back and re-center themselves mentally. Some people prefer to focus on a problem in an attempt to create a simple and logical solution while others simply use this time to wipe their minds clean and let it rest. Whatever your method, the yoga experience can be incredibly relaxing and a driving force behind inspiration and clear thinking. And who doesn’t need a little of that in their lives?
Yoga Builds Muscle Strength and Posture
Much like with flexibility, strength and proper posture begins to deteriorate as we grow older. These issues can be damaging both mentally and physically. To combat this, yoga helps to build a usable core strength. Good core strength and posture can reduce the chances of injury and can even improve performance in nearly any sport.
Yoga Can Improve Skin Health
Depending on the type of yoga that you practice, it’s not uncommon for a lot of sweating to occur. Assuming you take a nice shower afterward, this act of sweating can be highly beneficial for your skin. Sweat is actually a source of a naturally occurring antimicrobial peptide called dermcidin that can prevent harmful bacteria that cause inflammation, acne, and infections. And while it may seem gross at the time, sweat also contains a moisturizing effect for your skin, keeping it soft and supple. Over time, this consistent sweating can help prevent premature aging of the skin which can result in unwanted wrinkles.