Health should be everyone’s top priority, especially for women. Part of being healthy is having a consistent exercise routine. For some women, they may go running. For others, it’s hitting the gym to lift weights. For others, it’s getting their yoga mat for a sweltering session of hot yoga. Yoga is a series of exercises where each pose is designed to target a particular muscle group or internal organ and have health benefits when doing the pose correctly. There are many benefits of practicing yoga. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Six Benefits of Yoga for the Ladies:
- Increases Flexibility
Yoga is known for difficult poses that require women to stretch and bend. While doing the first yoga class, chances are, first-timers can have difficulty in touching the toes, much less doing a headstand – which is totally normal and expected. However, constant yoga practice can loosen the tight tension in the muscles and hamstrings, and there is a noticeably improved performance in achieving the poses. After a month of yoga, ladies can definitely work the headstands and backbends!
- Builds Muscle Strength
Not many people know that yoga is just as intense as lifting weights in the gym. Instead of lifting heavy metal, ladies would often lift their body weight! While building muscle looks good physically, there are also many benefits of muscle strength. It helps prevent conditions such as arthritis and back pains. Another byproduct of building muscle strength is that your body looks leaner and more muscular. We know that physical beauty is only secondary. What matters most is what is inside, but looking good is a cool cherry on top with yoga!
- Better Posture
Practicing yoga can help in having a better posture. While doing the poses, yoga teachers (with the student’s permission) can help correct the alignment of certain body parts to achieve the correct form of the pose. As a result, the constant practice of yoga can help strengthen the spine to help correct one’s posture. Many studies show that better posture leads to higher confidence, so that’s a big plus in doing yoga.
- Better Blood Flow
Yoga can increase one’s blood flow, perfect for women who have irregular menstrual cycles. The twisting poses help facilitate blood flow through the veins, allowing oxygenated blood to be released once the twisting poses are done. Poses that require inversions, such as headstands, arm stands, or handstands, also help blood flow through the head and the brain.
- Increases Happy Hormones
Like any other exercise routine, Yoga releases oxytocin and serotonin considered happy hormones. A physical workout increases the chances of overall well-being. Besides, since yoga also entails the practice of mindfulness and meditation, there is also a focus on mental health, an increase in self-awareness, and the reduction of negative effects such as stress and anxiety.
- Encourages Healthy Eating Habits
Since yoga also entails mindfulness, long-time yoga practitioners also apply mindfulness in the mat and life in general. For example, research has proven that those who practice yoga also tend to be mindful of what they eat, reducing stress-eating or unnecessary snacking.
Doing yoga has plenty of benefits for the ladies, ranging from having a better posture, building muscle strength, and even facilitating a healthy blood flow! Hopefully, these benefits encourage you to try out yoga. See you on the mat!