8 Ways Yoga Can Improve Your Life!

Beautiful yoga poses are now seen regularly in print and social media and yoga props and attire are now big business. As yoga becomes more popular in America, maybe you are wondering what all the hype is about and whether or not yoga might be something you should try.

Here are 8 ways that yoga can improve your life  just in case you need some inspiration to get started, or a reminder to get back into a yoga practice if you've been away from the mat for awhile.....

1) Yoga can promote better sleep! So many of my students have told me that they sleep better when they've taken time for a yoga practice. Through movement and breath work, yoga can help us calm and activate our relaxation response, promoting better sleep at the end of the day.

2) Yoga promotes flexibility. Yup, this one is a no-brainer, but so often we minimize how important flexibility can be. When we can move freely, we can get after our tasks of daily living with more ease and we reduce our injury risk. Personally, I want to be able to put on my own shoes and cut my own toenails as I age! Whether it's more ease in your garden or better range of motion for other activities and sports, flexibility is key to good health!

3) Yoga is good for pain relief! I hear this often from my students too. Whether it is back pain, arthritis, or simply a stiff neck, yoga has the capacity to reduce pain. If you've ever ended up going to Physical Therapy, it is amazing how many of the exercises and movements are yoga-based or similar to the asanas done in yoga class!

4) Yoga improves your balance. Being able to stay upright and avoid falls becomes very important as we age. If you live in MN, being able to navigate snow and ice and avoid injury from falls can also mean the difference between good health and the potential of orthopedic surgery or a cast!

5) Yoga builds strength. While not seen as a weightlifting form of exercise, if you've practiced yoga then you know first hand that holding or moving your body against gravity builds strength. You really don't need additional weights to build strength in your body. This is why so many experienced yogis have well defined arms and abs!

6) Yoga can help you reduce stress. Studies have shown that yoga practice can help reduce the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies. And lets face it, we live busy stressful lives and anything that can bring a pause and break from our hectic pace will provide enormous benefits both physically and psychologically.

7) Yoga promotes good mental health. As mentioned above, yoga can help bring down cortisol (stress) levels and allows us to access our parasympathetic nervous system or relaxation response. Yoga, breath work, and mindfulness techniques are now being used more frequently for concerns like depression, anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

8) Yoga is kinda radical and can change your outlook. Yoga is so different from other forms of exercise. I would argue it is not exercise at all, but rather a practice for healthy living. Putting our bodies in strange positions and asanas allows us to work on strength and flexibility. Yoga also becomes a subtle teacher as you begin to practice "finding your edge" and understanding not just your weaknesses but also your enormous capacity in body, mind, and spirit.

Maybe you have your own personal benefits and reasons why you practice. I'd love to hear about what brings you to the mat and how your practice benefits you personally!!

Peace!