Posted by Lauren on June 23, 2014
We all know that yoga is good for your body and mind, but new research is showing that yoga offers many specific health benefits that you might not have expected!
- Prevent arthritis – Building muscle tone has been linked to reduction in arthritis and back pain. Developing flexibility and balance also helped elderly yoga practitioners to avoid falls.
- Keep migraines at bay – Studies have shown that three months of yoga practice for migraine sufferers led to fewer and less painful migraines. This improvement seems to be caused by a combination of stress reduction and proper body alignment.
- Improve sleep – Eight weeks of daily yoga improved the sleep quality for sufferers of insomnia, but even twice-weekly practice can offer some improvements. Researchers theorized that yoga helped with the anxiety that can often prevent restful sleep.
- Fight osteoporosis – Certain poses which require you to lift your own weight, such as Downward Dog, help strengthen bones to prevent osteoporosis. Yoga also lowers the stress hormone cortisol, which is thought to help keep calcium in the bones.
- Lower blood pressure – Even the restful Savasana pose is good for you! Researchers found that subjects who tried Savasana instead of lying on the sofa had a measurable drop in blood pressure after 3 months of practice.
From all of these findings, it seems that the key is sticking with your practice! For yoga mats and clothing to get you started, visit www.barefootyoga.com!
Posted under Health and Fitness