Lets start with the physical benefits of yoga

* The practice of various yoga postures help strengthen your whole body from head to toes. Muscles that have become flaccid, weak or slothy are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess flab and flaccidity.

* For those that want a bit more flexibility, your musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase with continuous yoga practice. It’s great for people suffering from muscle stiffness, joint pain, and other arthritic symptoms

* Yoga helps breathing and improves your endurance or cardiovascular system by decreasing pulse rate, decreasing respiratory rate, increasing respiratory efficiency and decreasing blood pressure.

* Yoga exercises can help treat chronic back and neck pain by strengthening your back and neck muscles.

* Yoga is an excellent weight-bearing exercise that can improve your bone density. This is particularly beneficial for women approaching menopause, since yoga can help ward off osteoporosis, or thinning of the bone.

* Regular yoga practices can help such diverse ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions.

Psycological Benefits of Yoga

We all get a little ‘mental’ now and again. That’s where yoga comes into the mix to help release the stress and tension from your continuous hectic lifestyle.

* Yoga can help relax your mind and body to help relieve anxiety and stress. It is often effectively used to aid in the treatment of emotional and mental disorders including depression, chronic anxiety and bi-polar mood fluctuations

* If you have poor concentration like me, then yoga is definitely something you should try. Various yoga exercises has proven benefits to help you focus and have better concentration

* Too many Coca Colas or coffees? Feeling a bit hyperactive? Can’t fall asleep? Then yoga breathing exercises can help calm the mind and soothe the soul so that you have a better night sleep. Yoga can help cure insomnia, as regular yoga practice leads to better and deeper sleep.
* Peace of mind – Isn’t that what we all what to achieve. Yoga can help you get a step closer to finding inner peace and purpose through it’s meditative sensations.

Article contributed by Matthew Russell