Can't seem to find an outlet to unplug? We've got the answer for you.
Yoga.
It's a great way to reduce the risk for injury, reduce stress, increase concentration, understand the mind and body connection, gain strength and stamina, improve balance and stability, improve posture, and develop body awareness—all while getting some much-needed time away from your phone.
We live in a hectic, fast-paced world where stress levels rise and peak at an all-time high. You are continuously faced with deadlines and overloaded with tasks to complete. Time seems to vanish right into thin air. Life can be hard! Taking time off is not as simple as it used to be. Plus, balancing work and family while living your life outside work gets harder each year. But you need to take your breaks!
You've heard about the benefits of yoga, but you're not sure if it's something you want to try. Yoga is a great way to reduce stress, improve your overall health and build strength and stamina. If you're interested in trying out yoga, here are some reasons why it may be worth giving a shot:
Reduce Your Risk for Injury
When you think about it, your body is pretty amazing. It's capable of doing all kinds of incredible things. But if you don't take care of it, your body can shut down a bit and scream for help.
One way to help keep your body healthy is by practicing yoga regularly. Yoga is known for its ability to increase flexibility and range of motion, as well as reduce stress levels and pain management. But did you know that yoga can also help prevent injury?
Each yoga pose targets specific muscles. By doing these poses regularly, you can strengthen those muscles enough so they don't get injured as easily and protect joints from injuries during daily activities like running or jumping. Yoga also helps your muscles wake up, and activate - which is really important after a long day of sitting at a computer or commuting to and from work. Meaning, less of that tired, aching feeling we get in our back and legs after working all day, bb!
Reduce Stress
The breathing exercises in yoga help decrease stress levels by calming both your mind and body. Yoga has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood by activating the parasympathetic nervous system - the "rest and digest" part of our autonomic nervous system - and quieting activity in the sympathetic nervous system - the "fight or flight" part of our autonomic nervous system. Helping us feel more calm and relaxed during stressful times in our lives (the more ya know!).
The poses also help relax major muscle groups, which can lower blood pressure and decrease heart rate — both signs of stress on the body. It's also an AMAZING way to unwind before bedtime, helping you chill out both physically and mentally (Say it with us. Ommm).
Increase Your Concentration
If you're like us, your mind always seems to be somewhere else. You might be able to focus on something for a few minutes, but then your attention span quickly runs out and you find yourself daydreaming about what's for lunch or what you're going to wear tomorrow or whoops, did we turn off that curling iron? Ugh.
Yoga helps with that! When you're practicing yoga, you need to keep your mind focused on the present moment to avoid injury. That mental focus required in yoga helps improve concentration skills outside of class as well. You'll find yourself able to focus better on what you need to do without being distracted by other things going on around you or inside your head. Improving both your attention span and concentration - no more long breaks on TikTok! Ummm, we do it too ;)
Understand The Mind And Body Connection
Yoga teaches that everything about us—our thoughts, feelings, and actions—affects our bodies in some way or another (and vice versa). Understanding this connection will help you make healthier choices, while also improving breathing patterns which reduce stress levels, and lowers blood pressure. It teaches us how to work with our bodies in ways that make sense for YOU - connecting with ourselves on a deeper level which can be beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety and improving sleep quality.
By practicing yoga regularly, you will notice an improvement in your overall well-being. Yoga classes are designed to support all levels of fitness from beginners to advanced practitioners. You don't need any previous experience or special equipment; just bring yourself along with an open mind and willingness to try something new!
Yoga is not only great exercise but also works wonders for helping people relieve stress by calming their minds through meditation training which helps them become more focused on tasks at hand rather than worrying about things that might go wrong later on down the track. When we practice yoga regularly we become more aware of how our body responds during stressful situations, which allows us to take control over what happens next time around too!
So seriously, try it out! You may find that you like yoga (or not). Either way, we're positive that you'll enjoy the physical benefits, and after a few months of practice you'll feel better than ever.
