Insomnia
Sometimes it?s hard to turn off the day and relax enough to fall asleep. We all have those nights.
If you can?t sleep, try using calming poses to help you relax - forward bends, gentle twists, and simple inversions are good choices. Remember to breathe slowly and fully. This will also help you relax.
Concentration
Practicing yoga improves concentration by helping you learn to focus your mind.
This is a great benefit in our daily lives. Better concentration means - we can work more efficiently; students get get better grades; athletes (even weekend athletes) perform better at their sport.
So take the concentration skill you learn in yoga practice and apply it to your every day activities.
Yoga Helps
Yoga should not be expected to cure illness; but it can help a number of conditions.
For example:
Yoga is beneficial for stress-related conditions.
Digestive and stomach problems are sometimes helped by practicing yoga.
New information is showing that it?s helps those suffering with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).
Some even believe that yoga helps headache and insomnia.
One thing is certain, it can have a very positive impact on life and health.
Improves Posture
Doing yoga is a great way to improve your posture. When poses are done properly, they encourage correct body alignment ¨C standing tall, shoulders over hips, knees over toes, etc. Additionally, inverted poses like headstands decompress the spine helping to lengthen it. Both the improvement in posture and the spinal decompression and alignment will have the added benefit of making you feel taller.
Helping the Heart
A recent study in the British Medical Journal indicates that the rhythmic chanting used in yoga mantras and the rosary prayer ¡°seems to have a calming effect on the heart.¡±
Increased Flexibility
To increase flexibility do stretches slowly and gently. Whenever possible do pose/counter-pose, for example a forward bend/a back bend. This will help balance the stretch and ultimately improve flexibility.
De-stress
Yoga¡¯s calming effects are a great benefit for those who experience stress. And these days, who doesn¡¯t?
The focus that you learn in a yoga practice will help you calm your mind and relax. The best part of this is that, you¡¯ll be able to carry it into your daily life.
Since I began practicing yoga, I¡¯m more relaxed and not so easily stressed. I find that I can take a deep breath, calm down, and re-focus my energy in a more positive way.