Yoga is becoming more popular than ever. Recent surveys revealed that Americans that did yoga increased from 20.4 million to 36 million between 2012 and 2016. The survey added that 15% of individuals had done yoga in the last six months. We practice yoga at home, in small groups, in large groups, on paddleboards, with goats, literally everywhere and anywhere. You might ask yourself why should I practice yoga?
The popularity of yoga is mainly because of its health benefits and the rise of the best yoga books for beginners. There are many resources we can use to maximize the health benefits of yoga, and most of us have a few friends that we can practice with.
Yoga is a discipline that enables individuals to create harmony, awareness, and strength in the mind and body. More often than not, yoga utilizes meditation, exercise, and breathing techniques to improve the physical and mental well-being of an individual.
Among the mental and physical benefits of yoga include increased flexibility, weight reduction, injury protection, and improved athletic performance. Yoga can also help balance your metabolism and improve your circulatory and cardio health.
Yoga also helps ease stress and promote relaxation. Multiple studies have indicated that yoga can decrease the release of the primary stress hormone cortisol.
Practicing yoga also helps relieve anxiety and fight depression. Keep in mind that 5% of the U.S. population experience depression every year.
Yoga helps minimize stress hormones that influence depression neurotransmitters like serotonin. Related studies further added that yoga is also responsible for lowering the levels of ACTH, which is a stress hormone that stimulates the release of cortisol.
How to Start Doing Yoga at Home?
Doing yoga is challenging and requires a lot of discipline, especially for people with very tight schedules. However, you can still get all the benefits of yoga right in your home by checking out the best yoga books for beginners and setting the right mood.
First, you’ll need to find adequate space to practice your yoga poses. Consider rearranging the furniture and decorate the space with objects and images that can put you in a peaceful and calm state.
Cluttered locations create distraction and irritation. A soothing auditory element such as nature sounds or soft music can help you relax as well.
Take into account your poses and make sure that you have a good idea about each sequence. Note that jumping straight into advanced yoga sequences can result in an undue strain on your body.
Read the best yoga books for beginners and take the necessary precautions to get all the advantages of yoga without too much hassle.
How is Yoga Different from Stretching and Other Fitness Exercises?
Unlike fitness exercises and stretching, yoga connects body movements with the fluctuation of the mind and the rhythm of your breath. Doing so enables you to direct your attention inward and recognize habitual thought patterns.
Yoga is more of a practice than a task due to the awareness that you can cultivate from it. Your body will likely become more flexible with yoga, and so will your mind.
How Many Times Per Week Should I Practice Yoga?
While there are no hard and fast rules as to how many times you should do yoga, experts suggest beginners practice it two to three times a week. This allows your muscles and body to get adequate time to rest.
After all, rest is essential in recovery and in helping you get stronger and staying healthy. The key here is to find an amount of practice that feels balanced for you to ensure consistency and commitment.
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