Why Yoga is Great for Stress Relief

Life travels at illegal speeds; a rollercoaster of ups, and downs, and merry-go-rounds. From one day to the next, there’s no telling what obstacles you’ll encounter along the way. Relationship issues, family problems, financial stress, a job that drags you down each day – these are just some of the things that can affect your mental and physical health. Fortunately, there are many ways to manage your wellbeing effectively. Here, Core Balance looks at why yoga is great for stress relief, as well as other ways it can benefit your mental health.

Blog Contents
Why Yoga is Great for Stress Relief
Breathing Exercises
Physical Postures
Meditation
Making Yoga a Regular Practice
Conclusion

Why Yoga is Great for Stress Relief

Yoga is a spiritual practise that started in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. Nowadays, more people are taking up yoga than ever before. And for good reason. It’s an excellent way to reduce stress levels. One of the reasons yoga is so effective is because it combines physical postures with breathing exercises and meditation. This combination helps to calm the mind and reduce physical tension in the body.

Breathing Exercises

Controlled breathing is a key component of yoga. Known as pranayama, these breathing exercises slow your heart rate and activate your parasympathetic nervous system – a network of nerves that help your body to relax. This has a calming effect on the mind and can help to reduce stress levels. Additionally, deep breathing can increase oxygen flow to the brain, which can boost mental clarity and improve your overall mood.

Physical Postures

Physical postures, also known as asanas, are another important aspect of yoga. Because they help to stretch and strengthen your muscles, they can reduce physical tension and stress. Also, there are lots of different postures to learn in yoga – some simpler than others – and many have different benefits. For example, a Child’s Pose (Balasana) can help you to relax while an Easy Pose (Sukhasana) can help to relieve stress.

A great way to work on yoga poses is to use a Yoga Alignment Mat. The mats are covered in lines which can be used to align your hands, feet, and body correctly when practising a pose. For further information, check out our blog: Yoga Alignment Mats – Where to Start.

Meditation

Meditation is the final cornerstone of yoga and is known for its ability to reduce stress and improve mental health. During meditation, practitioners focus on the present moment and let go of distracting thoughts and worries. This lowers the heartrate and calms the mind, which can help to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, research has shown that regular meditation can help people who are battling addiction

Additional Benefits

There are many other benefits of practising yoga. For example, studies have shown it can help you sleep better, reducing stress and improving your mental clarity and performance. In addition, taking up yoga does wonders for your physical health. Whilst stretching into a yoga pose helps to increase your flexibility, holding a pose helps to strengthen and tone your muscles. Plus, it’s an excellent way to improve your balance and posture.

Making Yoga a Regular Practice

In order to experience the full benefits of yoga, it’s important to practise it on a regular basis. You can do this by setting aside a few minutes each day or attending a weekly yoga class. Either way, you’ll need some yoga equipment to get started, including a mat that offers the balance and stability you need to hold a pose. At Core Balance, we have a number of mats to choose from, as well as yoga blocks and other accessories.

Conclusion

By combining physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation, yoga provides a comprehensive approach to stress management that can calm the mind and reduce physical tension. So, whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned pro, combining yoga with a regular workout is a winning way to manage stress and improve your overall wellbeing.