Yoga is often credited with physical benefits such as better flexibility, stable heart rate, toned muscle and increased stamina. In yoga sessions and class, people are taught to stretch their muscles so that they can be agile and flexible. But for new observers, the benefits of yoga only seem to be physical. Yoga offers more than the benefits to the body. Studies have shown that Yoga also provides key benefits to the mind.
Interestingly, the psychological benefits are related to the physical benefits. One could say “with sound body, come sound mind”. If you consider physical activities such as steadying the heart rate, stabilize the nervous system, increase joint flexibility, all of these activities allow us to mentally transform ourselves. When one gets physically better, you can argue that the person gets better mentally. Studies have shown that people who practice yoga share a better optimism, better awareness and alertness and even appreciation for one’s surroundings. It ultimately begs the question does body and mind go hand and hand?
One of the most profound benefits of yoga is stress management. Imagine a stressful day at work or at home. The fast-paced environment requires you to be constantly worrying about the next thing. With yoga, you can benefit from relaxed breathing with a reasonable degree of control. Such activity allows your body and muscles to relax and think about peaceful thoughts, diverting your focus on stress. Even flexing activities could help a stressed person by loosening the tight muscles. Often when someone is stressed, the muscles are as well.
Like stress, yoga can help with confronting anxiety. Anxiety often leads individuals to think about their fears or concerns. Since Yoga helps you to focus, individuals can learn to turn their minds away from the anxiety and focus their thoughts on more tranquil images.
One practice of Yoga, called Anuloma Viloma, is breathing through one nostril to calm the mind and the nervous system. Studies have shown that alternating between nostrils help the connection from one side to the opposite side of the brain, allowing neurons to freely move. It’s said to balance the creative side and the logical side of our brains and help us to freely think.
Yoga is a form of exercise and it’s this form of activity provides great benefits psychologically. In studies done in Finland in 2000, participants were asked to partake in exercises. Based on this study, scientists discovered a connection between mood and recreational exercise. Those who participated in exercise at least two times a week had some positive effects on mood. There were fewer signs of depression and anger found among these individuals. Moreover, the ones who participated in these exercises more than twice a week were prone to be sociable, allowing one to be less stressful.
John Locke aptly pointed out “A sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world”. Yoga fits this description very well. The psychological benefits of yoga provide individuals a more balanced approach to our individual well-being. Yoga can indeed be food for the mind.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga [http://yoga-guideto.com/]
