How does YOGA help?
The science behind the health benefits of yoga
I admit it, I'm a secret science fanatic. As lyrical as I may be about how yoga benefits me, I like to understand the larger context; The science of why and how something works is perhaps not surprising as the daughter of an engineer.
So when I discovered that there were many clinical studies on the health benefits of yoga, I decided that my mission was to understand them and share what I had learned. I would read them, assimilate them, categorize them by health condition, and identify patterns throughout the studies. I wanted to know: "How does yoga work and why is it so good for you?"
Clinical studies
Fittingly, the first mention of yoga in a scientific journal was in 1948, the year both the National Health Service and the World Health Organization were founded. The first recorded trial was in 1969, the year man stepped on the moon.
Since then there has been an explosion in clinical studies, especially in the last ten years. I have categorized them by health condition for you
I compiled information from over 300 yoga studios, from the psychedelic sixties to the present day. Reading the summaries, many of the recorded and verified health benefits were familiar: a reduction in anxiety and depression, an improvement in strength, flexibility and mood, even joy! There were also many more unfamiliar benefits related to treating very specific conditions.
How does yoga work?
Yoga has been shown to work in 247 ways and provides 247 health benefits.
Yoga has been shown to have benefits for brain, body, and mood health.
Yoga has been shown to be good for at least 35 health problems, including cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, disability, and weight gain.
Yoga has at least 20 health benefits in daily life.
The 5 Proven Health Benefits of Yoga for Everyday Life
Anxiety
Anxiety creates a shallow, ragged breath that stimulates the release of more stress hormones and increases feelings of agitation. Yoga practice helps create slow and deep rhythmic breathing, which can break this vicious cycle, reducing the production of stress hormones and calming the mind. This can provide quick relief from an acute situation such as a panic attack or a racing heart, and, if practiced regularly, can help us create a longer lasting mental oasis.
Through meditation we can learn to stay in the power of the present moment instead of clinging to anxious thoughts about the future.
Asanas (physical poses), especially the more introverted and passive poses, can help by calming the nervous system, making it easier to breathe and stretching tight muscles, helping to release the anxiety held in the neck and spine.
Blood pressure
Yoga lowers cortisol levels. This means that blood pressure is lowered, which can help those with diabetes and those with high blood pressure.
Brain function
With increased cardiovascular function and lung function, more blood and oxygen are pumped to the brain. The benefits are the improvement of spatial memory, social well-being and spiritual well-being.
Moving the body through stretching and bending can help improve brain flow. With improved brain flow, more blood is sent to the brain, so that yogis can think better and act more rationally.
Depression
Stretching your muscles can help relieve tension and balance your mood, and building physical strength can also build confidence in your ability to deal with whatever the world throws at you. Back bends and other dynamic postures that open the heart have been found to be particularly helpful.
If you go to a class, there is also the simple fact of being around other people, which can be a real tonic when you feel lonely.
Then there is the deepest thing: the training of the mind. Mindfulness and meditation can be effective ways to focus the mind on the present and break the cycle of depressing thoughts about a past that we cannot change and a future that we cannot know.
Digestion
Yoga has been found to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms like heartburn and indigestion, as well as belching. In addition to helping you avoid embarrassing burps at the table, this means that yoga benefits us, as it makes the body more comfortable and relaxed; pressure is reduced, so you can get through the day more comfortably.
Another benefit is that it can reduce swelling. With a more relaxed body, tension is released and then the body can better digest food.