Do you always feel lethargic without even doing any strenuous work? For many young adults, lower back pain and neck stiffness is an everyday complain. A predominantly sedentary lifestyle, increased dependence on technology, work from home and lack of physical activity is the main cause behind this and many other health issues.
A daily simple 10-minute yoga routine can help you feel more energetic, and help you regain body-mind balance. Yoga is an excellent form of exercise to incorporate into your schedule, whether you are just starting out your fitness journey, recovering or preventing injuries, fighting health concerns, or just trying to stay active. Regular practice of yoga is known to improve your mobility and make you feel less stiff. According to one study, people improved their flexibility by up to 35% after only 8 weeks of yoga.
While many people feel that yoga doesn’t match up to cardio exercises or heavy duty high-intensity interval training, research has shown that yoga can help you with everything from weight loss, to lowering back ache, boosting heart health and ensuring smooth digestion. Additionally, you do not require special workout gear to do yoga poses.
Health benefits of Yoga
Your body needs to be physically active to stay healthy and fit. Yoga helps improve your physical and mental health and includes the below health benefits:
- Improves your flexibility
Yoga stretches your muscles. Standing poses help workout your lower body, and inversions, like downward dog and arm balances, strengthen the upper body. - Stand up straighter
Many poses in yoga help strengthen the core muscles in your stomach and back. A strong core improves your posture and helps prevent back and neck problems. - Ease stress and anxiety levels
Yoga involves deep breathing exercises that can help you relax and help relieve stress and anxiety. - Reduce back pain
Practicing yoga diligently may ease chronic lower back pain, help you function better, and enrich your quality of life. - Improve sleep
Yoga has been shown to be helpful for sleep and also improves the quality of your sleep.
Recommended yoga asanas for staying active
Here are a few recommended yoga asanas that will help you stay physically active and enhance your emotional and physical health:
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
In this pose, stand straight with your ankles apart and hang your arms behind your torso. Balance your body weight on your body after raising your ankles and putting them on the floor. As you inhale, lift your ankles and release your shoulder blades away from the head. This asana opens up your lungs and lets you breathe better. - Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
This pose starts with putting your right leg high up on your left thigh. After you maintain a steady balance, inhale slowly and join your palms together above your head, ensure your spine and left leg are straight. As you exhale, bring your hands down and put your right leg on the ground. This asana helps strengthen the feet and back. - Kursiasana (Chair Pose)
Begin with your legs slightly apart and arms stretched. With every inhale, bend your knees and push your pelvis as if you are sitting on a chair. While doing this, keep your hands straight and take deep breaths. Withdraw slowly as you exhale. This asana is known for strengthening legs and arms. - Adho Mukha Svanasanav (Downward-facing dog Pose)
Adho Mukha Svanasana relieves back pain, relieves stress and mild depression, and revitalises energy. It increases blood flow to the brain while also strengthening and lengthening the spine. This pose is known to improve your heart health too. - Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
This is one of the simplest asanas and starts with sitting cross-legged. Keep your spine straight and put your hands on your knees. This is an asana which is ideal for meditation. It not only strengthens the spine but also relaxes the entire body. - Paschimottanasana (Seated forward bend)
Sit up straight, with your back straight and your toes pointed outwards. As you breathe in, stretch your hands upwards; as you exhale, slowly bring your hands down and try to touch your toes. Place your hands wherever they can reach and try to hold the position for as long as you can. Release your grip slowly and stretch your spine. This pose also stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus and helps improve digestion.
This International Day of Yoga, take a step towards health care by practicing yoga.
