Black woman practicing yoga [Photo/Huffington Post]
Yoga for many has proven a great way to keep the body fit. Many people of all ages are turning to yoga as an alternative form of exercise. Despite what you may think you know about yoga it has several health benefits both physical, spiritual and mental. Here are a few:
Flexibility. Strong muscles do more than look good. They also protect us from conditions like arthritis and back pain. When you build strength through yoga, you balance it with flexibility. If you just went to the gym and lifted weights, you might build strength at the expense of flexibility.
Increases Focus. An important component of yoga is focusing on the present. Studies have found that regular yoga practice improves coordination, reaction time, memory, and even IQ scores. People who practice yoga demonstrate the ability to solve problems and acquire and recall information better.
Improves your balance. Regularly practicing yoga increases your ability to feel what your body is doing and where it is in space and improves balance. People with bad posture or dysfunctional movement patterns usually have poor 'proprioception', which has been linked to knee problems and back pain.