There is no dearth of fitness programs in today’s world. It has become a billion dollar industry selling dreams to common folks.
What is the reason behind this? Well, everyone wants to achieve that great body. The slim and toned bodies flaunted by celebrities in huge billboards at every direction.
Yoga is no different. Mostly it is being advertised these days as an effective way to get back into shape. And of course that is 100% true. Yoga aids in the improvement of body strength and muscle flexibility. And not only that, Yoga will ensure gradual weight loss as well. And most importantly, it can be practiced by anyone regardless of fitness level.
But most people tend to overlook one vital fact about Yoga. Apart from physical benefits, Yoga is also responsible for mental and spiritual well being. The importance of this, cannot be undermined in any way. So for a change, also do consider your mental health and read on to find out how Yoga can have a profound effect on the same.
Live In The Present
It is known, that people either tend to clutch on to their past good times or keep hoping for a prosperous future. This just reaps off the opportunity to live in the present times. But it is of paramount importance that the mind is allowed to live in the present. It helps it to attain clarity and satisfaction. With constant being unhappy about what was good or what can be better, is no way to live a happy life.
In today’s world it can be actually quite difficult to focus in the moment right now. Because we are always thinking about the office meeting next week for which you need preparation. Or the credit card bill that should have been paid 2 days ago.
Yoga helps greatly to deal with this issue. Yoga is all about attaining and holding particular physical poses for a small time period. During this period the breathing needs to be calm and controlled. This entire exercise has a meditative effect. The mind becomes immune to the external disturbances and learns to focus internally.
During performing Yoga, the Yogi becomes fully aware of his/her own being. The thoughts and worries drift away and mind thrives in the present moment. This is huge. With regular practice, the overall mental health improves greatly. Which will help you attain clarity of your thoughts, focus on your strengths and feel much more positive about yourself.
Relieve Stress
What do people generally do for reducing stress? Watch TV, play video games or idly lie down on sofa and go through social media. Or worse even, indulge in 1 or 2 drinks.
But are these practices really conducive to de-stressing? Maybe, but these can also be detrimental to overall physical well being in the long run.
Yoga, as mentioned earlier, constitutes of focused breathing. It has been observed in scientific studies, that stress hormone or cortisol level goes down through controlled breathing. Also it helps regularizing and lowering blood pressure.
Endorphins released in the process of physical exercise helps improve stress levels and mood. It is beyond doubt that Yoga is an awesome way for stress reduction in day to day life.
Balance Emotions
In this super fast paced age of competition and fragile relationships, emotional turmoil is a natural occurrence.
Professionals struggle to maintain work and personal life balances.
Teens struggle to maintain balances between their actual desires at one hand and pressure of expectations on the ot.
Each and every person goes through some form of emotional imbalance. In the developing years it has a more profound effect. Teens often have to fight with constant depression, sense of insecurity and anger.
A study conducted by a Harvard professor with 11th and 12th standard students showed something interesting. It was found, that those teens who enrolled for Yoga are in much better and balanced emotional state than those who took traditional physical education classes.
This proves without question that Yoga does have an immensely powerful effect on the mind and spirit due to its meditative roots. Thus you should embrace this approach of facing issues of life with a clear head and confident self. And Yoga will no doubt help you achieve this while retaining your mental happiness and satisfaction.
