8 benefits of yoga beyond the mat

The ancient practice of Yoga is finding approval in the younger generation more than ever before. The asanas, breathing techniques and meditation practices not only provide a complete workout to the body but also rejuvenation to mind. Yoga practice has short term and long-term benefits. When you start practicing Yoga, some of the early benefits you receive are better fitness levels, flexibility, stamina, increase in muscular strength to name a few. With time and practice these benefits multiply and grow stronger.
Yoga not only transforms your body and mind but also your overall outlook. Gaining insights from the inner world, you apply them in your everyday life and become more calm, efficient and sorted. Even if you consider Yoga a workout, you will receive a bouquet of unexpected benefits that will help you navigate the crossroads of life more confidently.
In this article, we discuss some of these benefits that go beyond mat:

Yoga makes you a better person

Yoga also strengthens interaction with your inner self. When you meditate, the inner doors to wisdom open and you not only think about yourself but also for others with equal intensity. When you understand what’s going on in the lives of others, it’s easier to forgive and forget small issues.  Doing Yoga connects you with your universal family where you treat everyone as your own and accept their differences. This helps you lead a better life.

 

Yoga helps in time management

All of us have the same number of hours every day, but some of us know how to utilise our time better. Yoga has asanas and practices that can help arrange your thoughts in a better way. When you meditate, all sorts of thoughts come and go which can help even unprocessed feelings and emotions to resolve. It can also help us prioritise certain thoughts, tasks and timelines for the day which can make us efficient. Learning to manage time can help us deal with stress better.

 

Yoga helps us to deal with anxiety

Anxiety can make us crippled and even people in good health can get overwhelmed by their emotions and feel helpless. Breathing exercises can help prevent stress from accumulating and allow positive energy to take over. This can help one deal with negative thoughts and anxiety that often grip people in today’s hectic times.

 

Yoga can ease depression

 Yoga is recommended by many health experts as adjunct therapy for depression and other mental health issues. Yoga improves autonomic responses to stress and self-regulating coping behaviours. It helps you to stay connected to the present and helps you deal with depressive thoughts.

 

Yoga makes you a happy person

Yoga is known to improve your brain health by helping you release happy hormones. Studies have shown the practice increases the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, a chemical in the brain that helps to regulate nerve activity. GABA activity is seen to be less in people with mood and anxiety disorders. The stream of positive thoughts and better coping mechanisms can make you happy and contended.

 

Yoga helps you sleep better

 Yoga can help improve your sleep quality. People who practice Yoga face fewer sleep disturbances than those who do not. Practices like Yoga Nidra can transport you to a deeper state of relaxation which helps you sleep better. Better sleep habits alone can keep many diseases away. Yoga also helps you take control of over thinking and sort your thoughts which can bring down stress levels and aid in sleeping.

There are innumerable benefits that come with Yoga practice beyond physical health. Yoga helps you connect with your inner self and with this constant dialogue a person gets endless opportunities to work on themselves and improve their life. The practice also keeps stress and depressive tendencies away and helps you lead a happy and satisfied life.