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Any fans of Dr. Gregor’s book, How Not to Die? While it’s mostly about nutrition, Dr. Gregor does also cite scientific studies about exercise. In his health framework, he makes science-based recommendations for how exercise can help you lose weight and extend your life.
So, where does a daily yoga routine figure into the equation?
Let’s Talk Daily Yoga
36 million people in the United States practice yoga. And, this number has increased by over 50% in the last four years.
If you haven’t joined your fellow “yogis” yet, now is the time.
Practicing a daily yoga routine can work wonders for your body and mind. No matter how busy your schedule is, you should make time for a regular yoga routine.
To learn more about yoga and why you should add a daily yoga practice, keep reading.
Benefits of Daily Yoga
One of the most popular reasons behind starting a daily yoga routine is because of the benefits that come with it. Your body and mind start to heal in many different ways as you practice yoga more and more.
Overall, yoga improves your quality of life. If you start practicing yoga, you’ll find proof of it throughout your life. From physical health to mental health, yoga works from every angle.
Physical Benefits
Let’s start with flexibility. Multiple studies should that yoga improves flexibility. While the splits may not be the goal of every person, improved movement can make a big difference in everyday life.
Even when you’re bending over to pick things up, you’re using your muscles and ligaments to flex your body.
While you’re doing this, you’re also using your balance. You may assume that balance is only useful while performing yoga poses, but it’s useful throughout the day, too. Yoga can improve balance across age groups with consistent practice.
If you suffer from inflammatory conditions like arthritis and diabetes, you may be at an increased risk for other chronic health disorders. Luckily, the movement and breathing practices that yoga offers can help, It may reduce multiple biochemical markers of inflammation.
Yoga also has the ability to boost our immune systems. Whether you’ve already got a compromised immune system or not, you can reap the benefits of yoga. The inflammatory inhibition lends to its immune benefits, but yoga can also increase cell-mediated immunity.
At the same time, yoga can improve your bodily strength. The exact benefits depend on the kind of yoga you’re practicing and how intensely you’re doing so.
Studies show that individuals of many ages can benefit from yoga as a strength-building activity.
Further, yoga can improve cardiovascular functioning, sleep, bone health, posture, and more.
Mental Benefits
When it comes to mental benefits, stress relief is one of the most beneficial. The research shows that yoga, especially asana yoga, can help reduce stress.
Today, most of us are living fast-paced lives. It’s no surprise that more yogis are turning to these meditative side effects of yoga.
If you’re struggling with mental health issues, you may be able to use yoga as an alternative method of treatment. Various research studies show that yoga improves overall mood while reducing symptoms of depression. Before replacing any medications or other treatments you’re on, talk to your doctor about how you can benefit from yoga treatment safely.
Yoga can also help individuals who suffer from anxiety. Many research studies show that the meditative/body scan side of yoga can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Even if your life is high-stress, taking time for yoga every day can help soothe your anxiety and stress.
If you’re suffering from self-esteem issues, yoga can also help with that. Considering the high prevalence of self-esteem issues in young adults, yoga is essential for the foundation of body image in these individuals.
Lastly, we should talk about burnout.
These days, it seems like everyone goes through phases of burnout. This state of excessive exhaustion is accepted as the norm nowadays.
But, it’s not normal. You should not have to accept a permanent state of burnout.
To battle it, you can start daily yoga. Yoga-based meditation interventions can help reduce the effects of burnout through teaching interoceptive awareness.
What Happens If We Do Yoga Daily?
You can’t expect all of these benefits from one session. You have to consistently work with a yoga routine to reap all of the benefits that come with it.
If you start a daily yoga routine, you may start experiencing all of the physical and mental benefits that we just talked about. By establishing a regular workout routine, you’ll learn and evolve more with each day.
How Long Should You Do Yoga Daily
Your yoga practice doesn’t have to feel like a chore. You shouldn’t feel weighed down by hours of sessions. Even twelve minutes a day could be enough to see changes.
Some people often for a part-time yoga routine, too. They may only practice three to four days a week. But, these individuals still get to reap the benefits that come with practicing that regular yoga routine.
You don’t need to commit to an hour a day. At the minimum, you just need thirty minutes a week.
The Research Behind Yoga and All Exercise
In his book, How Not to Diet, Dr. Michael Gregor uses evidence-based research to explain ways that we can exercise every day:
- 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day
- 45 minutes of high-intensity exercise every day
Yoga-based fitness can help you meet these goals.
A 90-minute 26 & 2 hot yoga class is the kind of moderate-intensity that Dr. Gregor talks about in his book. Alternatively, you could choose a HIIT Pilates class for 45 minutes.
Even if you can only commit to one class a week, you’ll reap the benefits. Remember, you don’t have to have a daily routine to experience the benefits of yoga. But, you’ll experience more benefits the more that you do practice.
How to Create a Daily Yoga Routine
If you’re worried about getting started, you should start with some beginner poses. Don’t try to jump to the advanced poses before you’re ready. You may get frustrated if you can’t complete the exercises like those more experienced yogis.
Here are some common poses you should try for your first few sessions:
- Tree Pose (Tadasana)
- Deep Breathing (Pranayama)
- Wind Removing Pose (Pravanamuktasana)
- Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
- Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
See more tips for beginners here.
To learn how to perform these moves the right way, try a 26 & 2 class at YogaSol. In our 90-minute 26 & 2 class, we walk you through each pose, how to safely move into and out of the poses, and we give you alternative poses to use if you need them.
And, you can meet other yogis, both experienced yogis and beginner yogis.
If you’re able, you should sign up for yoga classes consistently. For example, if you sign up for a class on Monday at 10 AM, you should try to keep this time. By keeping a consistent schedule, you’ll better incorporate yoga into your routine.
Read about the power of a consistent yoga practice here.
How to Prepare for Your Next Yoga Session
Whether you’ve practiced yoga before or you’re completely new to it, you may not be getting the most out of your first few sessions. There are a few things you need to do before starting to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your time:
- Empty your bladder and bowels
- Take a shower or a bath
- Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes
- Make a note of your breathing
- Get comfortable with your stillness
- Accept yourself in your current state
- Release all expectations
By starting with this routine, you may get more out of your daily yoga routine. Situating your physical body can make your emotional and mental states more ready to accept the changes that will come with your yoga practice.
Read more about getting the most out of your yoga practice here.
How can you take advantage of stress relief when you’re worried about going to work tomorrow?
You have to let all of these extraneous things go so that you can open up your body to everything that yoga has to offer.
While you’re practicing with others around you, you should remember to keep your energy to yourself. You don’t want to feed energy into others, and you definitely don’t want to take energy from others.
If you stay in your own emotional, mental, and physical space, you’ll be able to benefit from yoga, no matter what your physical setting is.
By joining our group at YogaSol, you’ll be able to benefit from our stress-free, positive atmosphere. You don’t have to worry about negativity while you’re practicing with us.
Get Started With Your Daily Yoga Routine
If you weren’t convinced before, you must be convinced now. A daily yoga routine is imperative for anyone and everyone to follow. No matter what your routine is, you can reap the benefits of daily yoga practice.
As you’re getting ready to implement your own daily yoga practice, keep our studio in mind. Our team at YogaSol is dedicated to helping all yogis with their goals.
If you’re looking to take advantage of specific yoga benefits, give us a call so we can help you choose the perfect class. When you’re ready, go ahead and book a class.
