For the longest time, yoga has been championed as a powerful way of elevating the body to a better physical and mental state. From being practised in a relatively small part of the world to spreading to all parts of the world, including Iceland and Papua New Guinea. That’s quite a road that Yoga has travelled and it shows no sign of trailing off, as many fads do.

Could this be become yoga has actually made significant changes to the lives of its practitioners? Could it be because many millions have felt better physically, mentally and emotionally after dedicated practise of the art? It would seem so, because there is little other explanation for the rise and spread of yoga.

Yoga is an easy enough activity to pick up, although very difficult to master. For most, however, an intermediate knowledge of yoga is satisfactory and offers so much that it more than satisfies the expectation they were seeking from it.

Yoga is a vast and deep activity. From incense sticks to carrier oils, it can make use of a lot to enhance the experience, yet it can also remain simple. Like many other activities which requires many years to fully understand, it offers a little more of learning every day. Even if you believe that it may be a stretch for you to appreciate and even perform it, as many people needlessly feel so, yoga is friendly enough that it will take you to a performing level that will surprise you, through baby steps.

What exactly are these benefits though? Let’s have a look.

The Benefits of Practising Yoga

1. Yoga Gets The Blood Around

It’s no hidden fact that yoga involves stretching. This stretching, which involves the muscles and joints and can be enhanced with accessories, gets the blood flowing and ensures that it reaches every part of the body. Let’s face it, some of us are so sedentary that there’s enough to worry about poor blood circulation. Yoga counters this. Proponents of yoga go further by stating that this aspect of yoga flushes out toxins in the body. And as you know, detoxification is a process that entails many positive benefits, including more energy, a stronger immune system and peace of mind.

2. Yoga Makes You More Flexible

Should this comes as a surprise?

Yoga is partly an activity of stretching and compressing, and the stretching involved really tests the cells of your body. The many, many positions of yoga all test various parts of your body and not one section, even those that aren’t visible to the eye, are missed by yoga’s comprehensive positions. Continual practise eventually leads to a far more limber and lithe body, making it possible for you to do things you would have never thought possible.

3. Yoga Makes You Happier

Exercise has been known to counter depression and other mental illnesses and yoga is also very effective in this fight. The meditation involved in yoga is believed to boost a hormone that is responsible for keeping us happy and experiencing love, and it is this hormone that gives us the pleasant sensation that yoga brings about.

4. Yoga Helps You Deal With Physical Pain, Especially Back Pain

More and more people seem to be facing body pain, and at younger and younger ages. Yoga is a way of treating this problem naturally. It has been found to stifle and beat pain across the body, and those suffering from back problems are especially benefited from yoga.

5. Yoga Reduces Stress Levels

If yoga can lower the effects of mental illnesses, you can count on it bringing down stress levels. We know that stress is a major contributing factor to some of the most deadly illnesses, so if there is a method through which we can lower it, it must be taken. A short session everyday will go a long way in reducing the amount of stress you experience.

These 5 reasons are only some of the many that make the case of taking up yoga. If you’re not entirely sure, why not take a beginner’s course and make a decision then? We guarantee you’ll be the better for it.