11 Physical & Mental Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is one of my favorite ways to practice self-care. I started yoga about 4 years ago. It was the only workout routine I was able to stick to during both of my pregnancies. It’s so relaxing and peaceful. I definitely notice a difference in my body both physically and mentally when I’m doing yoga regularly vs when I’m not.

If there is only one workout routine I can get done in a day yoga will always be the one I choose. There are so many wonderful benefits to it. Before I started yoga I had many preconceived notions about it (which were false) so I wanted to share with you my own personal experience and proven ways that yoga benefits you both mentally and physically.

1. Increased Flexibility

This is probably one of the most obvious benefits of yoga. Yoga flows are a lot of stretching postures that when done regularly helps to increase flexibility. One of the things I love so much about yoga is that you don’t have to be super flexible starting off. There are many options for poses so that you can find what works with where you are at. The more you do it, the more your flexibility will grow.

I was always pretty flexible growing up having danced for 10 years. However, it’s now been about 13 years since I have danced and I have lost quite a bit of my natural flexibility. Since I started doing yoga regularly I have been gaining that flexibility back.

2. Increased Circulation & Mobility

Yoga flows are not only gentle and good on the body but they also increase your circulation and mobility. The different stretches and postures for yoga really help to assist with blood flow which improves circulation. Many yoga poses involve joint rotation and lengthening of often ignored muscles which in turn helps with mobility.

One of my favorite things about yoga is that it targets so many areas at once and often forgotten areas too. If I am sore I do a yoga flow that targets that specific sore area. I have noticed a difference in my joints and overall mobility thanks to yoga.

3. Increased Energy

It is a proven fact that working out regularly increases energy and yoga is no exception. When you exercise your body releases chemicals called endorphins. By getting your blood flowing and heart rate up, these endorphins also raise your energy levels.

Have you ever found yourself with more energy after a workout than you had before it? You have those endorphins to thank. I always find that no matter how exhausted I am if I just manage to get my yoga in I always feel better and more energized after.

4. Increased Happiness

Not only do endorphins from exercising boost energy levels but did you know that those endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in your body that is similar to morphine? That positive feeling creates happiness.

I have noticed this over and over for myself. Since I have started doing yoga I am more relaxed, less stressed, and overall happier. I am a very positive and happy go lucky person, to begin with, but I have noticed that when I do yoga regularly I am in a better mood and don’t get as overwhelmed or upset as easily.

5. Decreased Stress

Along with increased happiness comes decreased stress. Stress comes in all forms and can negatively affect your body physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can affect your sleep and weight. Yoga flows help to calm you down and keep you centered which in turn decreases stress.

Whenever I’m stressed or my mind is running a mile a minute I always crave some yoga time. Getting a yoga routine in (even if short) instantly calms me down and helps me to unwind.

6. Relaxation Habits

Yoga has some great breathing techniques. Controlled breathing is a great tool to help in relaxation. Yoga breathing helps to increase lung capacity which leads to better breathing. Yoga also helps improve your sleep. If you need some help sleeping better or just getting into better relaxation habits give yoga a try!

If I am feeling stressed or anxious I just hop on my mat and do some yoga. After I finish a yoga routine I feel so relaxed and peaceful. The breathing I learned in yoga has really helped me to relax easier. When I get mad or worked up about something I just take some deep breaths and try to focus so I can calm down instead of blow up.

7. Meditation Habits

Yoga is great for mental health simply for its meditation traits. Meditation is a huge part of yoga. It helps you to slow down and unwind. It puts life troubles behind you so that you can focus on the here and now. It teaches you to quiet your mind and just be.

Meditation is not something I’ve done regularly. Thanks to yoga I have a better understanding and appreciation for meditation. It is hard to really quiet your mind and stop it from running a mile a minute. I have learned how to slow down and let my mind and to-do list wait while I do yoga.

8. Increased Focus & Awareness

Between breathing, balancing postures, and more involved with yoga it brings increased focus and awareness. The breath control and meditation aspects of yoga teach you how to stay present. It also brings awareness to yourself and how you feel both physically and mentally.

Patience and focus during the slow moments of yoga have helped teach me how to stay present. The balancing and postures have helped to bring me more body and mind awareness. You know where you are at good or bad for both. Being able to recognize that and address it is so helpful.

9. Better Posture

Yoga poses are great in aiding better posture. While practicing yoga regularly helps to strengthen muscles it also helps you become more aware of when your posture is off and teaches you how to correct it. This is great for those of us who slouch mindlessly. There are also poses that help to strengthen and relieve neck and back pain which could be a cause of bad posture.

I grew up as a dancer where posture was very important. After becoming an adult and having many desk jobs my posture habits went out the window. Yoga really helped to improve my posture again.

10. Better Metabolism

Along with many other health benefits of yoga, a big one is a better metabolism. When you practice yoga every day you increase your metabolism which helps you burn fat. This, in turn, can help to aid in weight loss.

Prior to starting yoga, I thought that yoga wouldn’t aid in weight loss at all. That is simply not true. When I started my fitness journey I started with a HIIT workout and started gaining muscle weight. It wasn’t until I started doing yoga that I actually started losing weight again. I truly believe yoga was a huge help for me in staying in shape and maintaining a healthy weight gain during my pregnancies. By helping boost your metabolism yoga can help aid in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.

11. Builds Strength

Another myth I believed about yoga prior to trying it myself was that the workouts really weren’t “real” workouts that would tone you. Boy was I wrong! Yoga may seem simple but it really is a good workout. The routines can target specific areas of the body just like other workout routines. And they do it in a healthy way. There is a stretching, flow workout, and cooling down periods during a typical yoga routine. There are also different kinds of intensity flows that you can do.

Doing yoga regularly helps you build strength and gain muscle in all the major areas of the body (arms, abs, back). I have personally found my arms and legs being sore after practices. I have noticed a big difference in my strength since doing yoga regularly, specifically in my arms. My upper body has always been the weakest area for me and yoga has greatly increased my arm strength.

In case you couldn’t tell from this list, I have absolutely fallen in love with yoga. There are so many benefits to it and I love the positive changes I have seen in my body both physically and mentally since I started on my yoga journey.

I am not an expert. I am still learning and growing in my own yoga journey but I am so glad to be on it. I would encourage each of you to give yoga a try. Go into it with an open mind and you will be surprised at what you discover about yourself and yoga along the way. Namaste.