Benefits of Yoga for Busy People

By Amanda Ennett

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Take your jacket off and stay awhile?” or, “Stop and smell the roses!” We live in a “GO, GO, GO” society where multitasking and juggling as many things as possible runs our day-to-day lives. We need to slow down and force ourselves to relax. Yoga is just the answer for that. One hour (or so) to focus inward unto one’s self can reap amazing benefits for your life and health!

Here are 5 benefits of practicing yoga and meditation:

Stress relief: quieting your inner chaos. Focusing on breathing teaches you to calm your body and quiet your mind. Practicing yoga betters your mood, sense of well-being and confidence in your body, leading to lower stress and blood pressure levels.
Sleeping better: catching zzz’s becomes easier. Learning to relax in a room full of strangers may lead to relaxing easier in one’s bed. During meditation you learn to focus on your breathing and learn to push out intruding thoughts. At night, take the same approach to falling asleep.
General exercise benefits: getting fitter is always a plus. Many people regard yoga as stretching, but yogis know that some poses are no easy feat. Posing strengthens muscles, eases and prevents aches and pains, and increases flexibility and balance.
Bodily awareness: checking in with you. How many times during the day do you stop and ask, “How am I feeling? How is my body?” Most likely, you don’t. Take note of how you feel when you are deep in a pose, feeling the slight burn of your body at work. You may be pleasantly surprised at how GOOD your body is feeling!
Taking stock of your body’s needs: i.e. posture, lack of mobility, aches and pains. Along the same lines of body awareness, you may notice how BAD you feel and realize that maybe you need to make an effort to stand or sit up a little taller, stretch more, and strengthen weak areas of your body. Listen to these cues and try to work on them.
I hope now I have you wondering, “How do I start?” The easiest way is to join a local studio. Most private studios allow a couple of free visits or more (you can even find coupon deals!) Many gyms now offer classes as well. If nothing else, find a couple of poses or routines online, plug in some soothing tunes and dive into inner-awareness. Give it a try today and feel better tomorrow! Namaste.