Benefits of Yoga

You’ve read about the benefits of yoga. You’ve probably heard your friends (even those where are the most anti-gym rats) rave about it. You’ve seen the paparazzi photos of dewy faced celebs leaving studios mat in hand. But, is the hype really based on fact–or is yoga just a trend?

Before we go into the benefits of yoga, let’s talk about the drawback: Yoga takes time–both in hours spent per practice, and years learning the nuances of the practice. It costs money to go to a studio, and buy a mat. Though you could probably burn many more calories running or spinning than doing yoga, it’s really not that easy. And often, it involves things you’re not all that comfortable with–from stuffing your booty into  stretchy pants, to being barefoot in a roomful of strangers, and in some cases, chanting.

So all with all these things considered, what are the benefits of yoga?

As it turns out, all the talk about the benefits of yoga isn’t just hype. But don’t take it from me. Here are the benefits of yoga, based on science.

You’ll have more energy.  Research conducted at The Ohio State University revealed that practicing yoga consistently for as few as three months can improve your energy levels–by nearly 60%. Perhaps most importantly, the 200 study participants were breast cancer survivors, who tend to lose cardiorespiratory fitness as a result of rigorous medical treatment and the extreme fatigue that accompanies it.

You’ll feel less stressed.  You can’t eliminate all stress; it’s part of your life. But you can totally control how you react to it–and yoga can help your body learn to deal with the physiological impacts it presents. In a study at The University of Texas, women (who were also battling cancer) showed lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol when they developed a regular practice that focused on mindful breathing and relaxation techniques. They were also shown to have a more positive outlook about their illness, and their ability to mentally handle the emotional and social implications of it.

You’ll be less sensitive to pain. A 2008 study conducted at the University of Utah studied various responses to pain. It found that people who have poorly regulated stress responses also tend to be more sensitive to how they feel, and perceive pain. When they looked at the brain activity of the participants on an MRI, those who had a consistent yoga practice had a higher pain tolerance, and low brain activity when pain was induced–despite the actual medical conditions that they may have had, including fibromyalgia.