In this article Ellie explores the reasons to do Yoga.
Reasons to do Yoga and why it Is Good For You
Yoga is growing in popularity by the day and thanks to social media, many of the myths around it are being blown away. It really is accessible to everyone and is beneficial to you whether you are completely new to exercise or you want it to compliment other forms of exercise. It is unique in that it works the mind as well as the body, incorporating breath and meditation with movement. Here are six reasons to give it a try:
1. You Don’t have to be Flexible to Do Yoga: How Yoga Changes Your Body
We are built in all shapes and sizes and lead very different lifestyles, often sedentary, which ultimately means that most of us lose much of our flexibility over time. Our bodies adapt to our lifestyle and lose the full range of motion that we were born with. Children start to lose their flexibility around the age of ten to puberty, as the muscles develop and bones harden. A sedentary lifestyle, even in children, speeds up the loss of flexibility.
Yoga is a fabulous way of regaining some of that flexibility and the less flexible you are, the more likely you are to see some improvement over the weeks and months, as your body regains a fuller range of motion. Yes, there is always going to be at least one bendy person in class, but that’s because they have either been doing yoga a long time or they have a background such as gymnastics or dance. Most of us in class will feel the same way as you.
It will only take approximately five to six weeks of consistent practice to start to feel and see results, but it all depends on how old you are, how much mobility you started with and how often you practice. So, the more you practice, and do so consistently, the quicker you will benefit from it.
If you’re not flexible, yoga is definitely for you!
2. It is Beneficial in Our Senior Years:
Yoga can be enjoyed at any age, from toddlers to the elderly, and it’s never too late to start. It is especially beneficial to seniors for the following reasons:
Balance
In our senior years, our ability to balance sometimes deteriorates, usually because it is linked to conditions such as vertigo, high or low blood pressure, a neurological condition (e.g. Parkinsons) or possibly a stroke.* We can be prone to conditions such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis and our risk of falling increases.**
In yoga, we work on building our strength to support our balance, such as the feet and ankles. You get to build up your confidence in balance, sometimes using the wall to support you. You will probably surprise yourself with how quickly your ability to balance can return.
Breathing
As we get older, our breath often becomes shallow. Our posture is poor, causing us to slump, restricting the flow of breath through the body. Some people are also prone to conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In yoga, we undertake breathing exercises, allowing us to use the full capacity of our lungs and diaphragm. Just by maintaining a good posture, we are giving our bodies room to breathe fully.
Breathing is a powerful tool in helping us to calm down and relax.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
In yoga, you are encouraged to focus on your body, mind, and breath. By doing this, you stay in the present moment, and you are not thinking about past or future events. Yoga is known to lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress. This is especially true of Restorative Yoga: Is Restorative Yoga Good for You?.
3. Yoga is Non-competitive:
Yoga is not a sport! In fact, when yoga came about thousands of years ago, the physical component i.e., the poses did not even exist. Yoga was invented as a guide to the lifestyle that a person needs to lead and stresses the importance of breath, meditation, and practice. You will always hear us yoga teachers say, ‘leave your ego at the door!’ – we don’t care if you can’t touch your toes – we just want you to get to know your own body, so that we can guide you safely to getting a little closer to your toes each week. We just want you to have a little patience and to not judge yourself next to the person who is standing on their hands next to you. We are all different and we need to learn to love our own body, and it will surprise you over time!
4. Yoga is Amazing for the Mind as Well as The Body:
In our modern world, we are working longer hours and the pressures of juggling daily life at home and work are huge, leading to a mind that is overwhelmed with all the things we must remember to do. As a result, we are prone to stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
In a yoga class, you are invited to focus on your breath and your body, and you are so busy attempting to make all these connections that you forget the other stuff on your mind. The breath is used to help calm us down and focus on our yoga practice. The combination of breath and movement helps to declutter our mind, so yoga is therefore a means of escape from our busy schedules.
Combining the breath, mind, body, and movement therefore becomes mindful and often meditative.
At Ellie Stafford Yoga, all classes start and finish with relaxation. It helps us to arrive fully on the mat and to let go of our stressful daily lives. See Classes & Workshops for a full description of classes.
5. Yoga Will Help You Lose Weight
Yoga is a safe, low-impact form of exercise and most forms of yoga will help you tone your body.
Whilst yoga isn’t traditionally associated with aerobic exercise, which leads to calorie burning, there are forms of yoga which are more cardiovascular than others and therefore do contribute to weight loss.
Vinyasa Flow is a dynamic form of yoga, and the heart rate increases as the movement is continuous. All classes are different, and the intensity can be increased by each individual in class if they choose to do so. There are often twists in the routine, which are a great way of aiding digestion, as the internal organs are compressed.
Gentle Hatha is a much slower version of yoga and the rate of calorie burning will be less, even though all the poses are the same including twists. However, you are still activating and stimulating your body, so there will always be a certain amount of calorie burning.
Restorative Yoga is a completely passive form of yoga. However, it has been proven that you can still burn calories, as it is linked to a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol: Does Restorative Yoga Burn Calories?
The good news is that the reduction in cortisol levels applies to all yoga classes due to the mindfulness and meditation in class leaving your body relaxed.
You can try all these classes and others at Ellie Stafford Yoga. Check class descriptions to find the right one for you on the classes & workshops page
and the live timetable. Better still, contact Ellie for a recommendation base on your requirements.
6. There are Classes to Suit All Levels (Which Yoga is Best for Beginners?)
Thanks to Yoga’s growing popularity, there are many yoga styles and classes to choose from. You need to be comfortable with the style of yoga and your yoga teacher. A reputable yoga teacher has recognisable qualifications and is fully insured.
Don’t be afraid to pop along to a class or to even contact the yoga teacher beforehand if you have any questions. You will need to make the teacher aware of any injuries that may impact on you in class.
If it’s your first time to class, it will feel a little strange, but if you feel comfortable with the teacher give it a few weeks before you decide whether yoga is for you. After that, you will really start to feel stronger and more flexible in body and mind.
Beginners are welcome to any class at Ellie Stafford Yoga, as routines are broken down and modification are offered to all poses. If you are a beginner and an active person, yoga is the perfect complement to any sport or activity as it is low impact and therefore a lot less risky on our bones and joints – you may therefore like to try a Vinyasa Flow class as it is a dynamic form of yoga. If you would prefer a more gentle and slower paced class, you can try the Gentle Hatha class.
There is a range of different types of yoga to suit everyone. At Ellie Stafford Yoga, you can try any of the following classes:
Seated Yoga – for those with mobility issues. Also suitable for senior citizens who prefer the support of a chair.
Gentle Stretch & Restore – this is mat based, if you are seeking a very gentle class, incorporating static poses with relaxing and restorative poses;
Gentle Hatha – a class that does not have too much movement, but where you are able to challenge yourself as much as you want to;
Vinyasa Flow – this is a dynamic class, with lots of movement;
Restorative Yoga – a completely static class aimed at providing complete relaxation.
Check out the full class descriptions on the Classes & Workshops page.
At Ellie Stafford Yoga we focus on what you can do in yoga, not what you can’t do. I care about you as an individual and want you to enjoy your yoga practice, feeling like you are achieving something in class, whoever you are.
Ellie Stafford
500hours Advanced Yoga and Restorative Yoga Teacher
Yoga Alliance Registered
* https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-causes-balance-issues-in-older-adults
** https://www.greatseniorliving.com/articles/yoga-for-seniors#benefits-of-yoga.