Yoga and Health

Author: Swati Mohandas

I was always a gym-going woman. Generally, I love to be in the outdoors either cycling or go for small treks. And I always had the misconception that yoga isn’t for me. Thoughts like, yoga is slow, has only stretches and breathing techniques kept me away from it. I did try it a few times before crossing it off entirely from my exercise list. 

However, during pandemic as the outside world was shut down, I came to know that one of my friend who also is a certified yoga teacher is taking online classes. 

As no other option left in sight for exercising, I enrolled for her classes and let me tell you my whole point of view changed. Initially, I was intimidated with the yoga poses but slowly and steadily I got the hang of it or say I am still getting the hang of it.

Following are few benefits of practicing yoga:

1. Fights fatigue – During yoga our heart pumps more oxygen-rich blood to the muscles and organs in our body which helps in reducing stress and tiredness.

2. Promotes better balance – As age progresses people tend to lose mobility due to inactivity, yoga helps in promoting stability in physical balance. 

3. Improves posture – Regular practice of yoga improves posture, which can prevent lower back pain as well as shoulder and neck pain. 

4. Improves focus – Holding a yoga pose correctly takes a combination of concentration and endurance. This can also help you sharpen your mental focus on other situations in your life. 

To sum it up, my point of view is Yoga is a unique form of exercise as it combines the mindful benefits of meditation with physical poses. After a session of yoga, I feel calmer and more aware of my body and this seeps into everything I do; how I carry on with my day and how I relate with others.

About The Author:

I am Philosophy graduate and a certified computer professional from Mumbai and currently based in Pune. I took a break from full-time career after a decade.

Literature always fancied me. I pen down short stories, blogs, poems and has forayed into freelancing. When not writing, I enjoy exploring the outdoors or scanning local bookstores.