A lot of people see yoga as a spiritual practice. Once the word “yoga” is heard, visions of monks that are lost in their serene thoughts automatically flood the mind. In a way, this practice is highly beneficial when you want to achieve spiritual benefits. It takes you to the world beyond, so to speak.
But the modern times brought a whole new meaning for yoga and meditation. They are now viewed as psychological exercises that bring forth a lot of physical benefits. The once believed to be hippie acts of achieving transcendence had become stress- reduction techniques aimed for people who wants to improve their whole well- being.
Yoga and meditation fill the body with more energy. This is because every cell undergoes change once a level of concentration is achieved. Once this physiological change occurs, energy surges up as well as the feelings of peace, enthusiasm, and joy. It will also result to physical changes such as lowered blood pressure, and decreased tension- related pain like headaches, joint pains, and ulcers. The improved mood is attributed to the increased production of the happy hormone or serotonin. As the inner energy grows, the physical energy level goes up too and even the immune system is improved.
In addition to the common health benefits of yoga and meditation, many doctors have seen the potentials of using the techniques in managing life threatening diseases. They want to prove how molecular and genetic structures are changed when concentration is improved. So far, studies on the effects of meditation and yoga have seen the positive effects on improving the condition of those who are suffering from mental illnesses, as well as faster healing of those who just had undergone operations. Patients with heart diseases display higher tolerance to exercise. Because the immune system is enhanced, the natural cancer- killer cells in the body also increase and help against developing all kinds of cancer.
Women’s Health and Pregnancy
Women are particularly interested in practicing yoga and meditation techniques. One reason is that women seem to undergo a lot of life changes than man. Aside from the physical changes brought about by hormones, they also have to deal with emotional changes that go with their roles as daughters, wives, and mothers.
Psychologists would agree that with yoga and meditation, women have better chances of surviving the emotional turmoil especially in dealing with pregnancy. Daily meditation shows increased pain tolerance during childbirth. The events of pregnancy and childbirth can be quite a lot to take but with yoga, a woman can focus and make sense of every change that is happening around her making her composed, confident, and makes her perform her best in her new role.
Among the studies made about the physical benefits of yoga and meditation, the most beneficial would be its effect on those who are suffering from cardiovascular disorders since heart ailments are among the top causes of death worldwide. By practicing yoga, high blood pressures of hypertensive patients are lowered significantly. Lipid profiles are improved too, and excessive blood sugar is reduced. This is why yoga and meditation are included in cardiac rehabilitation programs.
People who experience mental difficulties can try yoga and meditation to alleviate their conditions. These techniques refresh the brain, making it sharper. A sharp mind can make a person gain focus and help the body relax when faced against stressful situations. The conscious being expands which promotes better control of emotions. The brain is able to formulate solutions and feeling of anxiety instantly decreases, thus it will be easier to view and solve problems. All of these effects will contribute to achieve emotional steadiness and brings harmony between mind and body. When a person meditates, the mind leads the body towards a calm and harmonious state.
Being able to meditate means you are capable of tuning yourself with the rest of your body. You become more sensitive to its needs. Yoga soothes tension and anxiety, both physically and mentally. Practicing it, therefore, will have significant impacts on enhancing fitness. Individuals who practice yoga and meditation on top of regular exercise will have greater muscle strength, better endurance, more flexible, and achieve the best cardio- respiratory fitness.