As you rush about your day, you’re bombarded with stressors that can have a negative effect on your physical and mental wellbeing.
Whether it’s stress, brain fog, sore muscles or joints, lack of productivity, or stiffness, we all struggle with something on any given day - but you don’t have to.
Yoga can bring huge benefits to your health - but did you know yoga can have a huge impact on your personal and professional life as well? Making yoga part of your regular routine can help support a healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally.
Here are five key benefits of yoga for your personal and professional life:
Reduce aches and pains
Day-to-day life takes a toll on your body. Whether you sit for hours at a desk, lift excessive weight, or are running from errand to errand, it all adds up. It’s not until we are plagued with back pain, stiff legs or tightness in our shoulders that we realize the impact of our routines.
Joint pains and headaches are some of the most common work related ailments that can be treated by regularly practicing yoga. Studies have shown that the safe and rhythmic movements of yoga have the ability to stretch and condition muscles. Reduce or eliminate tension from migraines and headaches through regular meditation and simple stretches.
The more you practice yoga, the less likely you are to have regular aches and pains.
Pose to reduce aches and pains: Bharadvaja's Twist, Eagle Pose, Reclining Hand-to-Foot Pose
Improve your breathing
When you hear about the benefits of yoga, breathing is almost always toward the top of the list. Most of us don’t think to work on our breathing. It’s not as simple as breathing or not breathing. The way you breathe can have impacts on both your physical and mental health.
Yogic breathing techniques, calm the body into a more relaxed state, while increasing the vital capacity, or the maximum amount of air that can enter your lungs.
People with a higher vital capacity also have better blood flow and can relieve built up tension, which is helpful if you’re stationary for much of your day.
Breathing exercises also build your endurance and optimize your performance which can benefit other areas of your health.
Techniques to improve breathing: Ujjayi breathing, Hero Pose, Ajapa Mantra
Reduce mental stress
No matter what your life looks like - whether you work in an office, run a business from home, or are wrangling small kids - you probably experience stress more often than you’d like.
Yoga, by its very nature, is a stress reducing activity. Through practicing yoga regularly, you learn to control your breathing and stay in the moment. This can have a huge impact on day to day stress. The better you get at practicing your breathing, patience, meditation, and other calming techniques, the better you’ll be able to bring these practices into real life scenarios.
In 2009, a Harvard Medical School study found regular yoga practice helped reduce performance anxiety and improved the moods of professionals. When you practice yoga, you’re releasing endorphins and producing serotonin and dopamine, all which help your body fight the effects of stress and anxiety.
We could all do with a little less stress these days. Yoga is a great way to give your brain and body a boost of anti-stress fighting qualities.
Poses to reduce mental stress: Corpse Pose, Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose, Upward-Facing Dog Pose
Create clarity and focus
Have you ever thought you needed that extra cup of coffee after lunch? You’re not alone.
Mental fog is common, but it doesn’t have to be.
The deep breathing and meditation in yoga have positive effects on the sympathetic nervous system which helps you stay alert. It gives a sharpness to your brain that caffeine can’t give.
Improving your clarity can help you make better decisions, see things from different perspectives, and focus - without the caffeine withdrawal.
Poses to increase clarity: Calem Pose, Child’s Pose, Half Moon Pose
Increase your productivity
Many workouts and fitness regimens are focused on improving your physical health. Mental health is often forgotten - until you hit a roadblock.
Yoga is geared towards your physical health and your mental health. Regular practice teaches you to be more disciplined and mindful. By focusing inward, you’re able to see yourself as you truly are - allowing yourself to be more productive.
Meditation and regular breath work allow you to be more goal-oriented and focused. This can help you juggle multiple tasks when needed, but also recognize when a task isn’t worth your mental energy and choose to say no.
Your regular practice can be the difference between staying focused and productive or just getting by.
Poses to increase productivity: Sphinx Pose, Seated Forward Bend, Standing Forward Bend
Take your health to the next level
The benefits of yoga are clear, and the impact on your personal and professional life could be life changing. If you are looking to make some quality changes and improve your life, start with a regular yoga practice!
Yoga increases your serotonin, reduces your stress and anxiety, increases your focus, and improves your overall health. Take the next step today! It’s time you reaped the benefits in your personal and professional life.
New to Yoga? Visit Purely Hot Yoga - Sacramento’s premier yoga and Pilates studio. See our Schedule HERE
Elevate your body, mind, and spirit at Purely Hot Yoga - Sacramento.
