"Here’s what happens to your body after days, months and years of yoga"
After Class:
- Lower Stress Levels. Yoga calms body and mind, reducing your stress levels. According to research, yoga’s stress-busting powers may come from its ability to lessen the activity of proteins that are known to play a role in inflammation.
- Increased Flexibility. No rocket science: the more you stretch your muscles, the more flexible to become.
- Improved Brain Function. Just 20 minutes of yoga can improve cognitive function, boosting focus and working memory.
- Alter Gene Expression. Studies suggest yoga’s ability to alter gene expression in immune cells, strengthening the immune system.
After A Few Months:
- Weight Loss. Just a few months of yoga can help decrease body mass index, even with no diet changes.
- Anxiety Relief. A 2010 Boston University study showed that 12 weeks of yoga could help to reduce anxiety and increase gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels in the brain (low levels of GABA have been linked with depression and anxiety disorders).
- Lower Blood Pressure. Research confirms that yoga can help to lower blood pressure levels in a more effective way than walking/nutrition/weight counseling.
- Reduced Chronic Pain. Different studies have proven the reduction of various kinds of pain after a few weeks of yoga that stresses proper alignment. In some cases, yoga can reduce pain more effectively than an standard medical treatment
- Improved Lung Capacity. After a few months, yoga can increase vital lung capacity (one of the components of lung capacity), which is the maximum amount of air exhaled after taking a deep breath.
- Improved Sexual Function. A 2009 Harvard study showed that yoga could boost arousal, desire, orgasm and general sexual satisfaction for women.
- Steady Blood Sugar Levels in People with Diabetes. Adding yoga to a typical diabetes care regimen could result in steady blood sugar levels, according to a 2011 Diabetes Care study.
After Years:
- Healthy Weight. Research backs the fact that there’s an association between a regular yoga practice and decreased (or at least maintained) weight.
- Stronger Bones. Studies show that practicing yoga can improve bone density among older adults.
- Lower Risk Of Heart Disease. As part of a healthy lifestyle, yoga may lower cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, according to Harvard Health Publications.
