For former Bond girl Sue Vanner – who starred opposite Roger Moore in the 1977 movie The Spy Who Loved Me – a healthy lifestyle is vital for good physical and mental health and, to this end, Susie regularly practices yoga.
Improves Flexibility
Yoga is a great way to improve general flexibility; a survey conducted in 2019 concluded that practising yoga slows down the loss of flexibility.
Increases Strength
Strength-building can be a benefit of some types of yoga classes, depending on the class level, approach and the individual teacher. Studies have shown yoga’s effectiveness in this regard in several contexts.
Reduces Stress and Eases Depression
As people who practice yoga like Susie Vanner know, this type of exercise promotes good mental health. The tightening and relaxing of muscles is thought to help relieve feelings of stress, as does the typically calm and positive atmosphere associated with the practice.
The symptoms of depression can also be alleviated by yoga too, with some research suggesting that the benefits of practising yoga are comparable to those of psychotherapy sessions.
Boosts Immunity
Ongoing stress can have a significant negative effect on the immune system, which can make sufferers more susceptible to illness. Yoga can help with this both in its propensity to reduce stress, but also as it is thought to have a beneficial effect on inflammation within the body, which subsequently supports the proper functioning of the immune system.
Enhances Cardiovascular Function
The technique of yogic breathing is an inherent part of practicing yoga. A review published by the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine has linked yogic breathing to positively impacting heart rate, arterial pressure and contractility of the heart. Research has also connected yogic breathing with the improved functioning of the brain’s cardiorespiratory centre.
Promotes Better Sleep
Studies have shown that practising yoga can result in better sleep. As well as increases in both the quality and quantity of sleep, improvements in sleep efficiencies were also noted, meaning that a greater percentage of time in bed was spent actually sleeping.
For more information about the other benefits of regularly practising yoga, please take a look at the embedded PDF.
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