Yoga is an ancient practice that can provide practitioners with many beneficial results. Here are three benefits of practicing yoga.

1. Easing Certain Kinds of Pain

There are some types of pain that yoga is very effective at helping to alleviate and manage, including back pain and certain kinds of arthritis pain. The act of stretching can help soothe and loosen up tense muscles, particularly in the back, neck and shoulders. It’s a gentle enough form of exercise that those experiencing arthritis pain can also benefit from the stretching.

2. Managing Stress

Whether you’re practicing vinyasa yoga Napa CA or kundalini yoga in Jacksonville FL, you’ll be reaping the benefits of stress management. Yoga is a slow, deliberate method of exercising and it requires a focus on your body and its movements. These elements of the practice can act as a kind of moving meditation, helping you to relax, reach a calmer mindset and manage stress and anxiety, especially when you pair yoga with other methods of stress management.

3. Building Flexibility, Balance and Strength

Yoga is an excellent method of building flexibility into your joints and ligaments, improving your balance and strengthening and toning your muscles. Positions tend to be held for long periods of time and isometric holds such as planks are common, both of which help build muscle. The blood flow from yoga’s characteristic slow, controlled breathing can make sure your muscles get warmed up properly so you can do more high-intensity exercise after a yoga session if you want to. Many of the poses involve balancing on your hands or feet and stretching your limbs, which will help you slowly build your balance and flexibility over time.

Every body is different. If you choose to start practicing yoga, it’s important you focus on how each pose and flow feels rather than trying to make your poses look perfect.