No time to find a yoga class? Just join a yoga group and find calm amid stressful day. Research shows that yoga can decrease the inflammation, boost immune system function and improve symptoms associated with chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The practice can also do wonders for your mental health and mood, reducing depression, stress and anxiety.
Yoga is no different. Practicing once a week is good. Practicing three to four time a week would be better. Practicing yoga once a week gives you a time every week to focus on your breathing, which in turn allows you to be present. Physically a one hour yoga class won’t tout the same calorie blasting effects as 60 minutes of cardio. But it will increase your blood flow and keep your oxygen moving.
It you commit to a weekly practice, depending on the class you take, your flexibility will improve over time, leading to fewer injuries and you will experience toning in all your muscles. One found that a single yoga class for inpatients at a psychiatric hospital had the ability to significantly reduce tension, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility and fatigue.
Of course if you don’t have time for a 60minute class every week, smaller increments of yoga outside a studio can work wonders too. Just 10 minutes of yoga before bed can help you sleep better.
Additionally a recently released 10 year study of 700 participants found that just 10 minutes of yoga per day is enough to see improvements, at least when it comes to preventing osteoporosis and strengthening bones. Even an individual home practice was a better predictor of positive health than how often they attended classes or how long they practiced.
