One of the most popular forms of exercise and fitness, yoga benefits almost everybody cutting across age groups due to its unique philosophy. There are many physical benefits to be gained from taking up yoga. As you use more of your muscles in your body to maintain the yoga positions, as well as your balance, over time these muscles become much stronger. Not only will the muscles in your lower back, shoulders and legs become much stronger so will those in your feet, arms, hands and stomach. If you are not yet practicing yoga right now, you may be wondering why there are many people who are into this exercise. The answer is very simple – it’s the yoga benefits that they get from including this exercise in their daily lives. The following are benefits of practicing Yoga:

1. Builds Inner Strength.

This exercise is very effective in building your inner strength because it requires no weights or machines. You use your own body weight as resistance to gain or tone your muscles. Thus, it makes you more flexible and greatly improves your range of motion as well.

2. Alleviates Physical Stress.

Yoga involves a lot of stretching and different poses. These movements are great in relieving joint pains and releasing physical stress. As a result, you will be able to sleep more comfortably and this will enable your brain to function better. And that will boost your memory and concentration.

3. Pain Relief.

There’s strong evidence showing that yoga can be an ideal treatment for relieving and preventing different types of chronic pain. When a team of researchers from Germany compared yoga with an exercise program designed for people with chronic neck pain, they discovered yoga brought down pain scores by more than 50 percent. With its focus on breathing, stretching, and strength development, it comes as no surprise how yoga can alleviate pain. Of course, this doesn’t mean yoga can replace a doctor’s visit; it is still crucial that you approach a physician to have your pain examined and ask if you’re clear to practice.

4. Promotes Positive Outlook.

Yoga has the potential to improve your mood. Most often, this is one of the reasons why yoga practitioners love this exercise very much. When you practice yoga, it will tremendously help to clear your mind. You will forget about your mental and emotional stresses because you will be focusing on the movements of your body as you do each pose. This will allow you to feel invigorated and renewed from within.

5. Better State of Mind.

Regular meditation during yoga practice has been shown to change the structure of the brain, showing strong evidence between yoga meditation and practitioners being less emotional volatile, less stressed, and more contented.

The list of yoga benefits that you can get from performing this exercise is endless. But one thing that really makes yoga an excellent choice as your fitness activity is its ability to combine physical and mental health. So that means, aside from maintaining your figure, you will have a calm and harmonious mind as well.