Evenings should be the time to wind down from a busy day. It would be nice to have dinner after a hectic schedule, some TV and a little time to read. In reality, many are juggling shift work, kids, family obligations while trying to catch up on household tasks in the evening. Throw in too much screen time and it can be exceedingly difficult to wind down before bedtime and get a good night’s sleep.
This is one of those topics that few are comfortable discussing with even their closest friends let alone their yoga instructor. Maybe a talk with your doctor about constipation or fiber intake is ok but walking into your yoga class and discussing bowel habits seems a little disconcerting.
While the topic is somewhat awkward, constipation can be a real struggle for some and a discussion with your instructor may help. It is known that yoga can help digestion, bowel movements and regularity. Constipation happens when stool gets stuck in your digestive tract, specifically the colon. It can cause pain; make you feel bloated as well as anxious about your diet.
Understanding how constipation happens can help you figure out what is going to work best when it comes to yoga. Constipation begins with peristalsis which is a muscle that contracts to move everything through the digestive system. When this works properly then digestion is good, and the pelvic floor is relaxed. When this muscle does not contract properly, and it slows down then pressure can build in the abdomen and make you uncomfortable. This can grow until you can go to the bathroom.
If this peristalsis happens regularly then you may have a chronic constipation condition that needs to be addressed so you are not feeling off and uncomfortable.
Yoga is a practice that is known to be beneficial for both mental and physical health. There are various types of yoga that will target the specific needs of the person practicing it. Deep stretch yoga is designed specifically to increase flexibility overall but also to help muscles that are tight and can make you uncomfortable and hinder your movement doing everyday activities.
No matter what yoga pose you are practicing, it is meant to teach you awareness of your body, enhance its balance and build a strong core. Yoga can also stretch muscles and reduce stiffness caused by sitting or standing too much along with reducing stress and soreness. Deep yoga can help address all of this and improve your posture as well.
Below are three deep stretch yoga stretches that are going to give you better flexibility if done on a regular and consistent basis. As with all exercise, consistency of a stretching routine is important to hone the skill you are working on. Yoga is no different. Routine allows you to work on improving your skills through repetition.
While yoga is a smooth, stretching activity, it can leave you feeling sore whether you are just getting back into it or have pushed yourself into some new yoga postures. Yoga leaves you feeling refreshed and wonderful but can also leave you with some aches and pains especially if you have been doing some deep stretches that target lesser-used muscles.
Your muscles will be the first to warn you they have been stressed and stretched in ways that can be unfamiliar to them. They can also become sore due to overuse. This muscle soreness may not be noticeable right away but may show up 12- 48 hours after your exercising. This is delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
The muscle soreness felt may vary depending on the type of yoga you are doing, how intensely you are doing it and how often. Body type might play into the variables as well. Even if you are an experienced practitioner of yoga, there may still be soreness if there is excess strain on your muscles.
Hip pain can stem from various issues with the bones, cartilage, synovial fluid, ligaments, tendons or muscles. Each one of these things on their own can cause pain if not working properly and doing what they should.
While yoga cannot take care of medical issues such as deterioration of the joint, it can help increase strength and stability while stretching and caring for the tendons and ligaments. Yoga is beneficial as it is low impact. It can be done by beginners all the way up to experienced yoga practitioners and can help reduce any stress that occurs with ongoing or chronic pain.
Here are some yoga poses for hip pain. Always do them slowly and gently to avoid further hip issues.
Practicing yoga for mental health is a great idea as it gets your heart rate moving and encourages mental clarity. In this article we examine the attitude to maintaining health and well-being and look at the benefits of yoga for mental health. Perhaps you are guilty of neglecting your health at some point? It is …
The Benefits of Practicing Yoga for Mental Health Read More »
For those who love yoga, getting into a daily routine is not only enjoyable it is something to look forward to. Those who enjoy their yoga practice, they want to roll out the mat and make sure to enjoy their yoga workout on a consistent daily basis even if only for short periods of time.
If you are one of those people and enjoy some time in the yoga studio every day, it can be difficult when there are reasons you can’t get to the studio. Maybe it is a day where life is too busy, you are ill or the instructor is not available. Whatever the reason, there are always going to be times that stop you from doing your full studio routine.
No matter the reason that you can’t get to the studio, some great options allowingyouto do yoga in your home. There are YouTube channels thathave some professional options to keep you going even when you are on your own.
YouTube offersfree yoga classes, tutorials as well as videos about all types of yoga. There is a lot of good information and sessions to be found. You can go froma five-minute quick vinyasa flow to ones that are long, entrancing and meditative sessions. You can find lots of yoga support online when you are looking to maintain good feelings in your mind, body and soul.
Think you’re too manly for yoga? Guess again! Not only are you already practicing yoga without realizing it but it can also have far more benefits than you realize – and these benefits far outweigh whether or not you think yoga isn’t manly enough.
Any time you stretch or you see how long you can hold a plank without collapsing in a heap on the floor, you are doing yoga. There are a ton of benefits to yoga for men that you probably don’t realize. We’re going to cover these today as well as five poses that you should be practicing to build strength, boost your mood, and prevent injuries. Sound good?
Having a strong back is important. Not only is it essential for day to day comfort but having a strong and flexible back helps maintain good health. Even if you are not currently experiencing back pain, there are so many ways that it can develop due to bad habits. You may have a job where you are hunched over a computer screen all day, not realizing that your poor posture can have an adverse effect on your back in the future.
So, what’s the best way to build a strong back? By doing yoga, of course! With simple at-home yoga practice, you can be on your way to reducing or preventing back pain altogether. And if you don’t, these asanas help build your back up so back stress will hopefully never be a problem.
Are you a weightlifter looking to increase your range of motion? Look no further than yoga! While most weightlifters know that stretching is essential to warming up your muscles and preventing injury, they don’t always realize how much yoga can benefit them. By practicing yoga, you’re able to multitask, stretching many different muscle groups at once rather than the simple, targeted stretches that you’re used to doing.
The following seven poses are excellent for improving your range of motion as a weightlifter and can also prevent injury, improve muscle strength, enhance physical performance, and improve fitness. Try these poses a minimum of twice a week to bring your warm-up stretches to the next level and reap the results.
