Yoga is a great form of movement that is accessible to a wide variety of people. With many styles and variations to choose from, it has gained worldwide popularity as a form of inclusive exercise that provides wellness for the body, mind, and spirit. While any consistent practice is filled with benefits, studies have shown that a daily practice with regular attendance in a DC yoga studio provides more improvements in health for practitioners of all ages.
Many of us living in the Washington DC area have high-stress careers that require sitting at a desk for long periods of time. In the hustle and bustle of America’s capital city, it is crucial for our longevity and health that we find regular, healthy activities that involve moving the body.
Fortunately, with yoga’s many forms and styles, daily practice is a great way to access the necessary movement needed to stay healthy. Below, discover the many benefits of adding a daily yoga practice to your routine and see how Breathing Space can support you in developing the ideal practice for you.
Physical Benefits
While most (if not all) forms of exercise provide us with physical health benefits, many yoga poses are specifically designed for optimal body wellness.
Increased Flexibility
A well-known benefit of yoga, flexibility helps our bodies move with ease and comfort. Flexible muscles can help with everyday activities like walking and lifting plus provide athletes with the ability to gain more muscle. A daily practice will help you gain and maintain the flexibility that can improve posture, lessen the risk of injury, and reduce tightness.
Ease of Mobility
You’ll begin to realize the benefits of increased flexibility when it comes to mobility. Flexible muscles allow for ease of movement, whether that’s increasing the pace of your daily lunchtime walk or bending over to pick up growing babies more readily.
Strength and Stability
A key component of many yoga practices is balance. Steady balance requires strong muscles that can stabilize the body. Think about the first time you held a Triangle Pose or tried to balance on one foot. The pose probably didn't feel very steady. With regular practice, holding yoga poses increases muscle strength and your ability to stay stable. You’ll be able to balance on one foot - for any reason - with ease.
Cardiovascular Health
In the last decade, more and more cardiologists and heart professionals have begun acknowledging the very real positive effects of yoga when it comes to heart health. Studies have proven that a regular practice lowers blood pressure, improves blood glucose levels, lessens the risk of inflammation, and regulates weight gain.
Spinal Health
The benefits of yoga for the spine are endless. From increasing the flow of spinal fluid in twisting poses to decreasing pressure in the lower back, maintaining the stability of spinal disks to lengthening spinal muscles to avoid serious injuries, the key to a happy spin lies within your daily flow.
Mental Benefits
In addition to a strong list of perks when it comes to a healthy body, yoga also supports a healthy mind. A lot is going on in the world - whether it be your personal life, the status of your country, family health, balancing your budget, or the many other items on never-ending to-do lists, it’s no surprise that poor mental health is on the rise.
While seeking help and additional resources is always the best first step, yoga has also been proven to positively influence mental health.
Improved focus
While asana (yoga poses) is a key component of any yoga practice, it is not really the most important. Yoga was designed to prepare the body for stillness and mindfulness. Sitting still with a blank mind is no easy feat. Asana prepares the body for clear-mindedness that allows the brain to focus on meditation and self. This practice inevitably gives you a transferable skill - the ability to clear your mind and focus on any task throughout your day.
Reduced anxiety
A racing heart, shallow breathing, and tense muscles are all physical signs of anxiety. Changing the body can change the mind. Yoga calls for slow, steady breath, loosened muscles, and results in a calm, relaxed body. These physical shifts can work wonders to calm an anxious mind plus give you the tools, like breathwork, to tame anxiety whenever you need to.
Mood-Booster
Hello, serotonin! Regular movement releases “happy mood” endorphins that are responsible for uplifting your mood. This means a regular yoga practice will inevitably end with you smiling a bit more.
Designated “Me-time”
Many of us, particularly parents, find it difficult to carve out time in the day just for us. There is always a child who needs a snack, a boss who needs your report ASAP, or a friend who needs a shoulder to cry on. While all of these are important people with needs we intend to meet, taking time away from those who need us is the greatest form of self-care. Even in a class full of fellow yogis, your time on the mat is yours and yours alone.
Building Your Daily Practice with a DC Yoga Studio
Now that you have discovered a few wonderful benefits of visiting your yoga mat daily, it’s time to get started! Most practices can take place primarily at home with the option to practice in-studio a couple times a week.
Why practice in-studio, you ask? Advancing your practice will take a little more than practicing regularly. You’ll need to ensure you are practicing safely and get introduced to new, more challenging poses. At Breathing Space, we aim to provide a diverse schedule of classes that meets every practitioner where they are in their practice. From Yoga Fundamentals to flow classes for advanced students (not to mention yoga for the kids!), there is something for everyone at our DC yoga studio.
As you begin your daily practice, start with 15-20 minutes a day on the mat. You’ll notice differences in as little as 8 weeks. Make sure to add in at least 3-5 minutes of meditation at the end of your asana. You’ll leave the mat happier, healthier, and ready to take on the world.