Happy National Yoga Month! Yoga is often described as being good for both the mind and the body, which makes sense because the meaning of the word yoga is derived from the very idea of relaxing, expanding and exercising the mind and the body together. Every year there is more and more research suggesting that there are a variety of benefits both mentally and physically to doing yoga regularly, so it might just be time to give it a try. #LAFYoga

Here are some of the many possible ways you could benefit from yoga. A few might just surprise you, and hopefully convince you to get into a yoga class!

Benefits for your Mind:

• Food Cravings – Regular yoga has shown to be associated with making better food choices. It creates an awareness of the emotional sensations associated with hunger and eating, which is attributed to the mind-body connection gained from practicing yoga. [i]
• Stress Relief – Certain styles of yoga use meditation techniques that calm your mind. The focus on breathing and breathing techniques also helps reduce anxiety and enhances your sense of well-being.^[ii]
• Sleep – Have trouble sleeping? The relaxation techniques of yoga have been shown to improve the ability to get a good night’s rest. [iii]

Benefits for your body:[iv][v]

• Lower Blood Pressure – Yoga is known to help lower blood pressure and heart rate.
• Physical Fitness – There is more to yoga than just breathing and relaxing. In fact, advanced levels of yoga can be extremely challenging. No matter what your level, you can reap the benefits of improved balance, strength and flexibility.
• Posture – Improved posture can help alleviate muscle imbalances, which can lead to things like low back pain.

Now, after hearing all of those amazing benefits are you interested in taking a yoga class? Find a #LAFYoga class near you here: http://www.lafitness.com/Pages/AerobicClasses.aspx

[i]Information obtained from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19631053

[ii]Information obtained from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733

[iii]Information obtained from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15707256

[iv]Information obtained from http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/the-health-benefits-of-yoga

[v] Information obtained from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733?pg=1