Yoga Rasa - Benefits of Yoga

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Benefits of Yoga

Tracie in the Houston Chronicle

Yoga improves quality of life. It has been linked to positive effects for people dealing with a wide range of health challenges - depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, osteoporosis, arthritis, back pain, PMS, asthma, cancer, high blood pressure…the list goes on.

In addition, yoga expands creativity, strength, flexibility, respiratory efficiency, happiness, peace of mind…again the list goes on. People from all walks of life are able to apply yoga to their lives - top performers in all fields attribute their ability to be in "the zone" to the techniques of yoga.

The following are just a few of the specific benefits of yoga, as discussed in the book Meditation as Medicine by Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD.

The Relaxation Response achieves the following biological reactions, which remain intact for several hours after meditation ends:

Marked reduction in oxygen use

Notably lower secretion of stress hormones

Increase in immune factors

Calm brain wave activity

As a result of these factors, meditators enjoyed improved health. Among the many improvements were the following:

Premenstrual syndrome symptoms decreased by 57 percent
Migraine headaches decreased notably
Anxiety and depression were reduced significantly
Working people missed fewer work days due to illness
Patients with AIDS and cancer experienced decreased symptoms
75 percents of patients with insomnia were cured and almost 25 percent improved
Patients with chronic pain required an average of 36 percent less treatment
Patients with high blood pressure recovered completely or improved

Guided imagery and progressive relaxation have been shown to bring: improvements in cardiovascular function, use of oxygen, blood glucose levels, reactivity to stressors, and immune function. Mindfulness meditation has been proven to decrease panic attacks, decrease general anxiety, reduce levels of chronic pain, reduce incidence of headaches, improve response rates to drug and alcohol addiction treatment, and reduce obesity.

Mantra meditation has been shown to achieve the following:

Reduction of anxiety
Reduction of chronic pain
Lowered levels of cortisol
Increase in cognitive function
Reduction of substance abuse
Lowered blood pressure
Improvement in post-traumatic stress syndrome
Reduction in use of medical care and hospitalization

Studies of mantra meditators who had been practicing for 5 years or more were physiologically 12 years younger than their nonmeditating counterparts. Those practicing shorter term were 5 years younger than the control group.

We have done a Yoga Rasa Community Newsletter in the past on the benefits of yoga, and you can click below for an exerpt!

The Benefits of Yoga - from the Yoga Rasa Community News

In addition, much research has been done on the effects of yoga. The list below offers just a few references. If you know of other informative articles, please email the link to me!

Stay Flexible, Stay Well - O, The Oprah Magazine

The Power of Yoga - Time Magazine

How To Get Smarter, One Breath At a Time - Time Magazine

Yoga: Stretch For Your Health - Psychology Today

Yoga: Not Just an Exercise - Psychology Today

Yoga Rasa
17226 Mercury (@ El Camino & Medical Center)
Suite 108
Houston, Texas 77058
281-282-9400
www.yogarasa.net

Page last updated April 4, 2010