At the end of a vigorous, rigorous yoga class, your exhausted body releases gratefully onto the mat.
Feet roll open, eyes softly shut, palms unfurl. Your body melts into the earth…along with your mind.
Gone are the habitual thoughts and worries. You quietly watch sensations, fluttering just on the edge between deep sleep and deep grattitude. With mind at peace, the heart beats calmly.
This silent time is precious. Later, simply remembering this rest can release the tensions that have accumulated during your busy day. But the benefits of yoga extend beyond intangibles such as “inner peace” or structural results like flexibility and core strength. Yoga classes are now clinically proven to reduce depression, calm anxiety, lower blood sugar, decrease cholesterol, and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy – an associate professor with the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas – has published a new study proving the benefits of yoga for the heart. He studied patients with atrial fibrillation – or irregular heartbeats, one of the leading causes of stroke.
“It appears yoga has a significant impact on helping to regulate patients’ heartbeat and improves the overall quality of life,” says Lakkireddy.
For more information on health benefits of yoga check out a few more healthy yogi YogaEarth blogs.
