Well apart from the extra flexibility you achieve through regular practice, which I must say is particularly beneficial when you need to bend over quick just in time to stop anyone seeing the contents of your bag as it falls out on the floor! Or just the mere stretching of certain muscles that have become stiff due to childbirth or tight quads from just sitting down too long watching episode after episode of Netflix.
The benefits of yoga for women (and men) are vast and differ depending on your lifestyle and personal needs, for me yoga practice helps challenge me to relax more, be still and create calmness for a lot longer than my brain feels comfortable. So whether you’re a lover or hater of yoga, below are 3 reasons why women love or should love yoga.
1. Youthful Skin
Yes yoga is great for your skin! All those inverted postures (asanas) and forward bends such as Downward Facing Dog, help increase the blood flow to the nerves underneath your skin. The extra breathing through sequences and breathing exercises (pranayamas), help pump and increase oxygen throughout the body. Enabling the 3 R’s to work, Regenerating skin cells, Revitalising your complexion and Rejuvenating tired or dull skin from urban city life. Plus the extra sweating helps to remove toxins that may cause annoying pimples and spots.
2. Lowers Stress
Face it ladies, unless you’re the prime minister and even that’s a woman’s job, there isn’t anyone I know busier than a woman especially a mother, not only having to work but juggle children’s schedules, plan routines even her partners, prepare meals, do the washing, housework, get her nails and hair done and still keeping her eyebrows on fleek! We rarely get time to relax even in our sleep. Yoga helps to relax the body, clear the mind, lower stress and cortisol levels, promoting restful sleep, releasing tension, tightness and stiffness in the body and for a few moments overthinking. Queens Ommmm your stress away!
3. Balances Hormones
Many of the postures e.g. Cobra and Camel, help stimulate hormone producing glands such as your thyroid, helping them stay balanced and regulated. This is especially great for women (my moon goddesses) who go through multiple phases like the moon, depending on your cycle or life phase. Imbalanced hormones can cause an array of issues such as headaches, mood swings, weight gain, skin problems, so stimulating your glands and realigning your chakras can be beneficial to your overall emotional wellbeing. May even help you to stop screaming at the kids!
So hopefully these are reasons enough for you to love yoga or stretching exercises. But if you’re new to yoga or need some spice, there are many different styles to choose, check out YouTube videos and taster classes to attend. If you live near South London, I will be running yoga in the park on Saturday 15th July (weather forecasts predicts sunshine) or feel free to contact me to try 121 sessions.
Until next time, Namaste and àṣẹ family.
Naomi x
MoorYoni.com 