Wind down to amp up. Stay alert by devoting 30 minutes a day to a relaxing activity like yoga, meditation or reading. Regular relaxation keeps you energized – get in the habit today!
Yoga is one activity that gives you a 3-for-1! It brings the body, mind and spirit into balance and harmony. There is a fountain of youth inside of each one of us. Yoga unleashes it. After practicing a session of yoga, you will feel more youthful, more energized and more alive.
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a book at the local bookstore, Yoga Turns Back The Clock by Glenda Twining. I’m going through it now and find it to be the most comprehensive book on yoga I’ve come across. When I get more into the various poses and the practice of yoga, I will share with you its impact on my life.
In this book, it cites information and studies conducted by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). The IAYT groups the benefits of yoga into three categories: physiological benefits, psychological benefits, and biochemical benefits. It reported some benefits of routine yoga practice are:
Increased cardiovascular efficiency
Decreased blood pressure
Improved posture
Increased immunity
Decreased hostility and depression
Improved balance
Improved memory and concentration
Decreased cholesterol
This book goes on to stress the importance of practicing yoga to maintain your youth, whether you are 16 or 76. If you are currently swimming, running or engaging in other exercises, yoga is a good addition to your regimen. Some regular yoga practitioners swear by its age-shattering benefits — they have found yoga to be a program that actually stops, then reverses the aging process.
Whether you choose to practice yoga, meditate or spend time reading, take the time to engage in something relaxing and mindfully take care of yourself.