The Benefits of Yoga, Your Daily Mood Boost

Body awareness:

When regularly practicing yoga, becoming more aware of your body is not uncommon. You may find yourself tuning into your body, noticing where you are holding tension and where your body feels good. This practice may even transfer to noticing how you feel after an activity or eating. Our bodies tell us a lot if we tune into what they say.

Mindfulness:

It is common to hear reminders about being present during a yoga class to note what is happening in the moment. I often tell my students to leave their “baggage” outside the space we are practicing. If they feel compelled to pick it up again after class, it’s up to them, but when we’re together, the baggage needs to stay out. I use it as a reminder to be present, let go of what they cannot control, and allow themselves time to be on their mats. Often, mindfulness goes beyond their mats into other activities that focus on being present.

Managing stress:

Breathe. It is a reminder used both in a yoga class and in life. When holding a balancing asana or posture, or when a pose becomes challenging, it is common to hold your breath. I gently nudge my students to continue breathing when a pose is taking them out of their comfort zone. It is also a reminder I give when stress levels are increasing. Connecting with the breath is a way to ground oneself. It is always available anytime.

Confidence:

Connecting body, breath, and movement allows a person to “be” in their own skin. Often asanas are unfamiliar to what our body’s know in their normal day to day movements. As we get used to moving in these poses, we get comfortable in the uncomfortable. This discomfort transfers into our lives off our mats, allowing us to try new things, carrying ourselves a little taller, and feeling good about showing up as ourselves in whatever situation we find ourselves in.