If you’ve never tried yoga, now is the time! September is National Yoga Month, a nod to this popular exercise that promotes physical and emotional well-being. You can practice yoga anywhere, but it is an ideal indoor activity when the weather turns cold.

Yoga was originally developed in India about 5,000 years ago as a discipline to unite the mind and body. Today in the United States, yoga takes the form of a series of stretches and poses, performed along with breathing techniques. Yoga offers powerful benefits of exercise, and almost anyone can do it.

Health Benefits of Yoga

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, research suggests that yoga may:

• Help improve general wellness by relieving stress, supporting good health habits and improving mental/emotional health, sleep and balance.

• Relieve neck pain, migraine or tension-type headaches and pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. It may also have a small benefit for lower back pain.

• Help people who are overweight or obese lose weight.

• Help people quit smoking.

• Help people manage anxiety symptoms or depression.

• Relieve menopause symptoms.

• Be a helpful addition to treatment programs for substance use disorders.

• Help people with chronic diseases manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Yoga's gentle movements make it popular with people of any age and ability level. Yoga is good for people who haven't been active in a while. It’s good for people who have certain health conditions like arthritis or osteoporosis. You can change the exercises to fit your needs.

But yoga is also great if you're already fit and want a challenging workout. As you become stronger and more flexible with yoga, it's easier to do other kinds of exercise like dancing, walking or swimming.

How to Begin

Talk with your healthcare provider before you begin yoga or any other kind of exercise. Joining a yoga class is a good way to start – you can learn from others. Many local YMCAs offer yoga classes. Aultman Orrville Sports and Wellness offers yoga classes for members.

Check with your local community centers. Look at nearby gyms, dance studios and health clubs. Or search online. You can also check out the Yoga Alliance website to find yoga teachers and yoga classes near you.

It is important to find the right yoga style for you and a teacher you like. It’s hard to know what a class is like until you attend it. Even when two teachers use the same terms to describe their classes, the classes may be quite different.

Take a class with an experienced teacher. Let the teacher know about any health conditions you may have like high blood pressure or arthritis. Tell them about any injuries or physical problems. A good teacher will know which exercises are best for you and tell you which poses to stay away from.

Sources:
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
The StayWell Company, LLC