Yoga brings with it so many different health benefits, and many of these can actually have a significant impact on the way in which your body ages. From reducing wrinkles to building strength, these are just a few of the anti-aging benefits that yoga can have.
Strength Building
As the body ages, bone density begins to decrease, making your body far more susceptible to injuries. However, yoga is a fantastic way to slowly and gently build up your muscles, and is much safer than high intensity exercises, as it does not put too much pressure on your joints. To maximize your strength building, opt for more weight-bearing poses, such as the Plank and the Downward Dog.
Reduces Wrinkles and Fine Lines
While it may seem hard to believe, yoga can actually greatly reduce the number of wrinkles and fine lines that you have on your face. It does this by first lowering your stress levels, which then means that you relax your jaw and brows, keeping wrinkles to a minimum. Yoga is also effective when it comes to reducing oxidative stress within the skin, which would have otherwise damaged the skin’s elasticity and caused an increase in wrinkles.
Mental Sharpness
Whenever you feel stressed, your brain releases a hormone called cortisol, which helps the body to deal with the stress. However, high amounts of this being consistently released can lead to age-related memory problems. Fortunately, yoga is able to balance out the amount of cortisol that the brain releases, preventing it from releasing too much, and therefore preventing you from experiencing memory issues.
Facial Toning
Many associate yoga with poses that work the body, but there are actually several facial exercises that you can try too. These are great for toning up the facial muscles, and will really help to add some extra definition to your face. The exercises are simple to learn and quick to do, meaning that you can carry them out just about anywhere, although they do need to be done consistently and regularly in order for improvements to be seen.
Arthritis
Arthritis is another condition that many people tend to face as they age, and can cause a significant amount of pain to the joints. However, recent research has suggested that practicing yoga on a regular basis can really help to reduce joint pain, while improving flexibility, although you are best sticking with poses that do not put any excess weight on your hands and wrists, as this may only exacerbate the problem.
For those who have never tried yoga before, you have nothing to lose from giving it a go, and it will not be long before you begin to notice all of these anti-aging benefits for yourself. There are many different styles of yoga out there, and it would be worthwhile exploring them all until you find one that you love. Picking an instructor is an important part of this, so be sure to pick someone who is certified and really knows what they are doing.
