Importance of Yoga for Physical and Mental Health

Abstract:

The present research paper intends to focus on “Importance of Yoga for Physical and
Mental Health”. It has huge significance in the present time. It also summarizes the current data
on the effects of yoga interventions on a variety of components of mental and physical health, by
focusing on the evidence described in review articles. Jointly, these reviews suggest a number of
areas where yoga may well be beneficial, but more research is required for virtually all of them
to firmly establish such benefits. The heterogeneity among interventions and conditions studied
has hampered the use of meta-analysis as a suitable tool for summarizing the current literature.
However, there are a few meta-analyses which designate beneficial effects of yoga interventions,
and there are several randomized clinical trials of relatively high quality indicating beneficial
effects of yoga for pain-associated disability and mental health. Yoga may well be effective as a
supportive adjunct to mitigate some medical conditions, but not yet a proven stand-alone,
curative treatment.
At huge scale as well as more precise research with higher methodological quality and
adequate control interventions is extremely encouraged because yoga may have potential to be
implemented as a beneficial supportive/adjunct treatment that is comparatively cost-effective,
may be practiced at least in element as a self-care behavioral action, provides a life-long
behavioral ability, enhances self-efficacy and self-confidence and is often associated with
additional positive side effects.
Keywords: Yoga, Mental and Health.

1
Introduction:
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experience of yoga
practitioners, and their search for the true self. A thousand years before the birth of Christ and for
five subsequent centuries, it has been theorized that yoga flourished in cities known today as
India and other countries in world. People practiced yoga to become closer to God.
In the present time, Yoga is practiced by more than 36 million Americans as well as by
many millions more worldwide. A discipline that is thousands of year’s old, yoga has spiritual
and philosophical roots. Many, who practice it, especially in the U.S., seek the physical benefits.
There are also powerful benefits of yoga for your mental health.

Yoga for Physical and Mental Health

Yoga’s mind-body practice dates back thousands of years and has dozens of different
types. On the other hand, its basic premise seeks relaxation through breathing and meditation
combined with stretching as well as strengthening poses. Usual practitioners tout yoga’s ability
to help them with everything from mood and emotions to muscle tone, endurance and strength.
Yoga is considered one of the oldest forms of exercise and although there are many
different styles, from gentle to rigorous, yoga practice generally involves stretching, breathing
and a period of deep relaxation or mediation.
A growing number of studies from the 1970s during too at the moment, suggest that yoga
can have a positive outcome for people managing symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress,
among other benefits.

2
Aims and objectives:
The present research work deals with following aims and objectives:
 To review the findings of selected articles regarding the therapeutic effects of yoga.
 To study and to provide a comprehensive review of the benefits of regular yoga practice.
 To describe as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health
conditions and involves instruction in yogic practices.
Research Methodology:
The present research work deals with following research methodology:
For the present research work, Data is collected for this research using secondary sources.
Methodical studies are conducted on existing literature by reviewing textbooks, related literature,
articles, journals and online resources and the seaming trends were identified to predict the future
prospects of the yoga trade.
Advantage of Yoga: An Advantage of Yoga can be stated as follows:
1. Liberate helpful brain Chemicals: Most exercise triggers the release of ‘feel-good’
chemicals in the brain. These mood boosting chemicals include brain messengers such
as dopamine, serotonin, and nor epinephrine. Although yoga movements are slow and
controlled, they still elevate your heart rate, make the muscles work hard, and stimulate the
release of brain chemicals. As a result, yoga can make you happier.
2. Relieve depression: Studies show that yoga can ease depression. Researchers have found
that yoga is comparable to other treatments, such as medication and psychotherapy. Yoga is
usually inexpensive and doesn’t cause the same side effects as many medicines. It can even
benefit those with major depressive disorder. The use of yoga for depression needs more study
because there aren’t very many controlled trials.
3. Decrease stress: When Americans answered a survey about why they practiced yoga,
86% of them said that it helped to deal with stress. The tightening as well as relaxing of
muscles can reduce tension. You may also advantage from the peaceful atmosphere, calming
music, and positive attitude that you will find in most yoga classes.
4. Alleviate nervousness: Yoga can improve anxiety. The breath training included in yoga
may be especially effective, as there is a relationship between anxiousness and breathing
problems. If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, yoga may not help. Still, some
psychologists are using yoga to supplement other forms of therapy.

3
 Advantages of Yoga

5. Increase social life: If you attend an in-person yoga class, you may benefit from
interacting with others in your group. Social ties can positively affect both mental and
physical health. Also, acting in unison with others, sometimes called synchrony, carries
unique social benefits. Moving and breathing at the same time as others can give you a sense
of belonging and promote bonding with the group.
6. Keep your brain young: hence, one more psychological benefit of yoga is its ability to
maintain the health as well as vitality of your brain, even into old age. Studies have found that
those who practice yoga and meditation have more resilient brains, as well as improved brain
function, particularly in older participants. As a result, if you want to keep your brain young,
well oxygenated, as well as peaceful, yoga is certainly a tool you should use to stay vital in
body and mind.
7. Improves range of motion and flexibility: Your range of motion and mobility play a
big role in healthy aging and preventing injury. Poor posture and incorrect form when lifting
objects increase your risk for pain as well as developing an injury. Over time, poor posture
may affect your bone, ligament, and muscle health. Forms of yoga that focus on alignment,
range of motion, and posture may help to increase flexibility and prevent injury
8. Reduces inflammation: Chronic inflammation has been associated with an increased
risk for developing multiple chronic diseases and autoimmune diseases. Inflammation is a

4
 normal body response to injury or illness. The problem comes when inflammation lingers in
the body, adding unhealthy stress to the body.
9. May improve heart health: Yoga may help multiple factors that impact your
cardiovascular health, like blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol levels, and triglycerides.
High blood pressure is a risk factor for many cardiovascular conditions such as a heart attack
and stroke, and it even affects your kidney health.
10. Improves balance: Any type of yoga that focuses on alignment and postures can help you
build muscle strength, flexibility, muscle tone, as well as balance. Balance is essential at any
age, but this especially helps older adults. As people age, there is a higher risk of falling as
well as breaking a bone. Exercises that improve balance and strength are important for
decreasing the risk of falling.

How to Use Yoga to Improve our Physical and Mental Health:

It is also possible to learn yoga online or from a book or DVD. But the best way to avoid
injury is to take an in-person yoga class. Once you have the basics down, you can use books and
videos to help you practice. You will benefit more from yoga if you do it at home between
classes, and online classes can keep your home practice interesting. If you are comfortable doing
yoga at home, you can practice when you experience extra stress, sleeplessness, or other
challenges.
As Yoga experience is subjective – any mechanical means of evaluation may not provide
a good guideline. An experienced teacher can notice the progress of a Yoga student through his
behavior and through his life activities. The Yoga Institute has worked on all aspects of Yoga
education and through its pioneering efforts; it has provided the finest training for Yoga
education teachers.
Yoga education can enhance all the activities of the students, be it academic or sport or
social. Yoga techniques provide improved attention in studies, better stamina and co-ordination
for sports and a heightened awareness and balanced attitude for social activity.

5
 Yoga education can be integrated in school education during the time set aside for P.T.
but in a calm and quiet place creating the proper atmosphere for its proper study and practice.
Concluding Remark:
As a result, a number of areas where yoga may be beneficial, but more research is
required for virtually all of them to more definitively establish benefits. On the other hand, this is
not surprising given that research studies on yoga as a therapeutic intervention have been
conducted only over the past 4 decades and are relatively few in number. In general, individual
studies on yoga for various conditions are small, poor-quality trials with multiple instances for
bias.
In addition, there is substantial heterogeneity in the populations studied, yoga
interventions, duration and frequency of yoga practice, comparison groups, and outcome
measures for many conditions.

6
Works Cited:
1. Aljasir B, Bryson M, Al-Shehri B. Yoga practice for the management of type II diabetes
mellitus in adults: a systematic review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative
Medicine. 2010; 7(4):399–408.
2. Brown RP, Gerbarg PL. Sudarshan Kriya Yogic breathing in the treatment of stress,
anxiety, and depression: part II—clinical applications and guidelines. Journal of Alternative
and Complementary Medicine. 2005; 11(4):711–717.
3. Kirkwood G, Rampes H, Tuffrey V, Richardson J, Pilkington K. Yoga for anxiety: a
systematic review of the research evidence. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2005;
39(12):884–891.
4. Khalsa SBS. Yoga as a therapeutic intervention: a bibliometric analysis of published
research studies. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2004; 48(3):269–285.
5. Pilkington K, Kirkwood G, Rampes H, Richardson J. Yoga for depression: the research
evidence. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2005; 89(1-3):13–24.
6. Uebelacker LA, Epstein-Lubow G, Gaudiano BA, Tremont G, Battle CL, Miller IW.
Hatha ‘yoga for depression: critical review of the evidence for efficacy, plausible mechanisms
of action, and directions for future research’. Journal of Psychiatric Practice. 2010;
16(1):22–33.
7. Yang K. ‘A review of yoga programs for four leading risk factors of chronic
diseases’. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2007;4(4):487–491.