I don’t think I’ve ever finished a yoga practice and felt worse than when I started.
Now - that doesn’t mean that every time I’ve ever done yoga, I was super motivated and wanted to jump right onto my mat.
In fact, often, I think rolling out your yoga mat is the very hardest part of doing yoga.
Because once you begin, it’s like each moment builds on itself. Every time I finish a practice, whether it’s a 10-minute stretch from bed or a long, slow, stretchy and cozy hour, I am glad I did it.
And I think a big part of that is because yoga has so many benefits.
Yoga Benefits Everyone
Sometimes, we get in our own way.
We may think that in order to benefit from yoga, we have to do it every day, or for an hour at a time.
Or maybe, we form an idea like “I don’t have good balance, so I probably can’t do yoga.”
But it’s my firm belief that yoga really is for Every Body.
I make it my mission to make yoga adaptable and gentle. I always offer lots of options for those who have movement limitations and injuries. I even offer online donation-based yoga classes.
So please, don’t let any preconceived notions or mental blocks keep you from giving yoga a try.
Yoga has so many benefits, even if you are just starting out, or deal with discomfort or don’t have the money to head to a studio three times a week.
100 Benefits of Yoga
I thought it would be fun to share 100 benefits of yoga that I’ve learned as a student and teacher.
I’ve grouped them as best I can into mind benefits, body benefits and soul benefits. But I’m also going to add bonus benefits that are so powerful, they need their own section!
Yoga Benefits for the Body
Balance
You don’t need balance to start yoga. Yoga will help you gain balance over time!
Flexibility
Flexibility is important for so many reasons. You don’t need to be able to do the splits, but being physically flexible can keep you moving, reduce pain and stiffness and even help you maintain good posture.
Helps with Muscle Tension
So many of us store stress in our muscles. We don’t realize it, but we keep our shoulders up around our ears during a meeting, or clench our jaws when working to meet a deadline. Yoga can help us release cranky, tight muscles.
Keeping you Mobile
I know an 83-year-old yogi who walks 5 miles a day. He credits his long-time yoga practice with helping him to keep moving!
Increased Strength
It’s great to be able to hold a long downward dog. But it’s just as great to be able to lift a box without tweaking your back, help a friend move a piece of furniture and otherwise be strong!
Posture
Modern culture has really done a number on our posture. Most of us are required to spend portions of our days on computers and phones, and “Tech Neck” is REAL. Yoga can help counteract all that sitting, scrolling and scanning.
Cholesterol
Any form of exercise and movement can have natural benefits on your cholesterol. And yoga definitely counts as exercise - even when we do a slow, gentle practice like this one:
Circulation
Yoga can improve circulation, getting your blood flowing. I mean, how many other forms of exercise can you think of that involve getting your feet above your head?
Want to try a class that will get you gently upside-down? Try this Wall Yoga Class with me:
Lower Blood Pressure
Yoga can help lower blood pressure through coordinated breathing and movement. When we calm our mind, our body responds.
Improved Respiratory Function
We practice a lot of breathing exercises (aka pranayama) in yoga. It’s a powerful part of yoga, helping to calm our minds and bodies and make us aware of our breath. Conscious breathing is a game-changer for stress and anxiety.
Pain Relief
A lot of times, we don’t realize how much everyday tension or repeated movements are causing us to ache.
Yoga can help relieve sore muscles, and also help strengthen muscles, which can help to with pain.
Helps in Training, Recovery and Support of Other Sports
Have you ever heard of football players doing ballet? They do this to build different muscle groups, work on coordination and balance and improve agility.
If you play any kind of sport, yoga can be helpful as an add-on training, as a gentle way to recover from an injury or simply as a way to support your whole body.
Lower Back Pain Help
So many people come to yoga because they are living with lower back pain. I break down lower back pain causes, and how to know if yoga may help in this post.
Rehabbing Post-Injury or Post-Surgery
I recently had a student share with me that she was able to transition from my live REST and Yin classes on Insight Timer, to my live online Slow Flow Class, which requires a bit more movement.
Continuing with gentle yoga helped her heal from a surgery, and stay in touch with how her body was recovering.
Restorative yoga can be helpful post-injury or post-surgery.
(Of course, follow doctor’s orders here!)
You can even do yoga from your couch:
Headache Relief
It might seem like the worst thing to do when you have a headache is to “work-out,” but yoga is a different kind of exercise.
Practicing some gentle yoga can help with headache pain. Deep breathing and relaxation are often helpful too!
Eye Strain Relief
Speaking of headaches, headaches can be brought on because of eye strain (especially when we’re looking at screens a lot!)
Here’s a little secret straight from a yoga teacher - yoga can be simply lying down with something over your eyes and resting.
If you want to do a little extra, maybe trying adding a recorded Yoga Nidra (here’s a beginner yoga nidra session I have on Insight Timer) or a little breathwork:
Improved Digestion
Maybe last night’s bowl of pasta feels a little like a weight in your belly, or maybe your green smoothie just isn’t agreeing with you today.
Never fear, yoga can aid in digestion - especially postures like twists.
Of course, don’t try a challenging yoga class right after eating, but if you have digestive crankiness happening, yoga may be helpful.
Reduced Inflammation
Many of my students over the years have noted that a regular yoga practice has helped them with issues related to inflammation such as arthritis and autoimmune conditions.
If you have a condition that contributes to inflammation in your body, ask your doctor if yoga could help.
Coordination
Coordination! This is another place where sometimes people get in their own way.
We may think, “I’m not coordinated enough to grab my foot, or bend backwards or shift from sitting to standing postures.”
Not to fear - a good beginning yoga class will help you build coordination!
Range of Motion
Range of motion is something we don’t think about a lot unless we lose it for some reason.
Usually this happens due to injury, but it can also happen because we don’t move the way we used to.
Try yoga so you can keep reaching for the stars, or at least the dishes on the top shelf!
Lung Capacity
Let’s test this right now. Take a deep breath.
How do you feel?
Breathing is our friend. It keeps us alive, yes, but different breathing techniques can help with anxiety, energy, mood and more.
Yogic breathing (pranayama) can improve lung capacity, making everyday tasks less taxing.
Lymphatic System Support
Fun fact: We each have between 500-700 lymph nodes in our bodies. And they do a lot of important work, from helping to remove waste, to helping with fluid balance, to keeping our immune systems strong.
Yoga helps keep the lymphatic system doing its best work! From twists to inverted postures and poses that add gentle compression (Hi there Downward Dog!!), yoga keeps moving lymph, and that’s what we want!
Yoga Can Address Specific Areas and Muscle Groups
One of the things that I love about yoga is that we can care for our whole body in a practice, BUT, another thing I love about yoga is that we can focus on specific areas causing us tension or discomfort.
In fact, I always start my live classes with a check-in, asking everyone if they have any specific needs.
Here is a full body stretch class to try:
Here is a class where we focus on one area, in this case, shoulders and neck:
Building Abs and Core
Speaking of specific areas, yoga is great for gently building abdominal and core strength.
This alone can help with so much, from posture, to back pain, to balance.
Here’s an Abs and Core Class to try:
Helping Your Achy Feet
Our feet are peppered with acupressure points, and caring for our feet can help lots of systems in our body.
Plus, if you are on your feet all day for work or any other reason, your feet may need some TLC.
Here is a class to help release foot and calf tension:
Keeping Bones Strong
Weight-bearing exercises are great for keeping bones healthy and strong. In yoga, we use our own body weight to build strength, and that helps keep bones healthy.
Heart Health
Movement is good for us. Breathing is good for us. And lower stress is good for us.
So for most people (check with your doctor, of course, if you have a heart issue), yoga delivers lots of heart benefits.
Agility
Whether you’re working your way around a minefield of LEGO, or making sure your dog doesn’t sweep you off your feet during your next walk, yoga helps us stay agile.
Reduces Fall Risk
And speaking of agility, an ongoing yoga practice can help you decrease your chance of a tumble. Yoga strengthens your core, and can help you build balance.
Joint Benefits
Our joints do so much for our bodies, so we need to take good care of them.
Yoga helps our joints, and our joints help us do yoga. This means better balance, posture, mobility and flexibility.
Show your joints some love! Here’s a class for the biggest joints in our bodies, our hips:
Yoga Benefits for the Mind
Yoga Makes You Feel Good
When you practice yoga and keep practicing, it gives you something to feel proud of - you are keeping a commitment to yourself!
Even a short yoga class can give you a huge feeling of accomplishment.
Try this short class and see what a difference a few minutes can make:
Helps to Manage Stress
Sometimes, I think, stress needs us to slow down and listen.
I’m not negating how rough it can be to deal with anxiety - anxiety is familiar to me and I even made us a whole course on Insight Timer about Living With and Navigating Through Anxiety.
P.S. People really seem to love it! Yeah!
But sometimes, even a short practice where we stop, breathe and get quiet can really help:
Can Improve Mood
We talk a lot about how anxiety can help when you feel stressed or anxious, but yoga can also help turn around a blah day.
Try this uplifting yoga class and see what I mean!
Can Help with Concentration and Focus
A yoga teacher I know says that whenever she feels “spinny,” she puts her legs up the wall.
Legs Up The Wall (just what it sounds like, and pictured, above) is very grounding.
Next time you feel “spinny,” give Legs of the Wall or my Wall Yoga Class a try.
Can Help Teach/Build Resilience
A regular yoga practice can be packed with micro goals, and reaching each one can feel HUGE.
Maybe over time, you can stay in downward dog a bit longer. Maybe, you feel your balance getting better after practicing consistently.
But even as a yoga teacher, I like to say that “some days you have the balance, and some days you just don’t.”
So when you keep showing up, as you are, you are building so much resilience that you can take off the mat into everyday life.
Can Help Teach/Build Growth-Mindset
In the same way, yoga can help with growth-mindset.
If you haven’t heard a lot about growth-mindset, think of it as the alternative to a fixed mindset - one that fills your life with limits.
As you keep practicing yoga, you will gain benefits and push limits. And hopefully you will start to see potential for growth in other areas of life.
Can Help with Anxiety
Anxiety and stress are two different things, of course.
Anxiety is ongoing, and sometimes pops up for seemingly no reason at all.
I have a whole course about this on Insight Timer that people say really helps, and these two YouTube classes are great resources for people with chronic anxiety:
May Help with Depression
If you are experiencing severe depression, be sure to seek medical advice.
But for the kind of depression that many of us will experience in our lifetimes, yoga can be a helpful tool. Even a few minutes of yoga a day can bring many of the benefits listed above, like a sense of accomplishment and reduced stress.
Builds Resilience to Stress
Speaking of stress, stress can feel very sneaky sometimes. We think we’re doing OK, and then pow, even little things feel unmanageable.
Consciously taking time to do yoga, breathe and check in with yourself can help you gain resilience to stress, so bumps in the road don’t feel like craters.
Help with Processing Stored Trauma
Sadly, many of us have dealt with some form of trauma in our lives, and our bodies can hold on to that trauma.
Trauma often gets stuck in places like our necks, back, hips or fascia (connective tissue).
In that case, Yin Yoga can be really transformative.
But be warned, it isn’t unusual to release physical tension, and suddenly feel a wave of emotion.
So be sure to have good resources and support in place if you have unresolved trauma and plan to start yoga.
(P.S. Some teachers actually specialize in this area. I have done extra training in trauma-informed yoga. Look for words like “trauma-informed” in yoga class descriptions or teacher bios to find a class that can help you process trauma. Here is an article that delves deeper into yoga for trauma and PTSD. )
Increased Self Confidence
When we keep showing up, and keep investing in ourselves, and keep learning - it’s like the magical recipe for a self-confidence boost.
Better Body Image
Yoga may also help us improve body image. It’s not so much that we are building huge muscles or changing our weight. It’s that when you know you are taking care of yourself, it helps shift your mindset.
More Appreciation for our Bodies
Similarly, when we take care of our bodies, we may start to realize how well our bodies take care of us.
We become grateful for the legs that walked us to our mat, the arms that grab our yoga props (don’t worry if you don’t have traditional yoga props - I’ve got you covered) and the ears that help us hear our teachers.
Benefits School and Work
Many schools and workplaces are adding yoga because they have seen the benefits it brings. I actually teach yoga at workplaces in the Toronto/Petersborough, Ontario, area.
Optimism
When we take care of ourselves … when we fill our lungs with fresh air, and use our bodies to help us move and have fun, it’s hard not to start seeing everything through a happier lens.
Helps with Motivation Cycle
If you ever feel stuck to your couch, or lost in a routine of busyness with no time for self-care, starting a yoga practice can help.
Even a few minutes a day can help you improve energy, and get you excited to get back to practice.
If you feel stuck right now, here’s a short class to help break the motivation cycle. It will get you up and standing, and sometimes, that’s the hardest part:
Yoga Benefits for the Soul
Fun!
Yoga IS fun. As long as you don’t take it too seriously.
And I never take it too seriously! How can I with so many cute pups around?
Builds Community
Sometimes, it can feel challenging to find your people. And what if you can’t make it to a yoga studio?
I love the community we have over on Insight Timer. It makes me so happy when people connect in the comment section of a live yoga class and support one another.
Spiritual Connection
You definitely don’t have to be seeking a spiritual connection to do yoga, but it can help introduce you to resources and ideas that may help you find a connection if you are looking for one.
Inner Peace
Zen. Contentment. Calm.
Whatever you call it, yoga was created to help bring a feeling of peace.
Even simple yoga breathing can help cultivate calm:
Mindfulness
You may hear a fair bit about mindfulness in yoga. This is simply the idea of slowing down, paying attention and being in the present moment.
But it’s really powerful!
Acceptance
Just as we may struggle with a pose in yoga, we may struggle in life.
But yoga reminds us that we can wobble and not fall down.
Or if we do fall, it’s OK - we can get up and try again.
Active Alone Time
Hey there introverts and those who need alone time!
Yoga (especially yoga you can do from home) is a great way to get a break from busyness, crowds and stimuli and do something to fill your cup.
P.S. There is nothing wrong with you if you need time alone to recover. Lots of us do!
Gratitude
Just today, I was leading my weekly live online Yin class and as we moved into child’s pose, I felt a wash of gratitude come over me.
I don’t even know if I can fully explain how this works, but I see it and experience it all the time!
Feeling Connected/Interconnectedness
Yoga can bring people together, even if they are practicing on opposite sides of the world.
Yoga can also bring a feeling of being in connection with something beyond our lives, jobs and everyday worries.
Meeting Your People
Do you ever feel like the only yogi in your office? Or the only person in your neighborhood who prefers a slow stretch over an intense run?
Personal Growth
“When you are living a full life, you are constantly growing.” - Jay Shetty
So as you practice yoga, you are developing your mind, body and soul.
Learning New Things
In the same vein, many of us get REALLY bored if we aren’t learning new things, and challenging ourselves in new ways.
Even if you don’t think yoga is for you, maybe give this class a try:
Or, if you’ve been practicing yoga for a long time, maybe try a pilates class with me:
Shared Experience
There’s something very bonding about sharing an experience with others, even if it’s a little imperfect and messy.
Grab a pal and try a yoga class together.
You don’t need any yoga equipment for this one:
And you can always join in on my live classes!
Laugh
The other day, I was teaching and my dog Chili came over and started crawling under me as I was trying to demonstrate a downward dog.
Luckily, my students know that this is just how I do things, and we always end up sharing a good laugh when a pup appears!
This is real-life yoga in action!
Overcoming a Challenge
You know that feeling of finally crossing that nagging thing off your to-do list? Ahh, victory!
Just think - if you do yoga a few times a week for 20 minutes, that’s an hour each week and 52 hours each year.
If you thrive on challenge, maybe download a yoga tracker and set some short-term and longer-term rewards for yourself.
Let Go of a Hard Day
This might be one of the biggest benefits of yoga - the way it can reset even a total CRAP day.
And, yup - I have a class for that!
Reset Mid-Day
Yoga can actually help you reset any time of day. So can the practice of yoga nidra. Learn more about that here.
Life Balance
When things feel off - when you feel like you aren’t getting time to rest and restore, yoga can help a lot. My Saturday evening REST class is always a good option for helping to bring a bit of balance to your week.
Healthy Coping
LOTS of us deal with stress. And we know that there are healthy coping mechanisms and then not-so-healthy coping mechanisms.
Guess which category yoga fits into! That’s right - yoga is a healthy way to deal with stress and tension.
(Of course, if you are really struggling, please reach out to a therapist or doctor for help.)
Self-Discipline
When I say “self-discipline,” I don’t mean sweating like crazy every morning or twisting yourself into a knot.
I mean it takes self-discipline to show up to yoga and keep showing up. And that may help us bring more self-discipline to other places in our lives.
Increased Curiosity
You're standing on one leg. The other is out-stretched behind you. And then you slowly begin to lean your upper body forward, stretching your arms out like airplane wings.
Curious how it’s going to turn out?
Good!
That’s the perfect energy to bring to yoga: Curiosity.
And like so many of the other benefits listed here, allowing yourself to be curious during your yoga practice can carry over into other parts of your world.
To quote Ted Lasso:
“Be curious, not judgmental.”
Healthy Distraction
When we are going through something rough, it can help sometimes to distract ourselves here and there … in healthy ways.
Yoga takes focus and concentration, which means that when we are caught in a thought-loop, it can give us a healthy break.
Can Help You Build a Routine
There’s a reason I offer yoga and pilates classes on my YouTube channel. I want yoga to be accessible anytime, anywhere.
Accessibility can help you build a healthy yoga routine and hopefully a healthy daily routine, whether you live in Alaska, Brazil, New Zealand, Sweden or Zimbabwe.
Bonus Yoga Benefits
One of the best things about yoga is that it offers a holistic approach to caring for ourselves. So many yoga benefits help us mind, body and soul, or at least some combo in there!
Here is a special section just for bonus yoga benefits.
Sleep
Sleep impacts everything! And lots of what we do impacts sleep.
But guess what - yoga can help you get a better night’s sleep, whether you do yoga before bed, or listen to a meditation or a body scan.
And then you wake up the next day, with energy to do more good stuff for yourself! Win!
Change your mornings
Recently, I read an inspiring quote, that said your first thoughts of the day should be your own.
Basically, I took that to mean not letting my phone take over the minute I open my eyes.
Instead, try a slow, gentle morning stretch from bed:
Change your bedtime
Yoga can help you change your nighttime routine too. If you want a gentle way to drift off to sleep, try listening to a recorded meditation or this gentle practice:
Connection/Getting to Know Your Body Better
We are connected beings - not just a brain on legs, or a soul hanging out in the air!
Yoga helps us build mind-body-soul connection and helps us get to know our bodies better.
Menstrual Symptom Relief
If you are a person who menstruates, you know that it’s not just a physical experience.
Gentle yoga can help with lots of menstrual symptoms.
Mindfulness and Presence
When we tap into mindfulness and presence, the world feels slowed down a bit. And I think a lot of us crave that.
Yoga requires mindfulness on the mat, and that can help us take mindfulness into our everyday tasks and routines.
Emotional Adaptability
The world can throw a lot at us on a random Tuesday!
But yoga can help us adapt to events and situations because we become used to slowing down, being present and focusing on what’s right in front of us.
Breath is Always with Us
Once you learn a few simple yoga breathing techniques, you get to carry them with you everywhere!
Check out this balanced breathwork class:
Flexibility (not just the stretchy kind)
They say that a flexible spine helps us have a flexible mind.
And then there is this quote:
“A rigid mind is very sure but often wrong. A flexible mind is generally unsure, but often right.” – Vanda Scaravelli
Self Awareness
Yoga can help us increase self-awareness because it helps us to slow down, and listen to ourselves.
Supports Energy Centers/Chakras
In yoga, we often talk about energy (prana) and the importance of keeping it moving through our bodies, especially through chakras (energy centers).
Both yoga and my other favorite practice, Thai Yoga Massage, help to keep energy moving, which has mental, physical and emotional benefits.
Joy and Gratitude
Hey - endorphins might be at work here, but that’s OK!
Like I said above, I never feel worse after doing yoga, and often, I feel happiness and appreciation.
Portability
I have done yoga in a lot of locations!
Yoga is portable and doesn’t require much equipment. Also, it’s easy to use items you already have so you don’t have to invest in a bunch of yoga props at once:
Affordability
Speaking of not having to invest in props - there are free and low-cost yoga resources out there.
Good for Beginners
Yoga is a great way to start a movement routine. Look for beginner classes - and maybe give yoga a try even if you think you can’t do yoga (wink):
Yoga Can Be a Life Practice
There are yoga teachers and yogis in their 80s and 90s!
A wonderful benefit of yoga is that you can start at any age, and continue to grow your practice over time.
Can Be Done at Home
Having to find a studio and classes you like, and making sure you have time to commit to those classes can all potentially get in the way of doing yoga.
But, thankfully (in this case!) we have the Internet!
Adaptability
This is huge for me. I really want to make yoga adaptable for Every Body.
I try to create classes that address common mobility limitations, like this one, which is hands-free/wrist friendly:
I also offer chair yoga:
Never the Same Practice Twice/Beats Boredom
If you are someone who struggles with doing the same exercise routine again and again, yoga might be for you!
Pretty much every single class I teach is different. Yoga is perfect if you get bored with repetitive workouts.
Can Be Done with Kids and Pets
It isn’t always easy to fit in movement when you have kiddos or pets, but I think the key here is to not take your yoga practice too seriously, and let it be what it is, right now.
Even young kids might enjoy practicing alongside you, and as for pets … well, THIS is how I handle that!
A Little Bit at a Time Makes a Big Difference
This is another place where we can easily get in our own way, if we feel like we have to devote an hour or more at a time to yoga.
Instead, try a little in the morning, and a bit in the evening.
Or just add a short practice like this one when it works for you and stretch your whole body in less than 20 minutes:
Can Be Done From Your Desk
If you are someone who sits for a lot of the day - stretching at your desk can help a lot.
Or try a whole chair yoga class:
Can Be Done While Watching Netflix!
This again falls into the category of not taking yoga toooo seriously, and that a little bit of yoga is better than none.
Low energy day? You can do yoga from your bed, or your couch!
Yoga From Bed:
Yoga from Your Couch:
Can Bring Energy
If you ask most people to describe yoga, you’ll hear words like “calming” and “centering,” but the right yoga class can also energize you.
Try this uplifting yoga class in place of another cup of coffee (or have the coffee too!)
Helps Hormone Balance/Cortisol
Hormones do so much in our bodies, and when they are out of whack, it can impact body, mind and soul. Plus cortisol, a stress hormone, can really make you feel off, mess with your sleep and your appetite and more.
So try some gentle yoga. The combination of movement, deep breathing and focusing our minds can be so soothing to our hormones.
Know You Are Taking Care of Yourself
Every minute you spend doing yoga is an investment in you. And just knowing that you are valuing your mind, body and soul, can change a lot.
Remember, the more we care for ourselves, the more we have to give to the world.
So yoga isn’t selfish - it’s an act of self-care and an investment so we can show up for friends, family, community and more.
Simplicity
It doesn’t get much simpler than waking in the morning and doing one down dog, or taking a break at lunch for a couple of side bends.
When you continue to practice yoga, you learn skills you can take into your day anytime you feel a little achy or need a reset!
You Can Do it in Your PJs!
No shade to leggings and yoga gear, but I always tell students to dress in comfy clothes. If that’s your PJs, I’m not judging at all! Cozy yoga is the BEST.
An Opportunity to Slow Down
While working on this article, I got about 200 texts and I haven’t even checked my email.
Life flies at us FAST, and constantly.
I love putting my phone on Do Not Disturb, and taking a yoga break to SLOW DOWN.
(In fact, sometimes I leave my phone on Do Not Disturb for the day! Ahhh - such peace.)
Build Bonds
Do yoga with your bff, your partner, your mom, your kids, your neighbor, your co-worker … it’s really lovely to share yoga with others, and can create a great bond that only comes from posing together like cats, cows, pigeons and frogs!
Let. Shit. Go.
This is a truly amazing benefit of yoga and may be my favorite. Have you ever heard a teacher say “leave it on the mat?”
Basically, in times of struggle, grief, anger, frustration - it can be SO helpful to step onto your mat, stretch, breathe and focus on something else.
And often, even after a short practice, whatever was bothering you might not seem quite so bad.
It’s kind of yoga magic.
Easy Yoga for All
So you can see - yoga has a ton of amazing benefits!
But we can also put up some blocks in our own path, so I hope this post encourages you to give yoga a try.
You don’t have to invest a ton of time or money, and you can start with free classes with me!
I’d love to have you.
Check out my live Insight Timer yoga classes and local in-person classes in the Toronto/Petersborough, Ontario area here, and my library of yoga and pilates YouTube videos here.
You absolutely can get these 100 benefits and more through a gentle practice. I hope you’ll join me soon!
Peace.
Comments