Caution: I am not an expert on this topic by any means, this completely is my personal experience with yoga and how it has benefitted me.
I have so much respect for the people who are so dedicated to the gym and have a consistent schedule and routine, throughout the years, though I have tried a variety of different gym routines and differing types of workouts, yoga was the only thing that stayed consistent in my schedule.
So what is yoga? Essentially, it is an ancient practice that involves the practice of the body and mind, building flexibility and strength. It has gotten quite popular over time and honestly, it is understandable why. There are a variety of different types and branches of yoga, but again, I’m not a professional so I can’t really get into that, I personally just stick to the basics or go into Vinyasa yoga which is typically fast-paced and a bit more intense.
If yoga is something you’re interested in, I urge you to look into it, and the specific movements and routines that can be tailored to your specific needs. It is a very vast topic, and there truly is a lot that contributes to it. Yoga can be as simple as basic breathing methods or stretches you can do from the comfort of your bed.
According to a study done by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 94% of adults who practice yoga, practice for wellness reasons. Research indicates many possible benefits from practicing yoga, such as: helping improve general wellness by relieving stress, managing anxiety and depression symptoms, managing weight, and managing chronic disease symptoms.
When I first started going to the gym back in high school, I mainly focused on the basic cardio and weight lifting routines, which later transformed into a more focused routine, focusing more on specific areas. The only common factor I kept was my routine on the Stairmaster and the short stretching routine I did before and after my workouts.
This inevitably transitioned into a more in-depth yoga routine, and when my gym routine died out, I kept doing yoga at home, setting up my mat, and putting aside about 15-30 minutes every morning.
Every morning, I set up my mat and do my routine depending on how much time I have, but it is always at least a minimum of 15 minutes. I do a variety of stretching and breathing exercises which I decided felt best for me after a series of research on specific moves to do. Anyone can do this too! By either following a basic YouTube routine or what I would recommend, searching up articles, and deciding which forms work best for you individually and the areas you feel you want to focus on.
Surprisingly, this short routine I set every morning for myself made me feel better than the gym ever had; I felt more refreshed every morning, and better energized for the day. I was noticeably more flexible and I felt as if my movement overall became more fluid and easy. I also felt like it gave me time every day to focus on myself by clearing my thoughts and taking these moments for myself.
I think yoga is a great and easy thing to incorporate into a busy routine, I’ve felt like even in the times when it seemed as if I had an insanely packed schedule, yoga has always been something I have been able to integrate daily. Starting my mornings off this way has honestly illuminated much positivity in my day!