Fitness and yoga go hand in hand when it comes to supporting a healthy lifestyle, and by making these things a priority, you’ll enjoy a ton of important benefits – both mentally and physically.

What are the benefits of physical fitness?

Regular exercise is a great way to keep your weight under control. By maintaining a healthy weight, you’ll be less at risk for developing conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer. However, no matter what your weight is, being fit can manage a huge number of health concerns – ranging from depression to metabolic syndromes.

Speaking of depression, regular exercise will significantly improve your overall mood – and give you more energy to tackle the challenges you might encounter each day. With improved endurance and a more positive outlook, you’ll be ready to take on anything. And thanks to the impact exercise has on sleep, you’ll also wake up feeling more rested and rejuvenated.

Exercise can also improve your social life. Not only does being fit help boost your libido and help you feel more confident in the bedroom, you’ll also be spending more time being active outdoors. Take the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family by enjoying daily exercise with them – you’ll be able to enhance your relationships while passing on the benefit of good health to your loved ones.

Keep in mind that exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours on a treadmill or lifting heavy weights at the gym. There are tons of different ways to get fit and stay active. Aim for a combination of moderate aerobic exercise like walking, swimming, or running, and mix in a bit of strength training a couple times each week.

What are the benefits of yoga?

Just a few yoga poses each day can make a big difference to your health, even in more unexpected ways. Physically, regular yoga practice can help improve your flexibility, strength, balance, and endurance – which will definitely show in your regular workouts at the gym. You’ll feel more able to tackle challenging activities, and you’ll see a marked improvement in your performance.

Mentally, yoga is one of the best ways to calm your mind. Many poses foster a sense of ease, which helps you manage stress more effectively and efficiently, and the way yoga encourages you to focus on your breathing helps encourage mindfulness. This will make you more aware of your thoughts and emotions as you move through the routine.

People who struggle with mental health issues, including depression, schizophrenia, or even insomnia will find that participating in a yoga class can help stimulate the body’s production of oxytocin – a hormone which encourages feelings of love and bonding. You’ll also benefit from higher levels of serotonin, which promotes happiness and contentment.

Yoga also helps provide pain relief – great news for people who struggle with back pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other chronic pain conditions. Thanks to your improved flexibility from practicing yoga, you’ll enjoy greater mobility and freedom from pain.

A more unique benefit from yoga is its ability to decrease stress – and increase a couple’s chances of conceiving. Not only does the stress reduction help open energetic channels, it also increases blood flow to reproductive organs. With improved hormone and organ function, it’s much easier for conception to occur.

If you don’t already belong to a gym, consider getting a membership somewhere that offers yoga classes – or check out some tips online to get started on your journey to better health. If you haven’t been exercising or if you already have some health concerns, it might be best to talk to a doctor before you start on a rigorous training regimen. However, just making small improvements to your fitness and practicing yoga are a great way to get you on track.

Source: Katie Mills