How Yoga Benefits Your Heart Health

Yoga continues to enlighten each generation as kids do it in school and older people exercise at parks or adult centers. The reasons you do yoga can be vast and personal. You can do it to stay limber, to help you meditate, or to stay in shape. One of the most beneficial reasons to do yoga is that it is good for your heart. 

Stress Reducer

Yoga helps you to control your breathing, which in turn slows your heart rate. If you are counting breaths and focusing on a particular part of your body or a yoga move, KiraGrace says your mind will be busy on calming your body instead of what is causing you stress. When yoga is done over time, you can begin to breathe mindfully. It will become second nature to feel your body in a relaxed state. The calmer your mind is, the more likely you are to have a healthy heart.

Lowers Blood Pressure

In addition to working on your heart from a mental standpoint, the peace that yoga brings can reduce cholesterol and aid in lowering your blood pressure. The mind and body are connected more than we realize. If your mind is at peace, your body will be allowed to relax and cut through stress that causes your heart to beat abnormally, which can contribute to hypertension. According to ASEA Impact, cardiovascular disease is responsible for one in three deaths in the United States. Risk factors such as smoking and an unbalanced diet contribute to high blood pressure. Working yoga into your routine, in conjunction with cutting out poor habits, will work together to lower your blood pressure.

Types of Yoga

Determining which type of yoga is for you might take some experimenting to help you decide. Hatha yoga is usually the umbrella term people use for yoga in general. As you become more familiar with the stretches and benefits, you may see the differences in the various types of yoga. Kundalini yoga works with your chakras and energy, helping you to feel grounded. Bikram yoga (sometimes called hot yoga) is HOT! You go through your poses in a room heated to at least 95°F and toxins flow out of your body with every pose.

Yoga, combined with a healthy diet, not smoking, and exercising on a regular basis, can go a long way in helping to keep your heart healthy for many years to come.

New to yoga or a longtime yogi? Come check out our classes! We have something for everyone!