A yoga body isn’t just about flexibility; yoga can benefit memory, heart, and bone health, says Anna Magee.
In recent years, the UK has become yoga-crazy, spending nearly £790 million annually on classes and mats. While unusual yoga hybrids like rage, naked yoga, paddle-board, or dog yoga emerge, science continues to validate yoga’s real benefits.
Researchers at UCLA found that a three-month yoga and meditation course outperformed memory exercises in reducing age-related brain decline and improved sleep for breast cancer survivors.
When Lucy Edge, a 53-year-old former advertising executive, faced deep depression, she chose yoga over prescribed anti-depressants. She took a six-month break, traveled to India to learn yoga, and returned with newfound happiness and contentment. Now an author of three books and creator of Yoga Meds, she showcases over 300 clinical trials proving yoga’s benefits for conditions like arthritis, insomnia, and obesity.
Here’s how yoga can boost your health and tips on getting started:
Forget crossword puzzles and Sudoku; yoga can sharpen your mind. UCLA research with 25 adults over 55 revealed that 12 weeks of yoga and meditation led to better spatial and visual memory, reduced depression and anxiety, and greater resilience to stress than memory exercises alone.
Dr. Clare Walton of the Alzheimer’s Society suggests more research into yoga and meditation to support heart and brain health as we age. Participants in the UCLA study did one hour of Kundalini yoga weekly and daily 20-minute meditation, which includes chanting and visualisation.
Yoga can also support heart health. A 2014 review in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found yoga might lower heart disease risk as effectively as traditional exercises like brisk walking. Stress reduction, a key yoga benefit, also plays a role in heart health by lowering stress hormones that increase blood pressure and heart rate.
Dr. Mike Knapton from the British Heart Foundation highlights yoga’s benefits on emotional health, blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight management, all crucial for heart disease prevention.
For beginners, Charlotte Watts and Anna Ashby recommend gentle yoga practices like Restorative yoga. This style uses bolsters and cushions to support poses, giving the nervous system a break and reducing stress.
Yoga’s benefits extend to reducing back pain, as shown by physiotherapist Sarah Shone’s classes, integrated into rehabilitation programs with significant pain reduction for 87% of participants. NICE guidelines recognize yoga for managing lower back pain.
Yoga also helps prevent incontinence by strengthening pelvic floor muscles and improving bone density due to its weight-bearing nature. Shone advises talking to your doctor about appropriate yoga styles, like Hatha or Iyengar, especially if you have specific health conditions.
Your choice of yoga mat matters too. Consider its location, portability, length, and thickness. A thicker mat can protect your joints, especially for those with knee or wrist pain. Healthista recommends the Elephant Cork Yoga mat from Valka Yoga. It’s eco-friendly, durable, and comfortable.
Valka Yoga’s cork blocks also support difficult poses and provide excellent stability. For beginners or those less flexible, props can make yoga more accessible.
Interested in specific yoga styles? Try Yin or Restorative yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Iyengar, Anusara, or Yoga Therapy for various benefits ranging from relaxation to precision and injury healing.
Whether you’re new to yoga or looking to deepen your practice, the right props and style can enhance your experience, supporting both physical and mental health.
