Hi! Thanks for returning to my blog. Today was a really busy day, filled with many conflicting priorities and a challenging schedule. I found myself distracted from writing my #fitfriday blog post. I took a few minutes to meditate, get centered and focus on the present moment. Those quiet moments allowed me to breathe and reflect on the power of yoga.
As I had mentioned in earlier articles, I am a certified yoga instructor. Right now-many of my yoga students are struggling to navigate the challenges that we are all facing in the current pandemic. And, I thought, this is a perfect time to encourage you to start a yoga practice! Now, more than ever, it is so important to practice self-care. Here are a few ways that yoga can help:
1. Yoga helps increase flexibility. It also improves muscle tone and builds strength and encourages good posture. Sometimes simply adjusting the way you sit can make a big difference in muscle tension and strain.
2. Life can be filled with overwhelming priorities and to-do lists. Moving from one project to another without taking time to notice the present is a big obstacle many people face. Yoga takes you into the present moment and helps you to slow down-it empowers you to "just be".
3. Some days--it can seem like life is just an endless cycle of work, eat and sleep. Yoga can bring balance to your life and help to remind you what is truly important. It brings forth a mindset that helps you notice and enjoy what's happening around you.
4. Yoga helps to decrease the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Yoga provides a nurturing space and quiet time to stop for a moment, relax and reflect. It provides an opportunity for self-care. With yoga, you can access that deep inner peace and calm.
5. Yoga actually helps you sleep better. According to the National Sleep Foundation, stress is highly correlated with sleep problems and a lack of sleep can exacerbate stress. Yoga can help you to unwind, relax and focus on the present moment, which calms the mind and helps you fall asleep.
A regular yoga practice can keep you balanced and help to assess your priorities. Yoga can teach you to let go of things that no longer serve you to make space for new and refreshing changes and opportunities.
If you need some inner peace, consider yoga. I look forward to sharing more tips and tricks with you on my blog next week. See you soon! Warmly, Susan