There are a variety of things you can do to improve your health and overall quality of life, and yoga should be a top consideration. Following are the multitude of benefits you can expect to gain by taking yoga classes on a regular basis:

Decrease Your Back Pain

An excellent reason to make yoga classes a part of your life is to decrease any lower back pain you may have and to prevent back pain from developing as you age. Many yoga poses work to strengthen muscles in the back and abdomen areas, which should help improve your posture so your back doesn't have to work overtime throughout the day. Yoga also allows you to properly stretch your body and back muscles out so you're less tense and there is less of a chance that pain will develop.

Yoga has a tendency to provide awareness of the body, so you'll be less likely to strain your back as you move around during the day. With less lower back pain, you are sure to improve your overall quality of life and be able to continue participating in the physical activities you enjoy in the coming years. An experienced yoga teacher can guide you through effective poses designed specifically to strengthen and support your back and spine.

Lose That Extra Weight

Participating in yoga classes at least once a week is an effective way to drop any unwanted weight that you are carrying around. And if you aren't looking to lose weight, you can use yoga to maintain your healthy physique. Not only does yoga help you burn calories during each session, but it provides a sense of mindfulness that may encourage you to choose better snacks and meals when it's time to eat.

In addition to participating in yoga classes, you can do the following each day to lose that extra weight:

  • Replace coffee, soda, and alcohol with water.

  • Take at least one walk after a meal.

  • Limit salty and sweet snacks and increase vegetable and whole grain intake.

These basic lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in your waist line after just a few weeks of implementing them.

Keep Your Stress Levels Low

The opportunity to effectively lower your stress levels is another benefit of taking yoga classes regularly. With work, house chores, errands, and social commitments to face each day, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with stress at least once in awhile. But engaging in yoga can melt that stress away and help keep you in a positive frame of mind as you navigate through your days.

Thanks to the breathing techniques, meditation practice, and mindful movements you engage in during a yoga session, your brain has a chance to relax and focus on the positive things in life. And you can expect to learn various breathing and meditation techniques that you can use while working, driving, or dealing with the kids, even when yoga is the last thing on your mind.

Keep Your Bones Strong and Healthy

Believe it or not, but participating in yoga classes can help strengthen your bones and stave off problems like osteoporosis as your body gets older. One study suggests that it's possible to build bone density even when osteoporosis has already started to develop.

Make sure that you tell your yoga teacher if you already have osteoporosis or are worried about bone loss so they can guide you through postures that incorporate side bends, twists, and weight-bearing exercises. Your teacher will also identify poses during class that aren't the best choice for bone building and offer you alternative poses to practice.

With all of these benefits to look forward to, there is no better time than now to schedule your first yoga class.

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