The Benefits of Yoga

Perhaps the best way to understand yoga's popularity is to go right to the people who practice it. If you ask them why the practice, some of the more common replies you might hear are flexibility, increased energy, improved focus, reduction of the symptoms associated with stress and an overall good feeling. Most of the clients at the Athenaeum Spa will also tell you that they are managing to sleep better. The fact is that yoga can have a rejuvenating effect on all systems of the body including the circulatory, glandular system, digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal, reproductive and respiratory systems.

When some people think of yoga, they imagine having to stretch like a gymnast. That makes them worry that they're too old, unfit, or "tight" to do yoga. The truth is you're never too old to improve flexibility. The clients at the Athenaeum Spa in Malta are surprised at the level of flexibility achieved through Yoga.

The series of yoga poses called asanas work by safely stretching your muscles. This releases the lactic acid that builds up with muscle use and causes stiffness, tension, pain, and fatigue. In addition, yoga increases the range of motion in joints. It may also increase lubrication in the joints. The outcome is a sense of ease and fluidity throughout your body.

Regular practice of asanas, pranayama and meditation can help such diverse ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions. Laboratory tests have proved the yogi`s increased abilities of consciously controlling autonomic or involuntary functions, such as temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure. Research into the effects of yogic practices on HIV is currently underway with promising results.

So, yoga stretches not only your muscles but all of the soft tissues of your body. That includes ligaments, tendons, and the fascia sheath that surrounds your muscles. And no matter your level of yoga, you most likely will see benefits in a very short period of time. In one study, participants had up to 35% improvement in flexibility after only eight weeks of yoga. The greatest gains were in shoulder and trunk flexibility.

By practicing yoga, the goal is to achieve unity of body, mind, and spirit in order to find harmony in life. The benefits are:

•  Reduce stress

•  Lose Weight

•  Heal injuries

•  Increase Strength and Flexibility

•  Improve concentration

•  Live fully

Yoga is for everyone. Yoga at the Athenaeum spa is practiced by all ages and its benefits can be experienced by practitioners of any age, size, and gender. Preexisting conditions such as cancer, physical injuries, and mental illness can receive from the healing aspects of yoga practice. Whether your goal is to lose weight, reduce stress, or improve physical prowess, yoga can help you reach your goals.