Yoga for health

Yoga is a practice that connects the body, breath, and mind. It uses physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to improve overall health. Yoga was developed as a spiritual practice thousands of years ago. Today, most Westerners do yoga for exercise or to reduce stress.

Benefits of yoga

Yoga can improve your overall fitness level and improve your posture and flexibility. It may also:

• Lower your blood pressure and heart rate
• Help you relax
• Improve your self-confidence
• Reduce stress
• Improve your coordination
• Improve your concentration
• Help you sleep better
• Aid with digestion

In addition, practicing yoga may also help with the following conditions:

Back pain 

Depression 

Who Should use  Caution

Who Should use Caution has been expanded.

Yoga is generally safe for most people. But you may need to avoid some yoga poses or modify poses if you:

• Are pregnant
• Have high blood pressure
• Have glaucoma
• Have sciatica

Make sure to tell your yoga instructor if you have any of these conditions or any other health problem or injury. A qualified yoga teacher should be able to help you find poses that are safe for you.

Styles of Yoga

Styles of Yoga has been expanded.

There are many different types or styles of yoga. They range from mild to more intense. Some of the more popular styles of yoga are:

• Ashtanga or power yoga. This type of yoga offers a more demanding workout. In these classes, you quickly move from one posture to another.
• Bikram or hot yoga. You do a series of 26 poses in a room heated to 95°F to 100°F (35°C to 37.8°C). The goal is to warm and stretch the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, and to purify the body through sweat.
• Hatha yoga. This is sometimes a general term for yoga. It most often includes both breathing and postures.
• Integral. A gentle type of yoga that may include breathing exercises, chanting, and meditation.
• Iyengar. A style that places great attention to the precise alignment of the body. You may also hold poses for long periods of time.
• Kundalini. Emphasizes the effects of breath on the postures. The goal is to free energy in the lower body so it can move upward.
• Viniyoga. This style adapts postures to each person's needs and abilities, and coordinates breath and postures.