Importance of Meditation and Yoga

Yoga and meditation when practiced together reinforce the connection between mind and body, improving mainly health and well-being. There are several styles of yoga that merge meditation with the physical routines, which use controlled breathing throughout the poses of yoga. By simply unwinding, clearing the mind and concentrating on controlled breathing, one can meditate without practicing yoga as well. Both yoga and meditation have proven health benefits when practiced regularly.  

Here are some of the significant benefits of yoga and meditation:    

MANAGE STRESS AND ANXIETY : 

Regular yoga practice assists to reduce stress responses in the body, according to Health Line. The stress-related condition such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases significantly reduces when the inflammatory response to stressors on the body is reduced. Meditation is also a useful component of reducing stress. 

FITNESS AND FLEXIBILITY:   

The office workers have to sit in the office seats for most of the day, which leads to reduced muscle mass, fitness, and flexibility. Also, office work raises neck and shoulder strain from bending over in front of a computer all day long. The poses of yoga focus on stretching the muscles. It increases the elasticity of muscles that helps your daily movements such as lifting and bending. Many athletes around the world include yoga into their workout to maintain flexibility.    

EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING:   

Both yoga and meditation significantly improve the focus of mind and give an overall sense of well-being. A study by the International Journal of Yoga found that yoga participants were happy, calm and positive in contrast to the group who had a reduction in general well-being. Meditation offers an emotional improvement through deep relaxation and it can be practiced by taking just a 10-minute meditation break right at your desk. 

FIGHT DIABETES:   

Regular yoga practice can help decrease the level of sugar in the blood, along with lowering blood pressure, and keeping a check on weight. The practice of yoga reduces the symptoms and slows the progression of diabetes, as well as reducing the severity of further complications. Stress is one of the most important reasons for diabetes, like for most lifestyle diseases. It raises the secretion of glucagon hormones and increases blood glucose levels in the body. The consistent practice of yoga, body postures and breathing exercises with daily meditation can help reduce stress in the mind and body. This, in turn, reduces glucagon and can also help lower insulin levels.  

IMPROVED HEALTH AND BETTER DIET:   

Modern life is full of stressful situations, exhaustion from long hours and less sleep, hypersensitivity, and anxiety disorders. By including one of the several different types of yoga or meditation to your life you will improve the value and possibly the quantity of your life. By improving your health you can take part in more physical activities and simply feel superior to the things you do every day. Moreover, studies commend that doing yoga consistently improves health and body responsiveness, leading to better habits of eating. This, in turn, guides to increased confidence and the wish to take care of one’s own body.

          Author – Palak Bedi