Yoga has been around for thousands of years and is still a popular practice to this day. There are many different styles, but what makes yoga feel so good? Experts say it’s the meditative state you enter while practicing which releases tension in the body that can lead to pain relief. You’ll also learn how stretching out muscles can decrease your chances of getting injured during exercise or physical labor.
Yoga has many benefits, but one of the most important is that it can help you feel good. Yoga can help with stress and anxiety, as well as pain relief. It also helps improve your mood and sleep quality. Read more in detail here: 5 benefits of yoga.
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It’s just after your last savasana that you softly open your eyes and begin to pull yourself away from your mat. You feel lighter, more alive, more expansive, and more connected to your breath and body in some way. And it feels fantastic! What makes yoga so enjoyable? The amazing sensation known as the ‘yoga high’ is experienced by millions of yogis all over the globe.
So, what makes yoga so enjoyable? Yoga makes you feel calmer, more relaxed, and more in touch with your body and self. Yoga increases confidence, self-awareness, and mindfulness in addition to increasing pleasant hormones in the body. As a result, you will feel lighter, happier, and more alive.
The best thing about this sensation is that it generally lingers long after you leave your mat. When you begin to practice yoga on a regular basis, you will begin to experience this sensation not just after savasana, but also throughout your day. You could notice that you aren’t as stressed about things that used to bother you. Alternatively, you may begin to sense that you are happier and more connected in general. Yoga’s physical and mental advantages keep yogis returning for more.
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Why Does Yoga Make You Feel So Relaxed?
When you do yoga, you are strengthening not just your physical but also your mental and emotional selves. Many yogis begin their practice for the physical advantages alone, which include enhanced strength, flexibility, muscle tone and definition, and stamina. However, after you’ve immersed yourself in the practice, the spiritual, mental, and emotional advantages are likely to keep you on your mat.
During a yoga session, you focus on your body and breath. You may go deep and dissolve trapped emotions by using calm, connection, and breath. You may disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with your inner self by turning off your thoughts and focusing on your body and breath. You could discover that at the conclusion of class, you’re better able to relax, let go, and release in your pigeon stance. You’ll feel lighter, more expansive, more open, and more alive as you walk off your mat.
And who doesn’t like that sensation? That sensation of weightlessness, connectedness, and relaxation is incredible! Everyone has a unique relationship with their yoga practice, and it varies and evolves as your practice progresses. Yoga, on the other hand, undeniably helps us to go deep and connect with ourselves. From the inside out, this link promotes greater self-awareness, self-love, and happiness.
What makes me feel good when I do yoga?
So, why do you get a ‘yoga high’ after stepping off your mat? Is it due to a particular position or breathing exercise? Is it due of your body’s reaction to the exercise? Regular yoga practice provides multiple mental and physical advantages, and there are several reasons why you feel like you can take on the world after your last savasana.
Yoga as a kind of exercise:
- Reduces cortisol levels: When you’re stressed, your body’s cortisol levels are more likely to be greater. A regular yoga practice might help you feel happier and less stressed by lowering your cortisol levels.
- Increases endorphins in the body: Your ‘yoga high’ might be due to an increase in endorphins in your body. When you exercise, your body produces endorphins, which improve your mood and reduce stress.
- Last but not least, nail your crow posture or chaturanga? Physical strength may motivate you and make you feel as if you can do anything. This self-assurance might make you feel like you’re ready to take on the world.
- Brings you closer to your inner self: It might be difficult to find a time to simply be with oneself, what with job, school, relationships, and all the other responsibilities of everyday life. Yoga allows you to concentrate on your body, breath, and heart while moving inside.
- Slowing down your breath, practicing pranayama, and being attentive and mindful of your breathing all help to alleviate tension and stress in the body while also drawing you inside. Deep breathing in yoga cleanses your physical body while also teaching you to slow down and relax rather than adding extra strain and stress to it.
Why Do You Feel Calm After Doing Yoga?
If you’re new to yoga, one of the most difficult aspects of the practice may be the breath. At first, contorting your body into various shapes and breathing through uncomfortable times and postures might be difficult. When our bodies are put to the test, our bodies’ natural reaction is to ‘fight or flight,’ which causes our breathing to become shallow and rapid.
Yoga, on the other hand, teaches us to breathe slowly, profoundly, and intentionally through our nostrils. This sort of breathing induces a parasympathetic reaction, which allows you to relax and respond without having to fight or flee.
Mindfulness and Yoga
Yoga, like meditation, develops awareness. The practice of mindfulness is being awake and cognizant of the current moment. You also practice responding calmly and relaxedly to whatever arises. When you’re in a difficult posture, for example, yoga teaches you to breathe, let what comes up come up, and respond in a peaceful and calm manner, rather of allowing your mind run wild and feeling upset or agitated.
This practice becomes visible off the mat when you are more focused and present on your mat. When you’re in a difficult position at work, you could find yourself returning to your yoga practice by taking deep breaths and grounding yourself in the present now. These techniques help you remain calm in difficult situations and remind you not to let negative thoughts and emotions take control.
What Kind of Yoga Should I Do to Feel Better?
There are several yoga styles, schools, and instructors to choose from. All styles of yoga, however, educate you to be present and attentive, as well as to connect with your body and yourself. If you’re new to yoga, try out a few different practices to find which ones you like most. Some yogis like a sweaty, hot yoga practice to help them feel focused and connected, while others prefer a slower, more restorative practice.
It’s also a good idea to vary your yoga routine. If you usually practice more vigorous, dynamic yoga forms, add a restorative yoga session to your routine. You could discover that several methods complement each other to keep you feeling energised, powerful, focused, and at ease. Yoga may also lead to mindfulness-based techniques such as pranayama and meditation.
Yoga Poses to Recharge Your Batteries
Are you feeling a bit lethargic and want to reenergize or lift your spirits? You may do the following positions during your lunch break or to start your day for a little pick-me-up. If you’re moving into a more challenging posture, make sure you’ve warmed up with either Cat/Cow stretches or Sun Salutations.
- Downward Facing Dog: This posture engages every muscle in your body, leaving you feeling invigorated and powerful. The form of downward dog boosts your body’s circulation, delivering more energy into your whole body, since your head is below your heart. Inversions are a terrific way to have a bit extra pep in your step throughout a long day by boosting your energy.
- Chair Position: The Sanskrit word for chair pose is ‘Utkatasana,’ which means “proud or ferocious.” This hard position engages your thighs, glutes, and core while also lengthening your spine and lifting your heart. After you’ve practiced this position, you’ll feel proud, powerful, and ferocious.
- Plank Stance: Plank pose stimulates and energizes your core and is a powerful and dynamic posture. Holding plank pose for a few long, deep breaths can help you break a sweat and circulate blood.
- High Lunge: A strong posture, the high lunge demands focus to maintain perfect alignment. In this powerful, standing stance, feel your heart soar and your legs shoot up.
- Warrior 2: In Warrior 2, you’ll feel every part of your body powerful, engaged, and anchored as you stand up like a proud warrior. This stance makes you feel grounded and powerful while also energizing your arms and legs.
- Backbends in yoga help you to feel open and spacious. Camel Pose is one of them. Camel pose’s deep backbend releases stored energy and leaves you feeling rejuvenated and reenergized.
Associated Issues
Is yoga and meditation the same thing? Yoga is more of a physical discipline than meditation, despite the similarities between the two. You’re likely to be motionless with your eyes closed during a meditation session, while yoga combines movement and positions.
What is the best way for me to breathe during yoga? Work on finding a calm, deep, even breath in and out of your nostrils throughout your practice. As you go through your practice, you may practice Ujjayi breathing.
Mariel is a yoga instructor and writer located in New York City. She has been teaching for ten years and has been a lifelong student of the old art.
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Yoga is a form of exercise that has proven to be beneficial for the body and mind. It can provide 10 benefits, such as improved mood and reduced stress. Reference: 10 benefits of yoga.