Wellness is an important part of feeling good half naked, so at Swimco we are all interested in being active and taking care of ourselves through mindfulness or meditation. We recently chatted with a wellness expert from Victoria, BC, who gave us some insight on why yoga is a great practice for women! Need some more inspo? Check out our beach active video.
Many forms of yoga were originally practiced only by men, but modern yoga classes and practice are accessible for anyone, whether you’re young, old, male, or female. The benefits from this unique system of mind can benefit everyone, though in particular though I’ve found there happens to be number of unique benefits experienced by women.
1. Protect your bone density… without hitting the gym
Women are much more likely to suffer from conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis, where bones become brittle and frail, as they age. A way to prevent this is strength training – which is why it’s not uncommon to see older women lifting weights at the gym.
For a lot of women, though, pumping iron is too far out of their comfort zone. Enter yoga: a gentle, soothing form of strength training that offers the same benefits as weight training (provided the class is one that focuses on Asana, or physical postures, and not primarily meditation and long stretches).
2. Train the mind to resist depression
Shockingly, in North America, women are twice as likely to experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime as men. The mindfulness practice incorporated into yoga classes trains the practitioner to notice thoughts & feelings, without falling prey to them.
Regular yoga classes bring feelings of peace, connection and calm, and can eventually change the thought patterns associated with depression.
3. Prep for & recover from giving birth
Yoga is a wonderful way to prepare the body to give birth as it prepares the soon-to-be mother for the intense experience ahead of her.
Yoga poses can help to create strength and flexibility where it’s most needed while giving birth, and focuses on breathing through discomfort. The combo of physical fine-tuning and mental resilience makes yoga a dynamic practice for the prenatal mother.
4. Help with multi-tasking fatigue
Women have been lauded as better multi-taskers for decades, but it turns out the jokes on us: new research is revealing having multiple tasks on the go at one time can increase experiences of stress and anxiety.
So, there’s really nothing better for a woman to do at the end (or beginning, or both) of the day than get on her yoga mat. The single-minded concentration encouraged during yoga isn’t about drowning everything else out – it’s about being aware of your surroundings without being pulled in a million directions by them, mentally and emotionally.
5. Prevent adrenal fatigue and thyroid conditions
When you’re multi-tasking too much, and as a result experiencing chronic stress and anxiety, your body will let you know. Adrenal fatigue and thyroid conditions (underactive or overactive thyroid) are a direct result of relentless stress on the body.
And – you guessed it! – Yoga is A-MAZ-ING for stress relief.
When you practice yoga, the combination of focus, presence, breathing and movement lull your body into a state of relaxation we rarely experience in our day-to-day lives. This state allows the body to truly rest, regenerate, and digest food & nutrients in the system. Such a period of nourishment gives the adrenal glands and thyroid time to recover from the strain of everyday stress.
6. Enjoy life more!
While reading up on yoga classes, it’s uncanny the number of times you’ll read that an instructor was drawn to yoga because of the physical challenge, but soon found his or her whole life improving because of the practice.
These sentiments are echoed by yogis of all levels and genders: when you start spending regular time on the mat, the benefits cascade into all parts of your life.