Anyone Can Do Yoga

By Janet Long

To some, yoga can seem intimidating (I have to twist my body how?!). To others, it may seem silly (How could something called Downward Facing Dog really help my health?). Yoga is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years for a reason: it works. Research has proven that there are many benefits to yoga. And the best part? Yoga is accessible to and can be attempted by anyone and everyone – age, sex, or physical conditions play no part here.

Yoga, by definition, means Union. Its practice is simply a science of exercises to promote control of the body and mind to bring one to a state of peace, a state of Union. There are many different styles of yoga but all yoga incorporates two key components: poses and breath. Poses can be modified based on your needs. People do yoga for a number of reasons: some people look to achieve improved health, peace of mind, and flexibility while others seek enlightenment, a strong body or just quiet time! No matter the motivation for practicing yoga, everyone has the opportunity to benefit tremendously, physically and mentally, from the discipline.

If you are an athlete, you can benefit from the increased flexibility, strength and muscle tone that yoga can provide. Yoga also helps you learn improved breathing techniques, which help tremendously while you perform in other workouts and athletics.

If you are being treated for cancer, yoga can help relieve the stress that you are feeling. The American Society of Clinical Oncology released a study that found that yoga could significantly improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. In the study, the women who participated in yoga reported "significantly better" physical functioning scores in activities such as walking long distances, climbing stairs and lifting groceries, as well as "significantly higher" overall health scores, and had lower levels of fatigue and less difficulty sleeping than the women who did not participate in yoga.

If you are pregnant, yoga can help provide you with a smooth pregnancy and childbirth, as it not only serves as a stress reducer, but it also provides your body with exercise. In addition, the breathing techniques used in yoga increase the supply of oxygen for you and your baby.

If you are a teenager, yoga can help you learn about your body and how to be accepting of it without any other outside influences or judgments. Yoga is not a judgmental practice; it allows you to be yourself and love yourself just for who you are. As a teen, you can also benefit from the stress relief, increase in energy, and improved posture that yoga provides.

If you are a senior, yoga can help alleviate health issues you might be facing including chronic pain, arthritis, diabetes, and inability to get restful sleep. A recent study about yoga’s impact on sleep in the senior population (Manjunath, Telles, 2005) showed that seniors practicing yoga experienced a significant decrease in the time it took to fall asleep (an approximate average decrease of ten minutes) and an increase in the total number of hours slept (an approximate increase of 60 minutes).

If you work in the corporate world, yoga can help you with realigning your body after sitting in front of a computer for long hours, as well as help you relieve the work-related stress you may experience. Employees who do yoga often experience improved concentration, less back pain, more energy, increased productivity and are happier, healthier employees.

If you can’t touch your toes, you can do yoga; if you suffer from Multiple Sclerosis, you can do yoga; if you are 9 months pregnant, you can do yoga; if you have never done it before, you can do yoga. In yoga, there’s no right or wrong, there’s no competition. It’s about letting go, being in the moment and embracing what you can do.