What Happens When You Practice Yoga Every Day?

Whether you're a beginner or not, there are numerous scientifically proven physical and mental benefits to practicing yoga daily.

According to Prevention, regularly practicing yoga can help enhance memory, reduce stress, and alleviate chronic pain. Yoga not only aids in weight loss, increases flexibility, and improves balance, but it also helps reduce stress, makes you feel happier, and leads to better sleep.

Specifically:

1. Yoga Increases Flexibility and Stability

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the ability to maintain balance declines over time, but practicing yoga regularly can help you stay steady on your feet. For some people, performing a split might be a goal.

But for others, it could be as simple as being able to put on socks in the morning without sitting down. This can lead to meaningful changes in life. Your body will be stronger as you age, and you’ll be less prone to falls and injuries.

2. Yoga Strengthens Muscles and Bones

After the age of 30, we start to lose muscle mass, leading to decreased mobility. Yoga can help keep muscles strong.

A study involving 200 women who practiced 12 yoga poses, including the Tree Pose and Warrior II Pose, for 12 minutes daily over two years showed that yoga can increase bone density.

3. Yoga Improves Posture

Posture is a great benefit of yoga in a world where many of us are hunched over desks, typing on keyboards, and looking down at phones. Maintaining good posture can help reduce neck pain, increase energy levels, and improve digestion, and yoga can help you straighten your spine.

Poses like Downward Dog, Wheel Pose, and Crow Pose can strengthen overly tight muscles in the neck and shoulders, improve posture, and stretch the spine.

4. Yoga Helps Relieve Chronic Pain

Yoga has been proven to help relieve pain. It not only improves flexibility and mobility but also reduces inflammation (a factor that can contribute to pain).

A review published shows that a series of yoga poses can help relieve chronic back pain, even if practiced for a short period. Another study found that yoga can reduce neck pain and improve function related to pain caused by disability, according to Healthline.

5. Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight

Research shows that consistent yoga practice combined with an Ayurvedic diet—the holistic nutritional approach of ancient India—can help you lose weight.

6. Yoga Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Every yoga class ends with the Savasana (Corpse Pose) to help you feel calmer. Yoga incorporates many stress-reducing techniques, such as mindfulness, exercise, and breathing.

Research shows that women practicing prenatal Hatha yoga had reduced cortisol levels (the stress hormone), increased resilience and pain tolerance, reduced anxiety, and improved mood.

Certain yoga poses, such as Child’s Pose and Bridge Pose, help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and benefiting digestion.

7. Yoga Improves Sleep

Slowing down your breath by deeply inhaling and exhaling can help you escape anxiety, depression, and distractions. Yoga can help you find calm before resting at night.

Research shows that yoga poses involving stretching and relaxing the muscles cause physical and mental exertion, leading to less delayed sleep, deeper sleep, and fewer sleep disturbances.

8. Yoga Reduces Cognitive Decline

Keeping your mind sharp is essential for healthy aging, and while cognitive decline affects many as they age, yoga can help keep your mind strong.

A study involving 25 people with memory issues found that practicing yoga for 12 weeks helped them improve their memory.

Incorporating daily yoga into your routine isn’t just about achieving physical fitness—it's about nurturing a balanced, joyful, and fulfilling life. Each pose, each breath, brings you closer to a state of well-being that enhances every aspect of your existence. So, roll out your mat, take a deep breath, and discover the transformative power of yoga.