3 Reasons to try Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is a relaxed style of yoga. It is passive and fosters self-inquiry through holding poses for a longer period of time. It increases internal awareness though paying attention to thoughts, breath flow, and bodily sensations.
Yin yoga is great for people who are new to yoga, people who have active lifestyles, and people who want to move slower due to injuries.
Here are 3 reasons why you should give Yin Yoga a try:
Relaxation- Chronic stress not only affects our mind, but also deteriorates the body. Stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous systems which activates our “fight or flight” response. When this happens, our blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels increase which affects our health negatively. Yin Yoga helps us relax by increasing activity in the parasympathetic nervous system which leads to us feeling calmer and less anxious.
Better Sleep- Often we have trouble sleeping because we are worried about tomorrow’s tasks or still thinking about the day’s unfinished business. It can get frustrating tossing and turning in bed as we get stuck in the endless stories of the mind. Yin Yoga offers a space to process our thoughts and emotions. When we hold poses for a longer time, it allows the emotions and feelings to arise. Instead of brushing away the thoughts, yin yoga teaches us to explore our why we are feeling the way we feel and reminds us to breathe when we start to feel overwhelmed. When we learn to clear our minds and process our thoughts, we can begin to sleep better.
Increased Range of Motion- By lengthening the muscles and fascia Yin Yoga begins to break down areas of tension within the body to increase mobility. Whether it is due to sitting at an office job, overuse of muscles from an active lifestyle, or building up of scar tissue due to injury, Yin Yoga can help counter these restrictions on mobility by breaking down adhesions in the tissue thus reducing stiffness and decreasing pain.
If you have never tried yoga before, start with a Yin Yoga class at our studio. Come join us every Tuesday at 6:45 PM.