Yin Yoga is a form of fitness activity that involves holding your pose for a long period, typically several minutes at a time. This is a welcome addition to any healthy, fitness, or yoga lifestyle routine. Studies have shown that this practice comes with multiple health benefits, it can help you to relieve tension, increase mindfulness, and manage stress and anxiety. Engaging in yin yoga can have a positive impact on your emotional and physical health.
And for those who are new to yoga in general, be sure to read our Introduction to Yoga or our guide for Best Yoga Mats for Beginners!
Yin Yoga Overview
Benefits of Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga offers you a wealth of benefits that can improve your wellbeing, help you relieve stress and anxiety as well as alleviate pain and tension. The art and practice of holding your breathe for a long period of time, inspires you to observe uncomfortable thoughts, physical sensations or emotions as they arise.
Research indicates that engaging in Yin yoga can help you develop mindfulness, while reducing depression, anxiety and stress, and reduced physiological complications associated to non-communicable diseases, like cardiovascular disease.
In summary, in-depth studies have confirmed that practicing yin yoga may help you to:
- Improve flexibility
- Boost blood circulation
- Balance emotions
- Stretch or strengthen connective tissue
- Improve sleep
- Promote relaxation
- Boost mental focus
- Heal injuries
- Develop breath awareness
Things To Consider Before You Start Yin Yoga
Before you start your yin yoga exercises, here are some of the things you need to keep in mind, to ensure your safety and comfort. Make sure your joints are not overextended and your spine is always in alignment. For example, ensure that your ankles, knees and shoulders always move in their natural state of emotion.
More so, keep in mind that finding it difficult to breathe is an indication that you need to use more props or pull yourself back. If you are practicing yin yoga at home, you can improvise with pillows, belts and towels.
Yin Yoga: The Bottom line
Yin yoga is an ideal fitness routine for people that wants to develop a balanced, meditative or relaxed intense exercise. This practice allows you to turn inward, relax, and slow down, thereby helping you to reduce stress and restore your energy levels. Yin Yoga also reduces tension, boosts circulation and improves flexibility.
If you are new to Yin yoga, or experience any health condition, kindly reach out to a healthcare professional. Alternatively, you can also look out for yin yoga classes online or at your local studio, so that you can connect to a highly supportive yin yoga community and learn from qualified coaches and professionals. Yin yoga will help you to reap multiple benefits of turning within and slowing down.
We hope this guide helps set a good foundation for you if you’re planning to begin starting Yin Yoga. Be sure to revisit our Introduction to Yoga and, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to Contact Us so we can continue to help!