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YOGA AND ITS BENEFITS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOURDr. Sarwan Kumar Yadav
Sr. Assistant Professor, Physical Education
Today human lifestyle has lost the harmony in mind and body relationship which has caused several stress based diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease and cancer. An attempt to prevent and treat theses diseases triggered a search for better lifestyles and better strategies that converged on the rediscovery of ancient disciplines such as yoga, combining lifestyles with potent infallible prescriptions for lasting mental peace as confirmed by clinical studies.
1 WHAT IS YOGA?
Yoga is arriving at a meditation state that allows one to focus on the essential and declutter the mind on unwarranted stress. For many, it is a series of asanas and physical exercises to release negative energies and get rid of unwanted pain.
Not many are aware that the word 'Yoga' is western variant of the word 'yoga'.
Yog is derived from the sanskrit word 'yoj' which means to connect and integrate with the universe around. The idea behind practicing 'yog' popularly called 'Yoga' is to integrate the idea of self with that of the universe and to experience the idea of unity with reality. It is a way of healthy and sound living that aims to connect you with your inner self and develop a balance between your minds body and soul. That the body, mind and spirit must integrate is important to be harmony with oneself and the environment around. If you are already practicing yoga, you must be aware of its benefits. It is not just a simple exercise of holding your breath and bending your body, it is a way to bring you to a state where you can experience a real mind body connection.
To achieve the state of 'Yog' one must go through certain breathing techniques physical exercises and rigorous meditation. The role of yoga and meditation is to serve your physical and mental health well.
Yoga is the science of modern living of right living and should be
incorporated into our daily lives. It is not just a two hour hobby class once a 2 week. Yoga has technical systems to help clam the mind, maintain resilience, harness physical and mental energies and to develop an integrated personality. Its a way of balancing the emotions and establishing the harmony between the mind and body. A person can choose one or a combination of two or more from the many paths of yoga-Hath, Bhakti, Raja, Jhana and Karma Yoga- according to their lifestyle. One can practice pranayama, Asanas, relaxation meditative and pratyahara techniques, as well as follow personal and social disciplines where possible. It is upto the individual to find which path best suits his/her needs, lifestyle and personality. Yoga can be practices while lending a normal lifestyle;
but with different aspirations, mentality and attitude towards oneself and the interactions in life.
Certain Principles and Values of Yoga:
The 08 limbs of yogta help regulate our lifestyle and keep away from lifestyle related disorders-
YAMAS: 05 rules of social conduct
AHIMSA: Non-violence
SATYA: Truthfulness
ASTEYA: Non-stealing
BRAHMACHARYA: Faithfulness
APARIGRAHA: Non-greed 1.1 Niyamas:
Niyamas is how you treat yourself or your attitude towards yourself. The five Niyamas are as following-
Sauca- Purity, Santosa- Contentment Tapas – Disciplines use of our energy
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Svadhyaya- Self study, Isvarapranidhana-Celebration of the spiritual
Asanas or Physical Poses: They Asanas are designed to relieve our mind and body from tension and stress. They relax, rejuvenate and energize the body and aim to bring the body and the mind into a harmonious union. Asana should be performed with comfort, ease, alertness and steadiness, achieving a balance between ease and effort.
1.2 Pranayama or breathing exercises:
Pranayania is the control of breath is regulated and controlled through the practice of breathing exercises. The duration of inhalation, retention and exhalation of breath is regulated with the aim of strengthening and cleaning the nervous system and increasing a person's source of life energy. Pranayama practice also makes the mind calmer and more focused.
1.3 Prathayara or with drawal of the senses:
This occurs during meditation, pranayama or asana where in you are so focused and immersed in yoga, meditation or breathing pose that you are unaware of all situations outside your focus becomes inward and you are no longer distracted by outside events.
1.4 Dharama or Concentration:
Dharana is training the mind to focus without any distraction. To achieve this, you can focus your mind into an object at a time. This can also serve as preparation for meditation.
1.5 Dhyana or Meditation:
Meditation is the practice by which there is constant observation of the mind. It means focusing the mind on one point, calming the mind in order to perceive the self. It is an uninterrupted flow of concentration aimed to heighten one's awareness and oneness with the universe.
It is also an important tool to achieve mental clarity and health.
2 SAMADHI OR ENLIGHTENMENT:
This is the ultimate goal of the eight limbs of yoga. It is characterized by the state of feeling that you and the universe are one.
It is a state of peace and completion awareness and compassion with detachment.
The practice of yoga does not only deal with developing the body but also covers all the aspects of a persons life as stated in the eight limbs of yoga. It is about the physical, mental and spiritual well being of an individual as well as his environment and relationship with other creatures. Real practice of these eight principles leads to deeper self-knowledge, love and respect towards other people and creatures, cleaner environment, healthy diet and union with the divine.
2.1 Best time for Yoga Practice:
"Timing is everything" as the proverb goes to elucidate how poor timing can dissipate the effect of your hard efforts. In general, yoga experts advise their students and wards to practice yoga exercises wither in the morning or early evening. After a good nights sleep yoga sessions can be particularly active in the morning.
However, it is important to end the session with the Savasana (Corpse pose), irrespective of the timings or season of your practice. Yoga benefits for health are best realized when done on an empty stomach. It is advisable to avoid eating for one to hours before the asanas or pranayama.
3 BENEFITS OR YOGA PRACTICES:
Practicing yoga ha immense emotional and physical benefits other than increased strength and flexibility, yoga helps to treat symptoms of mental health, problems like anxiety, depression and unwarranted stress, listed following are some benefits of daily yoga practice that even scientists have confirmed, thus, reiterating the importance of yoga in modern life.
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1. Helps you achieve tranquility:A better quality of life benefit to unnecessary stress is something that we all wish to achieve:
Scientific studies have shown how practicing yoga every day for three months can reduce the secretion of the stress hormone. Combining meditation with breathing lends a feeling of unprecedented calmness.
2. Relief from Anxiety:
Coping with anxiousness daily can be exhausting. Many people diagnosed with anxiety disorders have revealed how practicing certain yoga poses each day have mitigated symptoms of anxiety that were hard to deal with. The 'Camel pose' improved blood circulation in the body, the 'Bridge Pose' had a calming effect on the mind while the easy 'Butterfly Pose' helped release unwanted tension.
3. Improved concentration:
Practicing even basic yoga exercise can help relax the mind and senses. A calm and healthy mind helps focus better. The ability to focus on one thing at a time in imperative to improved concentration.
4. Visibly reduced Depression:
Many people suffering from depression are advised to practice yoga asana a daily.
Despite humorous research studies emphasizing on yogas and depressant effects, not many are convinced about yoga benefits for mental health, participants in various studies have shown visibly reduced symptoms of depression when they practiced yoga daily for roughly two weeks.
5. Reduced Inflammation:
While the yoga benefits for mental health are known the yoga benefits for health extend to those with chronic inflammation problems. Chronic inflammation may often result in arthritis, heart disorder problems, diabetes and cancer. Practicing regularly has a healing effect on inflammation, thus, reducing the risk of suffering from associated and resulting physiological illnesses.
6. Improves posture and balance:
Regular yoga practice improves agility and balance in adults, especially, those with movement disorders. Flexibility is another aspect that yoga practitioners. Swear by as they underscore how specific poses can increase the flexibility of limb movements.
7. Improved Breathing:
Yoga help you focus on your breathing, Breathing exercise (pranayama) can teach you better breathing techniques that have many physical and mental benefits.
Certain breathing exercises have a calming effect on your nervous system and even help allergy patients clear their nasal passages. The healing effects of these regular breathing exercises have contributed immenely to the well being of people suffering from lung diseases, heart disorders, or asthma.
8. Builds muscle strength and tone:
For the health conscious adding yoga to a daily exercise routine can increase strength and build muscle. Though many people practice yoga as an essential weight loss measure, specific yoga poses are designed to enhance body strength and sufferance. Balancing yourself on one leg or your arms and holding these poses for a specified time helps increase your muscle strength and tone.
9. Helps in joint and back pain:
Yoga is an effective method to treat persistent joint and back pain problems.
Many clinicians recommend regular yoga exercise as an essential therapy not only treat pain but also the stress associated with the persistent agony of living with the pain. Yoga poses also strengthen the muscles around the joints. Regular yoga practice helps arthritis patients to get rid of the pain. Increased flexibility and strength gained through yoga can prevent many kinds of pain.
10. Lowers Blood pressure:
High blood pressure is a problem synonymous with city life owing to irregular lifestyles and resulting stress.
Practicing yoga regularly improves blood circulation in the body. Practicing breathing exercise can help control blood pressure and alleviate high stress levels.
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The functioning of the heart is thusconsiderably improved as blood circulation is enhanced. Increased blood flow carries increased oxygen level to the tissues, thus, lowering your blood pressure.
11. Boosts Immunity Level:
This is important as continued stress can wreak haroc on our immunity system.
Yoga helps you to relax and trigger a feeling of relaxation in the nervous system. Lung capacity is increased as the effect of stress on the body is reduced.
Yoga helps your body to heal and increase its immunity levels.
12. Increases awareness levels:
Regular yoga practice helps you to take charge of your mind. You are more aware of the thoughts that bother and shatter you from within. Instead of letting your mind get affected by random, uncontrollable thoughts, you control the working of your mind. Your instinct is strong and your senses gain clarity allowing you to see things from a different perspective, perceive the reality of your thoughts, assess their gravity and act accordingly.
13. Improve your Sleep:
As yoga relaxes your mind and helps reduce stress, it facilitates better sleep. It also improves your sleep patterns. Once you start a regular daily practice of yoga and meditation you will see your circadian rhythm stabilize.
14. Brings Positivity in Life:
When you perform yoga on a regular basis, there are many hormones in your nervous system that get stabilized and help you calm down. Yoga helps you connect with your inner self, which brings clarity and encourages you to focus on your life goals. You begin to look at your life with a renewed zeal and energy.
15. Brings self Acceptance and Self- Control:
Yoga teachers you self acceptance and self-control. The same way you control your body and movements in yoga, you can control all other aspects of your life.
Yoga helps you feel more connected to every aspect of your life and brings move balance in your life.
16. Boosts your self-confidence:
As yoga aims towards improving your mind body connection your self esteem increases. It teaches you to accept yourself and your body without any judgment. This helps in increasing your self-confidence.
17. Lowers respiratory rate:
During yoga session. When you control your breath, it fills your lungs to the full capacity. This allows them to work efficiently, lowering your respiratory rate.
18. Decreases pulse rate:
Yoga reduces the strain and helps your body to relax which decreases your pulse rate. A lower pulse rate means that your heart is healthy and can pump more blood per beat. As yoga improves oxygenation in your body. It helps in lowering the heart rate which in turn result on better cardiovascular endurance.
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