Many have heard, few have tried-yoga is one of those things that everyone else seems to be doing.

What’s so great about yoga anyways?

According to Harvard Health Publishing, the benefits of yoga are many, and it impacts many facets of health including physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Having originated from ancient India, this millennia old-practice promotes values associated with mindfulness, self-control and unity. There are many different types and disciplines of yoga, most resulting in benefits including:

 

• Physical improvements. For example, better flexibility, posture, and increased muscle strength and tone.
• Injury prevention, especially for athletes, as it allows your body to go through full ranges of motion, increasing blood to flow areas of the body not ususally activated.
• Increases in blood circulation, which in turn leads to improvements for circulatory and cardio health.
• Immune system boosts. A tactical way to guard against the flu during midterm seasons.
• Stress relief. Yoga as a low-impact activity can provide a welcome distraction from everyday worries, relaxing muscles and relieving tension in the body.
• A sense of calmness from its meditative-quality. Many anecdotal recounts state yoga as an activity that invites mental serenity.
• Better sleep. According to the Harvard Health blog, a national survey reported over half of survey participants who did yoga had better sleep.
• Decreased risk of heart disease. Yoga improves factors that influence heart disease like blood pressure, cholesterol and body weight.
• Weight loss maintenance from increased mindfulness. Heightened awareness gained from yoga helps with appetite regulation.
• Increased confidence. Yoga helps shape and tone the body, perhaps leading to better body image.

 

With all of this information in mind, what better way to celebrate the end of January than a Yoga and Parfait night hosted by the UBCCAC? We’ll have an instructor from UBC’s Yoga club leading a beginner class, and some yogurt parfaits afterwards as our special treat. No prior yoga experience is necessary. A minimum $5 dollar donation will be required, with all proceeds going towards funding for the Canadian Cancer Society. Bring your friends, and we’ll bring the rest!

If you aren’t able to come, don’t skimp out on the benefits of yoga! Here are some links to some beginner poses that you can try out.

Yoga for better sleep.

Yoga to start your day.