Posted by Dan Cromar on 1/27/2016 to
Yoga is a great exercise. It not only helps tone your body and improve your flexibility, but it can also improve your heart health. Below is a list of ways that yoga can improve your heart health:
Yoga Lowers Your Stress Level
When you are stressed, your body produces excess amounts of adrenaline. This stimulates the fight or flight response. This response is important because it helps you run away from danger. However, if your body is constantly subjected to stress, then this can have an adverse effect on your heart health.
A study done by the Heart And Stroke Foundation showed that people who are constantly stressed are more likely to develop heart disease. Yoga can help reduce your stress level. In fact, a 2012 study that was published in a journal called "Medical Hypotheses" showed that yoga can help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering stress level. Furthermore, yoga can benefit people who already have heart disease.
Yoga Can Lower Your Blood Pressure
Yoga can protect your heart by lowering your blood pressure. There was a study done in 2014 that compared people who did yoga on a regular basis to those who did not get any exercise. The study lasted eight weeks, and the results of the study showed that people who did yoga regularly experienced a slight decrease in blood pressure.
Experts believe that yoga helps reduce blood pressure in two ways. It helps improve physical fitness. People who are physically-fit are less likely to develop high blood pressure. Additionally, yoga helps lower stress level.
Yoga Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is the way the body responds to injury or illness. However, chronic inflammation is the root cause of many illnesses, including heart disease. Researchers have found that yoga can help reduce inflammation. A 2010 study showed that involved women who practiced yoga on a regular basis. The results of the study showed that when the women were exposed to a stressor, they had less inflammation if they practiced yoga regularly.
Yoga Can Help Keep An Irregular Heartbeat Under Control
Atrial fibrillation is a type of irregular heartbeat. It causes the heart to beat chaotically and rapidly. Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of a stroke. There was a study that involved 49 patients who experienced atrial fibrillation. The study showed that the subjects had fewer episodes. They also had lower blood pressures and heart rates.
The study authors noted that more research needs to be done to examine the effects that yoga has on atrial fibrillation.
Yoga Can Promote Weight Loss
People who are struggling to lose weight can benefit from doing yoga. Yoga can help promote weight loss by helping burn calories. In fact, an hour of gentle yoga can help you burn 200 calories. There has also been evidence to suggest that yoga can also help reduce overeating.
Obesity is one of the risk factors for heart disease. Excess weight puts a strain on the heart. However, losing a small amount of weight can greatly benefit the heart.