Whether you've just sweated out a hot yoga session or enjoyed some unwind time with something more gentle, that feel-good boost you get leaving the yoga studio has just been scientifically proven to benefit you. Yoga as gentle as chair yoga for older adults improves several measures of psychological well-being, including anger, anxiety, depression, and general positive feelings, according to research published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
The researchers tested three groups of older adults: those who did a chair yoga program, those who did a chair exercise program, and those who did nothing. The chair yoga group had greater psychological improvements than either of the other groups.
You don't have to be a seasoned yogi, either. These benefits were seen after a once-a-week, six-week-long program; none of the participants had any previous yoga experience.
The researchers attributed this mood-boosting effect to the meditation component of yoga. "Mindfulness makes yoga fundamentally different from non-yoga exercise, even when similar physical movements are practiced," the researchers report. "A yoga class teaches a physical process (i.e., feeling the sensation of the breath or standing completely still), which is intended to teach a cognitive process (i.e., controlling the thoughts and actions, and maintaining awareness in the present moment)."
The researchers found that this mindset led to greater self-control, which they believe may be at the root of the improved well-being. (Recently, in another study, scientists were actually surprised by meditation's impact on the brain.)
While most of yoga is focused on the "asanas," or the postures, the pratyahara, or the practice of turning your attention inward, is also an important component of yoga.
"Unregulated, the senses of touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell, and the desires they produce, can control one's actions, thoughts, and behaviors," explains Kevin Courtney, contributor to Wanderlust: A Modern Yogi's Guide to Discovering Your Best Self. "It is imperative to retrain one's mind to gain control over these aspects, if one wishes to lead a steady and conscientious life. The ability to witness stimuli, and the feelings they produce, without feeling the need to act or respond to them, tones the yogi's mind."
The beautiful thing about pratyahara is that you don't need to be able to bend yourself into a pretzel to practice it. Even simple movements can reinforce your inward focus.
See More At 4 Gentle Yoga Moves to Improve Your Mood
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