Charlize Theron swears by it, Gisele Bündchen loves to Instagram about it, and Christy Turlington wrote a book about it. But celebrity endorsements aren’t the only reason you should get down to your local Yoga studio. Yoga practitioners have touted the physical and mental benefits of the practice for 5,000 years. And it continues to grow in popularity today.

If you’ve tried it, you’ll have experienced some of the benefits yourself, from toned triceps to improved flexibility and posture. But it’s doing a lot more for you than you think.

Here are five of the more surprising benefits of Yoga. So dust off your Yoga mat and salute the sun.

1. Balances your hormones

Our feelings and emotions are a result of chemical reactions taking place in our bodies. These are controlled by the endocrine system, which is a group of glands that produce hormones to regulate metabolism, sleep, and mood, among other things. When done regulalry, Yoga supports the healthy functioning of the endocrine system, reducing the stress response of your adrenal glands and encouraging the secretion of mood-enhancing hormones.

One of the easiest poses to address hormonal imbalance is Sukhasana. Also known as crossed leg pose, it opens the hips and stimulates the adrenal gland, helping to fix hormonal imbalances in the body.

How to do Sukhasana

• Sit upright on a mat with your legs loosely crossed
• Fold your left leg and tuck it inside the right thigh
• Then fold the right leg and tuck in inside the left thigh
• Keep your hands on your knees
• Relax your whole body and breathe normally
• Maintain the position for as long as comfortable

2. Boosts your confidence

Yoga can boost your self-confidence. It gives you a practical way of developing internal and external qualities such as strength, balance and focus. When we see improvements in our strength, flexibility and range of movement, our confidence naturally increases. As a result, our stress levels decrease.

The solar plexus chakra (the Manipura) relates to confidence, so postures that stimulate this chakra will complement everything else you’re doing to boost your self confidence.

3. Cures a hangover

Waking up with a hangover is right up there with a nasty stomach virus or a tooth extraction. They’re seriously unpleasant and oh-so-painful. But before you reach for the Ibuprofen, why not try a Yoga pose or two? It turns out that certain positions can cure a pounding headache, nausea, and generally shake off that fuzzy feeling.

One of the most effective poses for this is the supine twist. Often touted as yoga’s answer to a natural detox, it stretches the spine while compressing and releasing the internal organs, providing a gentle internal massage. It also opens up the back, shoulders, chest, and hips.

How to do the supine twist

• Lie down
• Bend your knees and lift them into your chest
• Put your arms out to the sides, in line with your shoulders
• Exhale and drop your knees down to the right to the floor
• Look towards your left palm (if your neck hurts, look up at the ceiling)
• Hold it for a minute
• Change sides
  

4. Fights food cravings

Sometimes you can’t help but shovel food into your mouth, especially post-workout when your body is desperate for fuel. But yoga can help you resist the urge to go overboard.

Through breath awareness, regular yoga strengthens the mind-body connection. This awareness can help you tune in to emotions involved with certain cravings, helping you make better choices when bad ones strike.

5. Yoga and Massage

These are all great reasons to give Yoga a go, but to maximise the benefits, combine it with regular therapeutic massage. They both provide space for you to connect to your breath, be fully present and find a state of equilibrium in the chaos that is modern life.

To discuss the best therapeutic massage to complement your Yoga classes, give us a call on 0131 629 0794.