I like doing downward dog pose to start my morning, I also enjoy more challenging backbend poses like wheel pose. After three years of regular practice of yoga, my symptoms of anterior pelvic tilt and lower back pain are healed. 

Although there has been a lot of disputes on this workout form, I still think yoga is a good exercise for people of all genders and ages, especially for people who live a sedentary lifestyle like I do. Through regular practice of yoga, you can feel better from head to toe.

Yoga, as a low intensity workout form with long history, benefits people in many ways. Yoga promote physical and mental health through three ways, breathing exercises, physical poses and meditation. 

1. Yoga emphasis on correct body alignment.

Alignment acts like a stable foundation for physical movement, correct body alignment allow your body to move and stay still efficiently, as well as reduce the risk of injury or pain. All types of yoga are able to help practicers with body alignment issues and relief stiffness.

2. Yoga promotes for better sleep.

Yoga not only help you with fast fall asleep, but can improve your sleep quality. Practitioners involve in yoga classes doing a lot of stretching poses that helps to release tension of muscles, costing significant physical and mental exertion, which means less sleep latency and better sleep efficiency.

3. Yoga helps to reduce anxiety and stress.

Yoga helps to reduce anxiety and stress by promoting body and mind relaxation. The release of tension on body helps to reduce feelings of anxiety. Also, by practice certain breathing techniques, practitioners can learn to cope with negative thoughts at their own pace.

4. Yoga can be intense and stimulate the release of dopamine.

Ashtanga yoga is quite intense and requiring than other types of yoga, one hour of Ashtanga practice help a medium weighed man or woman burn 300 – 500 calories, as well as promote the release of dopamine and more available dopamine receptors.

5. Yoga improves strength, flexibility and balance.

Yoga practice involves a lot of stretches, this helps to improve your ability to maintain balance and flexibility level. When you are told to hold a pose for five breathes, the process empower your muscles and stimulate them to grow.

6. You are connected with a supportive community.

Practice yoga with like minded people is fun and joyful. There are a lot of variation of poses suitable for group practice like bff yoga poses, three people yoga poses, four people yoga poses and etc. 

7. Yoga helps to fix back pain.

Many asanas help to stretch and strengthen back muscles, for instance, downward dog pose helps to elongate the whole spine and ease lower back pain in the process.

8. Yoga benefits blood circulation and promotes heart health.

Regular yoga practice deals with problems like over weight, high blood pressure, anxiety and else, all contribute to better heart health.

9. Yoga boost your mood.

Yoga practice rejuvenates your body and increases circulation to the brain and assuages fatigue. This helps to reduce negative thoughts and boost your mood as well.