Low-impact exercises such as yoga have a number of benefits. Not only can it provide the physical benefits of exercise, yoga may also help stave off cognitive decline, according to a recent study of older adults with early warning signs of waning memory.
While I believe most benefit from high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for optimal health, there's no doubt that yoga can also be beneficial. It has mental, emotional and even spiritual benefits that can be very helpful for those struggling with stress-related health problems.
Yoga can be viewed as a form of moving meditation that demands your full attention as you gently shift your body from one asana (yoga position) to another.
As you learn new ways of moving and responding to your body, your mind and emotions may shift and change as well. In a sense, you not only become more physically flexible, but your mental outlook and approach to life may gain some needed flexibility as well.
Yoga Helps Mitigate Cognitive Decline
Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that physical activity helps keep your mind sharp with age, and this goes for activities such as yoga as well. Overall, inactivity is enemy No. 1 if you seek to optimize your cognitive function. According to The New York Times:
"There also is growing evidence that combining physical activity with meditation might intensify the benefits of both pursuits.
In an interesting study2 ... people with depression who meditated before they went for a run showed greater improvements in their mood than people who did either of those activities alone.
But many people do not have the physical capacity or taste for running or other similarly vigorous activities. So for the new study ... researchers ... decided to test whether yoga, a relatively mild, meditative activity, could alter people's brains and fortify their ability to think.3,4
They began by recruiting 29 middle-aged and older adults ... who ... were anxious about the state of their memories and who, during evaluations ... were found to have mild cognitive impairment, a mental condition that can be a precursor to eventual dementia.
The volunteers also underwent a sophisticated type of brain scan that tracks how different parts of the brain communicate with one another."
While I believe most benefit from high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for optimal health, there's no doubt that yoga can also be beneficial. It has mental, emotional and even spiritual benefits that can be very helpful for those struggling with stress-related health problems.
Yoga can be viewed as a form of moving meditation that demands your full attention as you gently shift your body from one asana (yoga position) to another.
As you learn new ways of moving and responding to your body, your mind and emotions may shift and change as well. In a sense, you not only become more physically flexible, but your mental outlook and approach to life may gain some needed flexibility as well.
Yoga Helps Mitigate Cognitive Decline
Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that physical activity helps keep your mind sharp with age, and this goes for activities such as yoga as well. Overall, inactivity is enemy No. 1 if you seek to optimize your cognitive function. According to The New York Times:
"There also is growing evidence that combining physical activity with meditation might intensify the benefits of both pursuits.
In an interesting study2 ... people with depression who meditated before they went for a run showed greater improvements in their mood than people who did either of those activities alone.
But many people do not have the physical capacity or taste for running or other similarly vigorous activities. So for the new study ... researchers ... decided to test whether yoga, a relatively mild, meditative activity, could alter people's brains and fortify their ability to think.3,4
They began by recruiting 29 middle-aged and older adults ... who ... were anxious about the state of their memories and who, during evaluations ... were found to have mild cognitive impairment, a mental condition that can be a precursor to eventual dementia.
The volunteers also underwent a sophisticated type of brain scan that tracks how different parts of the brain communicate with one another."
The participants were divided into two groups. One group enrolled in a brain-training program consisting of mental exercises for one hour per week. They were also asked to practice at home for 15 minutes a day.
The second group participated in a Kundalini yoga class for one hour per week. They were also taught Kirtan Kriya meditation, which involves the use of mantras and fluid hand movements. They were asked to practice this meditation at home for 15 minutes each day.
Read Full Article Here: Yoga Benefits Your Brain Function and Mental Health
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