When you think of yoga, this is probably what you see- people in leggings twisting themselves into pretzels while doing some funny-sounding breathing exercises. I'm here to tell you that's all wrong. As a teen who regularly practices yoga, here are the reasons why you should too.

Busting the myths

First of all, let's understand the true art and science of yoga. It originated in India over 5,000 years ago. Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to unite.

The purpose of yoga is for the mind, body and soul to be in perfect harmony. Over the course of time, people's perception of yoga has been distorted. It's a real, time tested method of exercise which rigorously tones your body and mind. You don't need workout sets or fancy mats- it's not like the original Indian yogis had them 5,000 years ago! Anyone can do yoga, and there's always something for everyone.

But why should you be doing yoga?

Take the Quiz: What’s Your Perfect Skincare Product for the 'Clean Girl' Look?

Take this quiz to discover the perfect skincare product for your “clean girl” routine!

Blood Circulation Boost

To an extent, yes, yoga does involve complicated poses. But it's more than random twisting. These postures, or asanas, are specifically designed for a certain function.

When you are practising these asanas, you are compressing and decompressing your veins and arteries, making them more elastic and free flowing. The compressed areas also receive more blood flow, improving their function. More oxygen reaches all parts of your body and keeps you healthy.

Photo by Max Nikhil Thimmayya from Pexels

Hormonal Health

Yoga can fix your hormones? A dream come true for every teen! Yes, yoga is a wonderful helper for your hormones.

It is used as a treatment for many hormonal disorders in the science of Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine. How it works is an extension of improved blood flow.

Some asanas compress certain parts of your body, especially your pelvic area (around the hips and abdomen). Compression leads to stimulating those glands to release more of the required hormones. This is helpful when your reproductive hormones go haywire during your teens. Further, by improving circulation, the hormones in your bloodstream can reach their target organs and do their job more easily.

Build Strength

Believe it or not, you don't need to lift super heavy weights to become stronger. While the gym is a good way to gain strength, yoga is also a great form of strength training. While it may not be as obvious in terms of results (you won't get abs or biceps in a few weeks' time!) you can definitely feel the change internally.

Dynamic styles of yoga like ashtanga yoga and vinyasa yoga involve repetition of certain asanas that use your body weight, building strength without any weights or dumbbells. Moreover, it increases your stamina and endurance as it involves a fair bit of cardio as well!

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

Finding Flexibility and Balance

The most obvious benefit of them all! When you stretch with deep breathing, you increase the oxygen in your muscles, helping them function quicker and better. By repeating these stretches over a period of time, you improve your flexibility and range of motion, becoming more agile in the process. Yoga is also known for its balancing postures(if you've heard of any, it would be the tree pose) which also help with your coordination, balance and strength.

So far, we've seen the benefits of yoga on physical health. The more well known aspect of yoga is its impact on the mind and soul which is talked about in the upcoming sections.

Improve Focus and Concentration

Social media has destroyed our attention span, and it's no secret. As students, it is getting harder and harder to sit down, focus, and get some work done. By incorporating some simple yoga routines into our day, we can achieve clarity and focus.

Yogic breathing, or pranayama, is designed to help in all round health. When you focus only on the sound of your breathing, you eliminate all distractions and zero in on the present. This is helpful in achieving deep work and while studying.

Image by lograstudio from Pixabay

Anxiety and Stress Relief

This is one of the most celebrated benefits of yoga. There have been many claims that yoga helps in relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, it's not a yes or no question.

Since these symptoms will vary from person to person, the extent to which yoga helps also varies. Personally, it works wonders. Pranayama provides relief to your nervous system by soothing your nerves and calming you down. You are left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, with a new motivation to tackle the rest of your day.

Here's a video by TedEd that explains the concepts of yoga beautifully.

Where do I Start?

Here are some of my favourite YouTube channels where you can follow along with these instructors at home, for free.

Yoga with Adriene: https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene

Charlie Follows: https://www.youtube.com/@CharlieFollows

Move with Agnes: https://www.youtube.com/@MoveWithAgnes

You can also sign up for a yoga class in your neighbourhood, maybe with a friend!

The hardest part is always starting, so remember to push yourself, but also be kind to yourself. The most important thing is doing your best!