Yoga has long been recognized for its beneficial effects on strength, flexibility, back pain relief and energy levels – not to mention managing stress and depression.
But can this 5,000-year-old practice really slow aging? According to researchers, yoga may help preserve telomere length – thus increasing longevity.
It Improves Mental Health
Yoga is a mind-body practice proven to increase both mood and mental health. By encouraging mindfulness and awareness of the present moment, it helps reduce anxiety and stress while simultaneously creating self-awareness and compassion towards yourself, alleviating symptoms associated with depression or other mental health conditions.
Studies have demonstrated that regular yoga practice can significantly decrease anxiety and depression while increasing GABA production – a neurotransmitter responsible for relaxation and decreasing anxiety. Furthermore, yoga can improve quality sleep as well as alleviate chronic pain conditions that cause insomnia or sleep disruptions.
Researchers have discovered that yoga improves the functioning of the prefrontal cortex – an area of the brain responsible for decision-making and goal setting – as well as increasing activity in the hippocampus, an important area for memory formation and learning. Furthermore, these changes were associated with decreased levels of cortisol–the hormone responsible for activating our “fight or flight” responses during stress.
Recently, yoga has been shown to be an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans – an astounding finding given the devastating consequences it can have on physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. Studies have also demonstrated its efficacy for decreasing frequency and severity of seizures among epilepsy sufferers while simultaneously decreasing use of anti-seizure drugs.
Yoga may help slow the aging process by maintaining telomere length and decreasing cellular senescence. Furthermore, practicing yoga can enhance longevity by increasing DHEA and melatonin production which are associated with improved heart health and decreased stress levels. Further longitudinal studies and randomized controlled trials are necessary to understand its long-term effects on telomere dynamics and cellular senescence.
It Slows Down Cellular Aging
Studies demonstrate the power of yoga as a holistic strategy to promote health and longevity, and slow cellular aging processes that contribute to age-related diseases. This finding showcases its promise as an anti-ageing solution.
Yoga offers many significant health benefits, one of the greatest being improving balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes within the body. This can be accomplished by decreasing oxidative stress and stimulating production of antioxidants; both inflammation and oxidative stress play key roles in aging and disease, so reducing them through yoga could be the answer to preventing them.
Yoga can also slow cellular aging by increasing levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This protein assists neurons to grow, protect themselves from damage, form new connections between them, and make new ones. Low levels of BDNF have been linked to cognitive deficits, depression and Alzheimer’s disease – raising your levels through yoga can improve brain health while simultaneously building resilience.
Researchers conducted a recent study which demonstrated how yoga practice over three to twelve weeks significantly enhanced various biomarkers of cellular aging and inflammation among healthy participants. More specifically, regular practice led to an increase in telomere length within blood cells while inflammation markers decreased with regular practice. As suggested by authors, longitudinal and randomized controlled trials should be undertaken in various populations to investigate further these effects.
This study’s authors also observed that yoga and meditation programs reduced levels of cortisol, an indicator of chronic stress that has been linked to increased cell aging and other health conditions. Furthermore, their findings support prior research that indicates yoga’s psychological, emotional, and physical benefits as beneficial strategies for older individuals.
Interplay among cellular aging, the immune system and telomere length is an emerging area of scientific inquiry with enormous potential as preventive healthcare strategies. Yoga’s practice can play a part in maintaining long telomere length while decreasing inflammation – potentially decreasing risks related to age-related disease while encouraging healthy aging processes and improving quality of life.
It Reduces Stress
Yoga can help to alleviate stress and its devastating effects on your body, mind, and emotions. Yoga is an ancient practice which improves balance, flexibility, muscle tone, as well as slowing cellular aging caused by increased stress levels. It has many health advantages that have been proven by studies conducted over many decades – its physical activity helps improve balance, flexibility and muscle tone as well as strengthening them all together.
Stress is one of the primary contributors to disease, and yoga can help your body reduce it through regular practice. Research shows that yoga practice helps lower heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels which ultimately lead to reduced stress levels which contributes to increased overall quality of life (QOL).
Studies have demonstrated that yoga can increase production of DHEA, melatonin and cortisol hormones – all which promote longevity – naturally produced in your body but gradually decreasing with age. Yoga also can boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an anti-ageing protein which improves memory retention and brain plasticity; decreased levels of this factor have been linked with cognitive decline as well as Alzheimer’s disease.
There is evidence that yoga can reduce oxidative stress that damages cells and leads to premature aging, specifically through decreasing production of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-a and IL-6 synthesis. Yoga also can increase antioxidants in cells to protect them against further oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
Yoga can also help reduce stress through its promotion of self-compassion, which has been demonstrated to decrease negative mood states and reactions to stressful life events. This may be attributed to yoga’s activation of the parasympathetic nervous system and emphasis on deep breathing techniques.
Yoga comes in many different forms, including Ashtanga for physical challenge, Yin for more meditational experiences and Power Yoga as strength training. No matter which variety you prefer, making time for some form of yoga as part of your daily routine can bring numerous health advantages.
It Improves Heart Health
Yoga has long been associated with improving heart health. Yoga helps maintain lower blood pressure levels, which in turn protects against arterial damage and other cardiovascular problems, while increasing circulation can lower your risk for blood clots. According to one study, people who practiced Kapalibhati breathing exercises demonstrated superior cardiovascular functions than those who didn’t; more research needs to be conducted before conclusively understanding its impact on our bodies.
Yoga also contributes to cardiovascular wellness by helping you manage your weight. Excess weight can clog arteries, restricting blood flow and leading to inflammation – putting strain on both your heart and physique. Yoga encourages a healthy diet that can assist in managing weight and alleviate strain on both bodies.
Yoga’s gentle movements and focus on breath can also help lower your blood pressure by slowing your pulse rate and encouraging cardiac coherence. Before beginning a yoga practice, however, it is wise to consult your physician beforehand, especially if you have heart conditions or are overweight. Also be cautious when practicing certain poses involving intense heat or lots of movement.
Yoga can also improve heart health by increasing activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes found in your body, which serve to protect you from oxidative stress and inflammation responses. Studies have revealed that yoga practice significantly boosts antioxidant levels – this has the effect of improving cardiovascular health and decreasing cellular damage (Barrows & Fleury 2016).
Yoga is an holistic practice combining physical activity, breathing techniques, and meditation. Studies have revealed its positive benefits in terms of reducing various risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels. Yoga may even help manage stress levels and enhance sleep quality – which contributes to overall cardiovascular wellbeing. A recent review of scientific literature demonstrated how yoga was associated with reduced systolic blood pressure levels as well as levels of harmful LDL cholesterol, lower HbA1c levels (which measure average blood sugar over several months), as well as an overall drop in body Mass Index (BMI).
