17/01/2023
Read on to learn more about restorative yoga, poses to try, and the benefits of this gentle style of yoga.
Relaxes your mind and body. Yoga is linked to reduced stressTrusted Source and anxiety, and lower levels of cortisolTrusted Source, the stress hormone.
Soothes the nervous system. Restorative yoga helps shift the balance from your fight-or-flight response (sympathetic nervous system) to your relaxation response, or the parasympathetic nervous system.
Enhances your mood. Yoga promotes relaxation and deep breathing, which, according to researchTrusted Source, may reduce depressive symptoms.
Reduces chronic pain. ResearchTrusted Source has shown that yoga may help reduce pain associated with headache or back pain, as well as osteoarthritisTrusted Source.
Improves sleep. StudiesTrusted Source have shown that adding yoga to your daily routine may help boost the quality of your sleep.
Improves well-being. In addition to lower levels of stress, researchersTrusted Source have also found that doing yoga regularly may result in less fatigue, more vigor, and improved well-being.
Gentle on your body. Restorative yoga is generally safe and often recommended for people with acute or chronic injuries.
Works as part of an overall treatment plan for chronic health conditions. People with a chronic illness may benefit from a regular practice of yoga. A 2018 review of studiesTrusted Source found that people with cancer who practiced yoga reported an improvement in their psychological and physical symptoms, as well as improved quality of life.
Safe to perform during pregnancy. Restorative yoga is easy to modify and safe to practice during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ranks prenatal yoga as one of the safest ways to exercise during pregnancy.
