The first time I walked into a yoga class, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. One of my frienda from work invited me to join her. The class was donation only. The teacher, apparently the infamous Brian Kest, who I didn't know from Adam. I walked into his yoga loft, right above the Radio Shack in Santa Monica, in thick sweat pants and a t-shirt. I found an already used yoga mat that smelled worse than a man's locker room. The room was packed. Wall to wall people in the skimpiest gear I had ever seen. Even the men were wearing barely anything. I had never done yoga in my life and felt awkward and out of place, the way I felt at my first Dead Show. The first time I went into downward dog I had no idea how tight my body was or how much it needed to be stretched. By the 5th downward dog (Brian's classes move unusually fast) I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs.

Whatever stagnant energy I had carried around from a lifetime of not stretching the way yoga requires was releasing a profound level of emotion and feeling inside of me. I didn't scream, but the desire to scream caused me to breathe deep in through my nose, down into my navel, where I felt a sense of release I needed more. A lot of people think Yoga is trend, and don't take it's health benefits seriously, but Yoga (and its benefits) and are no joke. Here are seven great health benefits of Yoga: 1. Flexibility Yoga stretches the muscles and soft tissues of your body, which include: ligament, joints, fascia and tendons. You don't have to be a gymnast, you just have to want to breathe deeply into every facet of your body. Let's face it, everyday we experience tension, stress, stiffness and tightness. Every single ounce of stress, whether it be stiffness in our bodies, environmental stress, family stress or work stress (just to name a few) , impede our body's desire to function at an optimum level. A flexible body breeds a flexible mind. A flexible mind allows us to relax. Who doesn't need more of that, right? 2. Strength Yoga poses (also called asanas) build strength. When practiced correctly asanas build core strength in the upper and lower body. The longer you hold a pose, the stronger your muscles are working. Before you know it you'll be doing things you never thought possible, ie. headstands and handstands. Who said yoga was only for gymnasts? Not me! 3. Posture Flexibility and core strength lead to better posture. Better posture means you're sitting, standing, walking, and running taller. Better posture also means you're muscles and bones are supporting your joints. What does this mean? Less pain in the long run! 4. Breathe Yoga requires you to stay focused with your breath. The typical breath is in through your nose and out your nose. This allows for you to take in deeper breaths which brings more oxygen to your muscles. Breathing is crucial in all exercise, but during your yoga class, your teacher will help you focus on your breath and how to optimize each inhalation and exhalation. Check it out. I bet you didn't realize you're actually holding your breath more than you realize! 5. Stress and Anxiety Yoga can help with stress and anxiety. Oooooh, your ears are perked up now, right? Yep, through the breath and through the stretch, we release stagnant, pent up energy. For me, one yoga class can literally release an entire day's stress. When you are able to focus on your breath, your brain can release dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. I like to call them brain heaven. Release of these chemicals creates a euphoric state of calm and peace. 6. Heart Yoga is fantastic for your heart. Yoga is capable of lowering your heart rate and blood pressure. Yoga is ideal for people with heart disease. 7. Spiritual Awareness Yoga can help you connect to your greater Self in the same way meditation can. Slowing down, going inside, connecting with your body, breath, in our very disconnected world helps you stay more present, grounded, and aware. In addition to bringing you closer to spiritual awareness, Yoga helps with help your romantic relationships as well. The better you feel the nicer you are, period. :-) I have just given you 7 reasons why you should try Yoga. Are you practicing now? If so, what do you think? I would love to hear from you. Please leave your comments in the box below. If you found this article inspiring, please share it with friends. Post it on FB. Pinterest, or Tweet it. XO, Hayley