We are all becoming aware of the benefits of Yoga Narrabeen. Runners groups, gym memberships and cycling groups are very common. Yoga is also becoming common but it is commonly misunderstood as a form of exercise. In fact, yoga poses are an important part of yoga. These poses differ from regular exercises both in the results and mode of performance.

Yoga focuses on steady yoga postures and relaxation of muscles. A yoga pose is a steady and comfortable state where the movements are controlled and slow and the breathing is synchronised. On the other hand, regular exercises emphasise stress on the muscles and movement. The exercise involves repetitive movements where synchronised breathing is not present.

Muscular system

Yoga helps develop muscles evenly over the surface of the bone hence increasing flexibility. It is also an energy-efficient activity while exercise focuses on increasing the muscle mass of an individual. As a result, the length of muscle shortens and the flexibility reduces. When you exercise, you use more energy than when doing yoga.

The heart

Once a yoga pose has been attained, the blood requirement is reduced and the body is relaxed. This relieves the stress on your heat. Exercise has the opposite effect. Ordinary exercises put a strain on your muscles. This increases blood pressure and the speed of blood circulation, which increases the workload on the heart because it needs to pump faster than normal.

Respiratory system

In a yoga studio, the exercises relax the body so this reduces the workload on the respiratory system. On the other hand, regular exercise poses a constant movement that increases the requirement of oxygen in the muscles. This increases the breathing speed and causes the lungs to work harder.

The immune system

Yoga boosts your immune system. It does so by increasing the functioning ability and the number of immune cells. Whilst this is also true for regular exercise, it depends on the intensity, nature and duration of exercise.

Stress levels

When you do yoga, you reduce the cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol is a hormone that your body produces from cholesterol and it is linked with perceived stress levels. On the other hand, exercise may increase cortisol levels because the body perceives exercise as stress. This means both yoga and exercise can reduce stress levels.

Yoga promotes improved cognition through specific breathing patterns through the nostril. This is not present in regular exercise. After practising yoga, the body relaxes due to the soothing effect on the nervous system.

Regular exercise leads to the production of lactic acid, which may cause exhaustion and fatigue. Other yoga Narrabeen benefits that are absent in general exercise are control over impulsive behaviour, increased pain tolerance, and resetting the biological rhythm. Yoga offers most of the benefits that exercise brings in addition to other benefits. It also improves subjective aspects such as contentment, peace and happiness. However, this does not mean that you have to choose one over the other. You can do both.