Yoga is indisputably one of the most beneficial practices to boost physical and mental health. While yoga may not be the most intense workout in the books, it is without a doubt very effective in its workings.
Women usually dominate yoga classes. However, as the general trend encourages making the shift towards leading a healthier lifestyle, more men are also gravitating towards the mat.
From enhanced strength to improved stamina, yoga is the one pill that will cure all your problems.
When it comes to men and yoga, the general conversation is shifting towards men over the age of 30 and why they must be encouraged to incorporate the practice of yoga in their lives.
Most men over 30 lead very exhausting lives. The day-to-day grind can be quite challenging to keep up with. Therefore, it is best to incorporate healthy practices into your everyday routine in order to promote better health – physical, mental, and emotional.
The following are ten reasons why men should do yoga after they turn 30.
- Improves overall wellbeing
When you turn 30, you start to experience symptoms such as fatigue, body pain, and general exhaustion. Therefore, making lifestyle changes and efforts to enhance general wellbeing is always a good idea.
If you are looking to make a shift in your lifestyle, yoga is an activity you should try. Note that with diet, physical exercise is crucial. Step away from the regular routes of cardio and weight lifting and give yoga a shot. An excellent practice that improves overall wellbeing, yoga promotes both physical health and mental wellbeing.
- Enhances flexibility and strength
Most individuals hesitate to practice yoga because they believe they are not flexible enough to do so. Men over 30 with office jobs frequently complain of body pain and lack of flexibility due to long office hours sitting in their chairs, making this all the more necessary.
If you are a newbie – just trying out yoga, know that the lack of flexibility should not restrict you from trying it out. In fact, one of yoga’s main physical benefits is enhancing flexibility and strength. Therefore, these two qualities are not essential prerequisites for practicing yoga. Much like how you do not have to be skinny to eat healthily, you do not have to be flexible or strong to practice yoga.
Most men often shy away from yoga because they may not be entirely comfortable with the poses they are required to participate in. Ease, comfort, and relaxation are essential to ensure the effectiveness of yoga. We recommend easing your mind and wearing comfortable clothing to help the process. Light workout gear and good supportive underwear like white boxer briefs are ideal for the job.
- Helps weight loss
Who hasn’t tried their luck with weight loss? Some of us have succeeded, others not so much. If you have been hitting the gym, lifting weights, and running 5K every day to shed that jelly belly you may have gained over the holidays, we suggest you try out an easier option: yoga.
Weight loss tends to become slower as you age because your metabolism slows down – one of the many reasons men over 30 constitute a greater percentage of obese individuals.
Yoga is excellent for gut health as it helps massage your internal organs, thereby giving your metabolism an instant boost. Yoga also helps prevent any unhealthy cravings, so it helps you resist temptation.
- Eases pain and injury
Exercise can be quite painful sometimes in regards to muscle pain and soreness. Muscle pain tends to linger on for a few days and can be quite annoying to deal with. Moreover, muscle recovery takes longer as you age.
However, unlike weight lifting and other strenuous exercises that come with an increased risk of injury, yoga helps prevent injury.
Yoga comprises various poses that enhance flexibility, alleviate pain, and stretch the whole body, thereby reducing muscle soreness and decreasing the risk of injury.
- Boosts vitality
Yoga enables movement that enhances flexibility and increases blood flow, which helps you feel more alive and full of vitality regardless of age. In fact, elderly individuals are encouraged to practice yoga because it enables them to stay fit and healthy.
This, of course, does not occur overnight. Committing to a routine is essential in this regard.
- Relieves stress
We all lead stressful lives. Times are tough, and stability comes at the cost of mental peace and physical relaxation. If you are looking for a way to relax and relieve stress, try your luck with yoga. Yoga helps combat stress and negativity. The release of endorphins following movement and stretching helps lift your mood and boosts energy, making you feel much better overall.
Yoga is a perfect way to boost your mental health naturally. Studies suggest that yoga can help fight off symptoms of mild depression as well. People with anxiety may also benefit from its comforting effects.
In fact, yoga’s impact on stress reduction has been proven on a cellular level. According to a study published in the journal Immunology, yoga suppresses the activation of specific genes that result in inflammation, which is a typical response to stress that may lead to serious health implications.
Moreover, yoga increases the body’s ability to respond to stress better, i.e., by reducing heart rate and blood pressure and easing respiration in stress-inducing situations that typically result in heightened responses.
- Boosts sexual performance
Sexual health issues are frequently reported finding in men. Research suggests that men of all ages can benefit from yoga when it comes to sexual health and function. This includes sexual desire, performance, and drive.
As per the results of a 2011 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, men who practiced yoga for three months reported enhanced overall sexual function. As per the authors of the research study, yoga benefits sex life due to a combination of things such as reduced anxiety, better pelvic muscle tone, improved mood, and more.
- Improves bone health
Your bones become weaker over the years as you age. This leaves them more prone to injury and illness. Yoga consists of multiple poses that can help boost bone health. Yoga poses have been proven to increase your overall range of motion and mobility. Some studies also suggest that yoga can reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis.
Yoga is also an excellent way to fight pain and misalignment. It helps strengthen the back, shoulders, and neck, thereby enabling better posture, which is critical for pain relief.
- Encourages better sleep
Sleep issues are a common finding in middle-aged men, primarily due to their jobs’ stressful nature. If you struggle with sleeping, yoga might just be the remedy you are looking for.
As per the results of a 2013 research study, people who practiced yoga reported fewer sleep disturbances and took lesser time to fall asleep. Moreover, they were less likely to employ sleep medication to help them sleep and reported better sleep quality compared to people who never practiced yoga.
According to researchers, the reasoning behind the result may be due to many factors, including stretching and relaxing of muscles and breathing exercises, and improved blood circulation. Relaxed muscles help ease the body and enable tranquil rest. Yoga breathing exercises boost the strength of respiratory muscles, which can help sleeping conditions such as sleep apnea.
- Enhances productivity
Yoga has also been proven to boost productivity, be it at work or at home. It helps improve mental resilience enabling one to deal with stress better.
According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of 85,000 US workers, yoga, and other mindfulness-based interventions can help boost employee health and wellbeing and reduce burnout.
Moreover, a 2013 Dutch research study of 367 workers concluded that a yoga and general workout every week helps workplace vitality with reports of reduced fatigue and improved perseverance and resilience.
- Parting thoughts
Yoga is an overlooked practice in many ways. If you are of the belief that yoga is strictly for the younger demographic or women, erase all misconceptions from your mind because yoga is everything but that. Pro athletes, including wrestlers, football players, MMA fighters, and bodybuilders, practice yoga and encourage it owing to its ample benefits. Some even say that yoga is more enjoyable and more challenging than most gym workouts.
So what are you waiting for? You are not getting any younger. Hit the mat today. You may struggle initially, but that is okay. Practice makes perfect. Concentrate on the basic movements and then work your way up to more complex poses. You will find yourself enjoying yoga more and more with each passing day.
