Ryan Giggs recently made the headlines commenting that practising yoga contributed to his lengthy career in professional football: “The yoga has definitely helped me,” the 38-year-old said. “It helps me train every day because it gives me the flexibility and the strength not only to play the game but to train as well.
Having taught yoga for over 10 years and practised for many more I have seen individuals benefit not only physically but also mentally from yoga.
In a world where time is precious and employers are pushing for more from their employees, yoga can provide that quiet space for an individual to gain clarity and realise themselves, releasing stress, thoughts of negativity and burdens that they may normally carry with them from one day to the next in a vicious circle.
By practising just 30 minutes of yoga in your day, your body will benefit from stretching, lengthening and becoming more flexible. Your mind will quiet and you will find yourself completely calm and in a more pleasant space than that of where you started.
By providing calm and quietness in your head, it allows you to take stock of previous situations and issues which may have played over in your head and instead you can re-focus and with a refreshed mind are able to tackle them with more purpose and clarity.
Yoga has many physical benefits too – 9.3 millions sick days are taken in the UK alone (figures from 2008/9 http://www.nhs.uk) due to back pain and musculoskeletal disorders, not only does taking time off work sick have a negative effect on the economy, but it also adds pressure and stress to the concerned individual. By practising yoga, you improve your body’s strength, flexibility and core. You become more aware of your body and make subtle adjustments to improve your posture and alignment. I have seen many amazing things during my time teaching yoga and to see an individual with back pain transform and blossom into an individual who carries themselves tall and completely free of pain is perhaps one of my greatest achievements.
So as a busy mum, dad, employee, employer you can reduce stress and aid your own career and lifestyle with yoga – so make yoga part of your 5 a day, contributing to a healthy balanced lifestyle and a healthy, happy balanced you!
