Ups your heartrate! While not all yoga is aerobic, you can take a flow vinyasa class or ashtanga class. This can boost your heart rate. Studies have found that yoga practice lowers the resting heart rate, increases endurance, and can improve your maximum uptake of oxygen. One study found that subjects who were taught only pranayama could do more exercise with less oxygen.
Drops your blood pressure. Savasana (corpse pose) of lying down and breathing was associated with a 26-point drop in systolic blood pressure (top number), and a 15-point drop in diastolic blood pressure (bottom number).
Regulates your adrenal glands. Yoga helps to lower cortisol levels. Normally, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol in response to an acute crisis, If cortisol levels stay high even after the crisis they can compromise the immune system.
Makes you happier! Studies have shown that consistent yoga practice improved depression, and led to a significant increase in serotonin levels and a decrease in levels of monoamine oxidase and cortisol that has been correlated with greater levels of happiness and better immune function.
Healthy Lifestyles. Move more, eat less. Regular yoga practice promotes movement, enhances the spiritual and emotional aspects and may encourage you to address any eating and weight problems on a deeper level.
Lowers blood sugar. Yoga lowers blood surge and LDL (bad cholesterol) and boosts HDL (good cholesterol). By getting your blood sugar level down, you can decrease your risk of diabetic complications such as heart attack, kidney failure, and blindness.
Helps you focus. An important component of yoga is staying in the present. Studies show yoga improves coordination, memory, reaction times, recall information better, and are less distracted.
Relaxing your system. Yoga encourages you to relax, focus on the present, and creating a balance within your parasympathetic (rest and digest) and sympathetic (fight or flight) systems.
Improves your balance. Practicing yoga regularly will increase your ability to feel what your body is doing and where it is in space. This helps to improve your balance and coordination. Better balance less falls, and more stability.
Maintains your nervous system. Practicing yoga helps to create a more efficient nervous system that can enhance brain wave patterns, regulate the temperature in the body and much more.