Continuing from last week’s blog

5.      Yoga Will Relieve Stress and Help You to Relax

It’s hard to remain relaxed and content when you suffer from persistent back pain.

As the nagging aches and pains can leave you feeling angry, stressed and frustrated.

However, feeling this way is bad news for your back.

As we tend to hold this stress and tension within our bodies, so being stressed out will only make your pain feel much worse!

So, a great way of relieving this frustration and being able to stay calm and relaxed instead is through yoga practice.

As studies have shown it to be really effective in relieving stress and tension that may be causing you pain.

Because by stretching out your body and controlling your breathing yoga calms your nervous system and slows your heart rate.

Which leaves you in a nice and relaxed state that is ideal for maintaining a healthier and happier back.

6.      You’ll Sleep Well After A Yoga Class

Yoga is also fantastic for helping you to sleep like a baby afterwards.

As the combination of a stretched out and relaxed body, calm nervous system, and the content mind that the deep controlled breathing creates will put you in the ideal state for drifting off into a deep and restorative sleep.

And this can even help people with chronic insomnia to sleep better.

As one study from the Harvard Medical School found that after 8 weeks of daily yoga practice the participants with insomnia were falling asleep easier and sleeping longer and deeper.

So, if you think you may not be getting as good a quality of sleep as your body needs or deserves then you should consider giving yoga a try.

As this will work wonders for getting rid of any persistent back pain.

Because it’s during sleep that your muscles and tissues can rest and repair themselves from the previous day’s pressures and stresses.

So, your back gets the chance to relax and recuperate as you snooze, leaving you feeling fresh and raring to go in the morning rather than stiff and sore.

7.      It Encourages the Release of Endorphins

The endorphins you get from exercise are great for making you feel warm and happy inside.

And they also work as a natural painkiller.

So, staying active and making sure you have a regular supply of endorphin hits is a great way to keep your back pain under control.

And yoga is as good an activity as any to do this.

So, get your yoga mat out and give yourself some natural pain relief.

8.      Yoga Gives You the Positive Mindset Needed to Beat Back Pain

Practicing yoga involves far more than just exercising your body.

As the controlled breathing, mindfulness, and spiritual aspects of yoga are also great for keeping you in a happy and positive frame of mind.

And this is really important.

Because it will give you a ‘can do’ attitude that will help you to fight back against persistent back pain.

And staying positive like this will leave you much more able to overcome pain and live a healthier and better quality of life.

So, while yoga is great for keeping your body in tip-top shape, it’s also fantastic for your mood and mental health too.

Which are 3 perfect reasons for all men to give yoga a try.

How to Get Started

So, now I’ve explained why you should practice yoga the next question is where do you start?

Because if you’ve never tried yoga before then joining a yoga class can feel a bit daunting.

So, I’d recommend searching for a beginner’s class so you can get the postures and movements right and build your confidence up gradually.

And a good style of yoga to start out with is Hatha yoga.

As this one involves more gentle postures and slower movements which are ideal for beginners.

But if you really can’t stand the thought or taking a yoga class then you can still practice at home.

As there are plenty of online yoga videos on YouTube you can follow along with.

Or online classes that you can find on sites such as BrogaYoga or ManFlowYoga which are designed especially for men.

So, don’t let any false preconceptions or male stigma put you off from trying yoga.

As the benefits for your back as well as your overall health and well-being are clear to see.

About the Author

Daniel Singleton is the founder of Back on Site, a website dedicated to helping people fight back against persistent back pain using the latest medical and scientific advice as well as his own personal experiences with the condition.