5 Benefits of Yoga for Men


Many men prioritize their health and fitness, often by focusing on maintaining muscle mass with weight training, improving cardio through running and eating healthy foods. However, there is another area of exercise to consider: yoga. The benefits of yoga for men can go a long way in improving health and quality of life, so check out how yoga can help you.


Top 5 Benefits of Yoga for Men


In the United States and many other nations, the majority of people who actively practice yoga are women, far outpacing men. As yoga becomes more popular and common, more people will get involved. For men who want to invest in their health, it's worth it to get started sooner rather than later.


1. Mobility and Posture


Some great reasons for men to get involved in yoga are improved mobility and posture. Yoga is all about controlled stretches that work the muscles and joints in specific ways to help your body work better. You'll use your muscles in a way that you may not get to often, strengthening them.

This is especially important as you get older and have fewer opportunities for meaningful movement. As you move into middle age, you may find yourself sitting at a desk more and spending less time playing sports or moving around. It's not hard to become more sedentary. As this happens, the muscles that hold up your body get weaker, and you have more trouble with movement and posture.

Yoga is a calm way to retrain these muscles so they can do what they are meant to do. After beginning yoga, you may find yourself sitting up straighter and moving more fluidly, making the benefits of yoga for men obvious.


2. Flexibility


If you want to maintain and improve your flexibility and range of motion, turn to yoga. It's normal for your joints to become less flexible and stiffer as time goes on. Unfortunately, most cardio and strength training routines do very little to help with this. Those exercise regimens may start with a short stretching session, but they don't do much flexibility work beyond that.

With yoga, you get to pull your muscles and joints into specific positions that help keep them limber. For some people, this may seem like a reason not to do yoga because they worry that they aren't flexible enough to get started. However, one of the hidden benefits of yoga for men is that it can be progressive. Pick a routine that's beginner friendly and work your way up as flexibility grows.


3. Sleep


Getting a good night's sleep plays a big role in having productive days, and yoga can help with this. Researchers have found that some people had improved sleep habits when they practiced yoga, with fewer wakeful moments in the night and better quality of rest.

That improvement may be partially owed to the exertion your body goes through to complete a yoga flow. It seems peaceful (and it is), but yoga can be a serious workout. It takes a lot of concentration and muscle strength to successfully execute and maintain your poses. Just like other exercise routines, you'll be left happy and tired at the end of a good session.

There is also evidence that the improved muscle strength you get from yoga helps with sleep. As we said, one of the benefits of yoga for men is that you tone your muscles. That includes the muscles in your torso around your lungs. This combined with the breath work that is usually part of a yoga routine can help you breathe easier at night and have a more restful sleep.


4. Less Stress


Many people view yoga through the lens of self-care; they think it's something you do when you feel stressed out. While yoga has a lot more to offer, this idea is definitely true. People who regularly practice yoga often report lower stress levels and find it easier to relax.

Yoga is a whole-health practice. It doesn't just focus on the body. A good routine will call on you to clear your mind and focus on your breathing and the movement of your body. You will push all the stressors of the day out of your mind for a little while, giving you space to be calm and embrace the positivity in life.

Relaxation is one of the important benefits of yoga for men since it can seem hard to come by in a busy life. If you're balancing work, family, bills and other responsibilities, making time for yoga can offer a great way to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed.


5. Sexual Wellness


Men may also want to consider practicing yoga if they are looking for improvements to their love lives. Studies have found that men who try yoga for several weeks reported changes for the better when it came to their sex lives, sometimes even more so than men who tried medication for similar issues.

Researchers believe all the different aspects of yoga may combine to help men in the bedroom. Improved muscle tone and flexibility in the pelvic area could contribute to better blood flow and strength, while better rest and a more peaceful mind will help the mental aspects of romantic interactions. Any man looking for help in this area would do well to consider starting yoga.

Those are just a few of the best benefits of yoga. There are even more, such as increased productivity, weight loss and better digestion. If you want improvements in your health, look to yoga.


Take Advantage of the Benefits of Yoga for Men


If you've always thought yoga wasn't a go-to workout for men, it's time for a new train of thought. You can work your body and improve your mind in a way that other exercise routines don't offer. The benefits of yoga for men all combine to give you a better quality of life, so it's a good idea to take advantage of the possibilities and get started. Check out Sovereignty for more ways to support your health.

Sources:

https://www.mensyogajournal.com/blog/the-benefits-of-yoga-for-men https://www.menshealth.com/health/a19546955/benefits-of-yoga-for-men/ https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/05/28/7-benefits-of-yoga-for-men https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/benefits-of-yoga https://statista.com/chart/27653/yoga-men-and-women-by-country/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667430/