Yoga For Health

As a breath-focused mind-body exercise, yoga has many different styles, ranging from gentle stretches to a vigorous flow. Everyone can benefit from some suitable yoga poses.

Want to check out specific poses that are good for cyclists?

Check out this link to Bicycling Magazine article "11 Essential Yoga Poses Cyclists Should Do on the Regular"

If you have never done a tree pose or cat-and-cow pose, it might be a time to give them a try. More and more research studies and meta-analysis are supporting yoga's health benefits of the following:

1. Improve balance
• "A systematic review of yoga for balance in a healthy population", NIH - National Library of Medicince
2. Reduce Stress-related anxiety and depression
• "Association of yoga practice and serum cortisol levels in chronic periodontitis patients with stress-related anxiety and depression", NIH - National Library of Medicince
• "Effect of Hatha Yoga on Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis", NIH - National Library of Medicince
• "The Efficacy of Yoga as a Form of Treatment for Depression", SAGE Journals
3. Reduce lower back pain
• "Yoga treatment for chronic non‐specific low back pain", Cochrane Library
4. Increase brain functions
• "Examining the Acute Effects of Hatha Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation on Executive Function and Mood", Springer Library
5. Prevent heart diseases
• "The effectiveness of yoga in modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, SAGE Journals
• "Better Cardiovascular Outcomes of Combined Specific Indian Yoga and Aerobic Exercise in Obese Coronary Patients With Type 2 Diabetes", JAAC Journals
6. Increase well-being and sense of happiness
• "Increased well-being: Another reason to try yoga", Harvard Medical School

Enjoy your journey of practicing yoga, hope it brings you balance, flexibility, strength, and peace.

Contributed by Sha Zhao
Yoga instructor and Premier Bicycling Club member

Meditation and Mindfulness

A few years ago Sha and I attended a 10 day silent meditation retreat. Meditation is known for helping with finding inner peace and calm but what are the health benefits of meditation. Sara Lazar, PhD., a neuroscientist has a great TED Talk discussing the effects of meditation on the brain.

The National Institutes of Health also summarize the benefits of meditation here:

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know

Think about adding some meditation to your daily health routine!

Contributed by Elliot Dater

Sleep is your superpower

 

Sleep scientist Matt Walker will literally grab you by the b*lls and shake you with some research you need to hear about the importance of sleep to your overall well-being.

Sleep is your life-support system and Mother Nature's best effort yet at immortality, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. In this deep dive into the science of slumber, Walker shares the wonderfully good things that happen when you get sleep -- and the alarmingly bad things that happen when you don't, for both your brain and body. Learn more about sleep's impact on your learning, memory, immune system and even your genetic code -- as well as some helpful tips for getting some shut-eye.

Contributed by Jim Morgan