5 Ways How Yoga Helps to Boost the Immune System
With autumn coming and the temperatures dropping, the sniffy noses make a reappearance as well. Find out how yoga helps to boost the immune system to help you get through the winter season.
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Our body is a pretty insane invention, don’t you think so? What the body does for you, how it is designed, and how all the different parts work together fascinates me every day.
Just think about your breath. Your body simply does it for you, you don’t even have to remind yourself to take a breath, it just happens! But without it, we would not be alive.
However…we also know that this is a two-way street. Mother nature gifts you this beautiful body, your vessel for this journey, and it is your job to look after it. And the more you look after it, the better your body can work for you and with you.
When we get a cold or the flu, our bodies are usually run down. Working long hours, constant pressure to deliver, social engagements, financial worries, etc. all can cause a lot of stress and when we are stressed, the first thing we cut back on is ourselves. Yep, that is right! We drop our gym sessions, sleep less, compromise our nutrition, etc.
The immune system helps us to fight viruses and bacteria throughout the year, but if our body is run down, our immune system is weak, and the chances that we catch a cold are much higher.
Does yoga improve your immune system? Well, I already gave it away in the title of this blog post, but the answer is…yes!
Regular yoga practice can bring SO many benefits to your life. In this blog post, we will focus on 5 ways how yoga helps to boost the immune system. If you would like to hear more about the benefits that yoga can bring to your life, check out my blog post 11 Reasons Why You Should Start Yoga.
How yoga helps to boost the immune system #1: Yoga helps to ease stress
Stress can trigger inflammation. And as we already mentioned earlier, when life gets stressful, the first thing we tend to do is we cut back on ourselves. We drop the gym, sleep less, compromise on our nutrition, etc.
But all this only drags us further down the rabbit hole and over time, we end up with a weakened immune system which means that we are more likely to catch a cold.
Yoga is moving meditation. It calms the nervous system and helps to ease stress. A calm nervous system helps to keep the immune system strong and resistant. And when your immune system is strong, you are less likely to catch a cold.
How yoga helps to boost the immune system #2: Yoga helps to strengthen the lungs
In yoga, we link breath with movement, and by doing so, we connect with the biggest superpower that we have, our breath (prana = life force energy). Yoga makes us more aware of our breath and teaches us how to use our breath more consciously.
How we breathe has an effect on our mental, emotional, and physical state. E.g. when we are stressed, our breaths get shorter and tenser, whereas when we are calm and relaxed, we take deeper and longer breaths. And as we just said, a calm nervous system keeps the immune system strong.
In addition to learning how to breathe more consciously, yoga introduces a variety of breathing techniques, also known as breathwork exercises or pranayama.
Colds tend to affect our respiratory system. If the immune system is not strong enough, the bacteria will go onto the lungs and cause bronchitis or even pneumonia.
Conscious breathing and breathing techniques can help to support lung efficiency and strengthen the whole lung as such which helps to prevent infection.
How yoga helps to boost the immune system #3: Yoga supports the organs
When we sit for many hours or are exposed to stress, our body slumps and gets tense. Yoga postures help to open up the body and create space within, allowing the organs to unfold and the energy to flow.
If you have been to a yoga class before, you know how refreshed and energized your body feels after a yoga class. Movement, stretches, twists, etc. help to massage the internal organs and invite the organs to release any toxins out of the body.
When we release toxins out of the body, fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients can flow back into the body, leaving the body, refreshed, energized, and strong.
How yoga helps to boost the immune system #4: Yoga keeps the body juicy
Imagine a car that you don’t drive for a few years vs. a car that you drive every day. The car that you drive every day is likely to run much smoother. Right?!
Regular yoga practice helps to keep the joints mobile and strengthens the muscles of the body. And while you strengthen the body from the inside, you keep it resistant on the outside. Another great way how yoga helps to strengthen the immune system.
How yoga helps to boost the immune system #5: Yoga encourages a healthy lifestyle
Through regular yoga practice, you get to know your body. You learn your body’s strengths and weaknesses. You learn how to work with your body and appreciate it more for what it does for you.
As soon as you start to appreciate your body more, you will notice yourself making healthier choices for yourself. Maybe you reduce your sugar intake, drink less coffee, try a more vegetarian diet, etc.
You might first notice that in your nutrition, but soon enough healthier choices will reflect in your whole lifestyle. You might start a morning routine, add self-care to your weekly schedule, set clear boundaries for yourself, etc.
Strong body, strong mind!
Consistency is key
Yes, good old consistency! But consistency really is key if you would like to use yoga to help you to strengthen your immune system.
There is no point in practicing yoga regularly over a certain amount of time and then dropping your practice for a month. If you are looking to strengthen your body, you need to do this on a regular basis. Keep in mind the image of the car that you drive every day vs. the car that you don’t drive every day. Keep it juicy, keep it flowing!
And no, it does not have to be a full-hour yoga session every day. Already 10 – 15 min can make a huge difference. And as soon as you start noticing all the benefits that yoga can bring into your life, your body and mind will ask you for more and you end up doing more of it automatically.
We are all different and there are so many ways how you can strengthen your immune system, but if you like yoga or feel ready to give it a go, add it to the mix!
Looking to establish a regular yoga practice?
Let me help you out here. Simply take my 3-day morning yoga challenge to help you get started!
It is completely free! Check out my blog post 5 Benefits of Yoga in the Morning – 3-Day Morning Yoga Challenge and find all the details there.
And if you like flowing with me, check out my weekly schedule. I would love to see you on the mat!
Feel free to leave any questions below or drop me a message. Look forward to hearing from you.
Learn more about natural antibiotics.
Stay wild, stay healthy, and happy flowing beautiful warrior.
Nicolle
Featured image: Photo by Patrick McGregor on Unsplash
I do enjoy yoga 🙂 but I need to get better at doing it consistently ?
Let’s flow together maybe one day! Would love to see you on the mat 😉
Thank you great tips, I must give Yoga a try, I have never done it, but the benefits are huge, thank you for the reminder. Great post.
You are so welcome 😉
Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, Tia.