We have been known that yoga could do wonders although it is not as popular as other relaxing and strengthening exercises. Scientists wanted to know whether this hype given to yoga is correct, and thereby many studies have come into the picture. It is understood that yoga is not only associated with physical strength concerning exercise but also it offers you the calmness and relaxation when you are practicing yoga with mediation.
People who suffer from depression may want to look to yoga as a complement to traditional therapies as the practice appears to lessen symptoms of the disorder, according to studies presented at the 125th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. Source
Practicing yoga will not only reduce your stress, but it also helps to reverse the DNA linked to stress. It is proven that yoga can be used to treat your depression levels. This happens because Yoga is associated with influencing GABA levels, this refers to gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is vital for controlling neural activity to produce calmness.
Mind-body interventions (MBIs) such as meditation, yoga and Tai Chi don't simply relax us; they can 'reverse' the molecular reactions in our DNA which cause ill-health and depression, according to a study. Source
There is a piece of evidence that practicing yoga could increase grey matter that is located in the in the cerebral cortex and subcortical areas in your brain, which may be decreased by the depression individuals. The consequences of which are poorer pain tolerances, memory impairment and decreased cognitive functioning. Therefore, fortunately, practicing yoga may increase grey matter.
Gray matter changes in the insula or internal structures of the cerebral cortex are most significant for pain tolerance. “Insula gray matter size correlates with pain tolerance, and increases in insula gray matter can result from ongoing yoga practice. Source
However, there is a limit to everything that we need to consider. Practicing yoga is a good thing, but practicing alone or without knowing specific basic knowledge could lead to significant unwanted consequences. This is because new research has shown that there has been an increased number of injuries for a considerable number of years.
Yoga causes musculoskeletal pain in 10 percent of people and exacerbates 21 percent of existing injuries, research shows. The findings come from the first prospective study to investigate injuries caused by recreational participation in yoga. The injury rate is up to 10 times higher than has previously been reported. Source
Therefore, although Yoga is a fantastic form of exercise to be fit and emotionally intense, which offers you any kind of asanas and breathing exercises, practicing it with a guru or tutor starting with small asanas gives you the best out of it.