The heart works continuously to maintain the circulation of blood, oxygen, and hormones throughout the body. Healthy habits, including daily exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate rest, support stable heart function. Among these, yoga, with its core-strengthening poses, improved joint flexibility, and breathing techniques, offers numerous cardiovascular benefits.

Helps reduce blood fats and bad cholesterol

Regular yoga practice helps balance blood fats and cholesterol by reducing stress, improving metabolism, increasing blood circulation, aiding fat burning, and regulating hormones. These effects promote efficient heart function, decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, and support long-term health.

Weight management

Obesity is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Excess body fat forces the heart to work harder and increases circulatory volume. The accumulation of visceral fat can cause inflammation and damage to blood vessels, while also raising bad cholesterol levels, leading to high blood pressure and dyslipidemia (blood fat disorders).

Yoga burns calories, reduces stress, and improves concentration. A regular yoga practice also helps individuals maintain a healthy lifestyle and make appropriate dietary choices, indirectly boosting cardiovascular health.

Combats inflammation

Inflammation is a natural immune response that protects the body from injury, infection, and harmful agents. However, chronic inflammation can impair the heart's pumping function, causing arrhythmias, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Yoga helps combat inflammation by reducing stress hormones like cortisol, stimulating endorphin release, and improving immune function, thereby benefiting cardiovascular health.

Enhances physical fitness

Yoga improves physical fitness by increasing strength, flexibility, and balance. Stretching poses can also reduce fat, making the body more supple and toned, and alleviating aches. Better overall physical health contributes to a reduced risk of heart disease.

Reduces stress

Chronic stress can elevate blood pressure and heart rate, harming the cardiovascular system. Yoga, through deep breathing exercises and relaxation techniques, helps reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. When practicing yoga, it is important to focus on breathing, listen to your body, avoid overexertion, warm up thoroughly, and progress from simple to complex poses using correct methods.

By Le Nguyen (According to Hindustan Times)