Yoga, it’s often regarded as a ’feminine’ form of exercise. A little stretching here and there- how hard could it be?
Yet, despite yoga often being dismissed as an easy exercise, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Yoga is strenuous and can provide a host of benefits for both men and women alike.
Here are the top 5 Reasons that men should take up yoga.
1) Stress
Yoga has been revered for thousands of years as the ultimate stress buster. It has been shown that it can help to modulate the stress response system. This, in turn, helps to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and improve respiration.
One small but insightful study researched the effect of yoga on stress, reviewing 35 participants. Out of this number, 25 noted a significant decrease in stress and/or anxiety symptoms when a yoga regimen was implemented.
2) Flexibility
It is a common misconception that you must be flexible to do yoga. Some people are naturally more flexible than others, but if you are looking to improve your flexibility, yoga might be the thing you.
Studies have shown that improved flexibility is one of the most significant benefits of yoga. With continued practice, the muscles and connective tissues surrounding the bones and joints begin to loosen, helping to reduce aches and pains.
3) Improves Sex Life
This is often one of the most popular benefits of yoga. Flexibility, strength, and endurance go hand in hand with sex, and when combined, can help to improve your sex life. In fact, one study suggested that yoga could help men with premature ejaculation.
The study examined 68 men with premature ejaculation, comparing those taking a standard drug treatment named Prozac, to those who implemented yoga. Both groups saw significant improvements, and the research concluded that “yoga appears to be a feasible, safe, effective, and acceptable nonpharmacological option for PE.”
4) Prostate Cancer Recovery
In recent years, yoga has been regarded as very beneficial for men battling prostate disease. It has been noted as especially beneficial for prostate cancer recovery.
A new study suggests that doing yoga twice a week may improve the quality of life for men being treated for prostate cancer and may help to reduce the side effects of radiation, which include fatigue, sexual dysfunction, and urinary incontinence.
5) Builds Muscle
For those wanting to build muscle, good news! Regular yoga can help to keep you toned and build muscle mass. When you hold yoga poses for extended periods, you are pushing your muscles to support your body weight.
One study reviewed a randomized trial of young, healthy adults who performed 24, 90-minute sessions of yoga over eight weeks. The researchers found that participants had increased deadlift strength, increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and a decrease in body fat.
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Conclusion
Yoga hosts a wealth of benefits for both men and women. However, with yoga being labeled as an easy form of exercise, usually popular with women, many men are missing out on the benefits. For men who have prostate cancer, participating in yoga could be very advantageous for your mental and sexual health and could even accelerate your recovery.
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