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Benefits of Yoga for Kids
Our children are living in a world full of distractions from video games, to school pressure, exam stress, extracurricular activities, the stress to cope up with others and peer pressure. The influence of this fast paced life can have a profound effect on all aspects of their growth. It is our responsibility to instill healthy habits like yoga for kids in them from an early age so that they can counter these pressures with ease and go through life with a sense of peace in their minds and a good self-esteem since it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a 5000-year-old Indian body of knowledge. It means the union of the individual consciousness or soul with the universal consciousness or spirit. It is a group of physical, mental and spiritual practices or disciplines. On June 21, 2015, the first UN International Day of Yoga was celebrated. Though yoga is an ancient practice, modern science is validating its benefits. Modern life is driving people to ancient yoga. Several people involved in the act of yoga have talked about the transformation they experienced by practicing it. They claim to experience a peace of mind, clarity in their lives and a sense of connection to their true and deeper selves. Yoga is a way of life, there are numerous stories of yoga helping people heal from physical, mental and emotional ailments. Yoga helps us utilize the gold mine within each one of us by connecting us to our deepest selves to attain true peace and joy in life.
Also Read: Ruchaka Yoga
Benefits Of Yoga For Kids
Yoga can have enormous benefits in a child’s life in all areas. Most parents are now realizing the importance of this practice and involving their kids as well. Schools have started incorporating yoga classes in their curriculum to raise awareness about the subject and its benefits among the students. Once children are acquainted with the innumerable benefits this practice imparts it motivates them to indulge in it.
1. Improves Flexibility
While performing certain yoga poses one has to stretch the whole body from head to toe. This might not be possible to achieve in a single go but with practice, it becomes easier. Stretching the body tightens the muscles and increases strength. Strength and flexibility allow for more immunity to severe injuries. Bodies will also breathe better, work more efficiently and protect the more fragile joints.
2. Awareness Of Breath
Deep breathing exercises relax the body and mind simultaneously. It teaches the children to be more aware of the present moment. It helps in increasing focus and improves lung capacity. It also reduces stress as healthy hormones are released.
3. Enhances Concentration
The act of practicing yoga enables the children to clear their minds and focus on the positions. Over time with this one minded focus on the act, the level of concentration increases. As a result, yoga for kids helps them to concentrate and focus on school activities and do better academically.
4. Builds Self-Esteem and Confidence
Yoga elevates a child’s health physically, mentally and spiritually. It builds a positive self-image and gives room for self-assessment. The art of mastering the physical yoga positions teaches children patience and perseverance and to put in efforts towards their goal. This helps in boosting their self-esteem and confidence by building inner strength.
5. Increases Blood Circulation
While practicing certain inverted relaxation exercises like headstands, handstands, shoulder stands, etc., the venous blood from the leg and pelvis flows back to the heart, where it is pumped to the lungs to be freshly oxygenated. Yoga for kids gets more oxygen to the cells and boosts levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells which carry oxygen to the tissues. Increased blood circulation promotes healthier skin and helps cells grow.
6. Improves Immunity
Children are vulnerable, and with seasons changing, the chances of falling sick rises sharply. When the immune system is weak, the body easily contracts pathogens in air or water. Yoga is a natural immunity booster. It is highly effective in strengthening the body’s defense mechanism. It is not an alternative to medicines but rather a precaution to keep diseases at bay.
7. Helps Sleep Deeper
The hustle and bustle of everyday life can get tiring. The pressure of doing well in school to being active in extracurricular activities and also coping with peers can become really stressful for children. This might cause them to have irregular sleep cycles and disturbed sleep.
Yoga for kids can provide relief from all such anxiety. Certain asanas are aimed at relaxing the nervous system which helps the body rest better and sleep deeper.
Also Read: 8 Reasons Why Children Below 15 Shouldn’t Have A Phone
8. Refines Balance
Balancing poses in yoga are created to promote mental and physical poise. Such poses might not be attainable right away, it requires practice. Patience and effort while practicing refines the balance of the body and mind. As children learn to improve their physical balance, they will be filled with a sense of accomplishment which builds a positive self-image.
9. Attain A Peaceful, Relaxed State Of Body And Mind
All yoga for kids classes ends with a quiet time known as Deep Relaxation. In this state, the children are required to lie down on their backs in quite, peaceful stillness. It lasts for a few minutes, the goal of this exercise is to let children appreciate the importance of peace.
10. Teaches Discipline And Responsibility
Yoga is not a destination, it’s a journey that requires patience and perseverance. When children are made aware of the benefits of a committed practice, it ripples out in their day to day activities. Getting involved in yoga for kids at an early age imbibes a sense of discipline and responsibility that they carry with themselves for the rest of their lives.
