Yoga is a popular form of exercise that’s becoming more commonly known for its many health benefits. In addition to its physical fitness benefits, yoga can also help people become more resilient towards mental health issues. Mental resilience refers to the ability to and capacity to cope or recover quickly from stress, disruption, or turmoil. It’s a skill that can be cultivated in many forms, including proper nutrition, self-care, and, importantly, physical exercise.

Brimming with physical and mental restorative benefits, yoga is a perfect form of exercise that strengthens and nurtures the body and mind. Through the practice of mindful breathing and various postures, yoga helps reduce stress while enhancing physical strength and balance. It only takes a few minutes of practice to experience the physical effects, and over time, the mental and emotional effects too. Yoga also encourages peace, self-discovery, and acceptance, making it more than just a physical exercise.

At its core, yogic disciplines revolve around asanas, or postures that make up the practice and create the structures used to begin and end sessions. Each asana offers its own unique benefits and poses varying degrees of challenge. The basic poses are easy to learn, making the practice ideal for total beginners or those who are more experienced. Whether taking a free class online or with a certified teacher, the sequence of poses varies from instructor to instructor, but they all offer an opportunity to get out of the chaos of life, take a moment to connect with one’s self, and build strength and resilience.

Yoga is about more than physical movement. The practice comes with the idea of building a relationship with one’s self and learning to accept who you are. Over time, you can come to discover that having a resilient and well balanced body and mind is a privilege that everyone should take advantage of. With the help of yoga, achieving that mental resilience can be done through the simple, yet empowering, practice of asanas.