Many of us exercise for physical benefits, like improved posture and stronger muscles. But adding some movement to your day can also boost your mental wellbeing.
This 15 minute yoga routine comes from teacher Lindsay Monal and the team at YogaRenew. It's a flow sequence, which means that you will move seamlessly between each pose, concentrating on your breath and examining how your body feels. This kind of focused, gentle exercise can help you develop your mind-muscle connection, a form of mindfulness that brings your attention to your body.
You don’t need much to get started. Just a yoga mat and some time and space to complete the routine. Squeeze it into your week regularly and it could help you build resilience and mental strength.
Watch Lindsay Monal's 15-minute wellbeing yoga routine
It's easy to feel overwhelmed when you're tight on time. But one of the benefits of yoga is that it can ease stress and anxiety by bringing your focus to the present moment and the movement of your body.
Monal's session is ideal for beginners, as it features gentle movements that are carefully demonstrated by the teacher. It also ends with a few minutes of shavasana, a restful pose where you focus on your breath. This is essentially a form of meditation, which should help you find some calm when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Another significant benefit of yoga is its impact on your flexibility. Research published in Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies suggests that just one yoga session a week could improve your flexibility. If you don't have time to do the above sequence, you could try doing a five minute yoga routine or this 10-move morning yoga routine for a mindful start to the day.
Other benefits of yoga include improvements to your mobility, core strength and balance. All of these play a role in our physical fitness, so it's well worth incorporating some yoga sequences into your weekly routines alongside strengthening exercises and cardio.
