At its core, yoga is a movement-based exercise that draws from all of our surroundings. Even though it originated thousands of years ago, when desks were not the norm. Due to their adaptable nature, people have invented a new way of doing desk-top yoga for employees who must spend extended hours sitting.

If you have ever noticed, a lot of yoga is drawn from nature itself, with poses like the mountain pose, tree pose, cobra, Matsya (fish), and cat-cow pose etc. We learn from our surroundings and incorporate those learnings into yoga, hence doing yoga outside, makes sense to many people. While it does come down to personal preference, there are many great benefits of yoga.

Why Should You Try Outside Yoga?

One of the greatest things about yoga is that you can do it almost anywhere. It turns out that being in nature makes your yoga practice better in ways that being in a studio doesn't. In a study published in the Population and Health journal 2021, researchers found that doing nature activities helped people feel less depressed, less anxious, more positive, and less negative. The studies that weren't as well-organized mostly showed the same thing. We didn't find as much proof that nature activities helped with physical health.

The nature activities that seemed to work best lasted for about 2 to 3 months, and people did them for about 20 minutes to an hour and a half each time. So, things like gardening, exercising in nature, and special therapy that uses nature can really help adults feel better mentally, even if they already have mental health problems.

How Outside Yoga Is Beneficial

Nature Gives You More Energy

The American Psychological Association explains that our bodies used to deal with stress by getting bursts of energy, which helped us survive way back when. Being outside tells your brain you're in a safe, natural place. This helps your body calm down and stay alert. Studies show that being around trees makes people feel more lively and full of energy. That extra energy is awesome for doing more active types of yoga!

Nature Wakes Up Your Senses

When you do yoga outside instead of in a room, you start to really notice things – smells, sights, and how things feel. According to Mayo Clinic this wakes up parts of your brain that make you more present in the moment. Fresh air can make you more aware of your breathing. Looking at pretty nature makes your brain release happy chemicals. Even touching grass or sand feels good and can help you focus on what's happening right now instead of your to-do list.

Trying Yoga Outside Builds Your Confidence

Doing yoga in a new place, like outside, might feel a little strange at first. It's easy to feel a bit awkward if you're used to a studio. However, trying new things, even if they feel weird at the start, can make you feel more confident. Imagine doing sun salutations with the actual sun on your skin or feeling strong in tree pose while looking at a real tree. It's a cool way to learn what your body can do!

Being Outside Makes Meditation Even Better

According to Materia Socio-Medica researchers have found that people who meditate regularly have a calmer brain. It turns out that being in nature, like a forest, can also lower your stress levels. One expert pointed out that Buddha himself meditated outside, not in a building. So, taking your meditation or your whole yoga practice outdoors can make those good feelings even stronger and help you feel more peaceful and connected to the world around you.

Yoga is all about finding balance, from your breath to how you stand and focus. In the physical practice of yoga, having a strong and focused core is key to holding any pose. Without it, your yoga practice might not be as effective.

The Cleveland Clinic explains just how important a strong core is and shares some yoga poses to help you build it.

Many people mistakenly believe their core is just their stomach muscles, but it's actually much more! Your core includes your diaphragm (your main breathing muscle), hip flexors and hip adductor muscles (in your hips and inner thighs), gluteal muscles (your butt muscles), and pelvic floor muscles (at the base of your pelvis).

These large muscle groups give you stability and support for almost every move you make daily. A strong core helps your body handle daily forces, reducing strain on your joints.

Poses You Should Do To Gain Strength

The following yoga poses are designed to build your core strength. Start by holding each pose for two to three breaths, then gradually increase the hold time as you get stronger. If a pose is done on one side, remember to repeat it on the other side for a balanced workout.

Move into and out of these poses slowly to protect your muscles and joints. If you have pain that has lasted longer than two weeks or a specific injury, always talk to a healthcare professional, like a physical therapist, for personalized advice.

Spinal Balance (Balancing Table Pose)

This pose helps strengthen your core and lengthen your spine. Start on hands and knees, pull your belly in, and keep your back flat. Reach one arm forward. For more challenge, lift the opposite leg back, keeping hips level. This pose might be harder with knee or arm/shoulder mobility issues.

Side Plank

Side plank improves balance and strengthens your core without straining your back. Begin like a push-up. Turn to one side, supporting yourself on one outstretched arm with your shoulder over your wrist. Keep hips stacked and lifted. Spread fingers wide, pulling shoulders from ears. For an easier version, rest on your bottom knee.

Plank

This simple pose builds strength in your upper body, forearms, wrists, and primarily the front of your stomach muscles. From hands and knees, lift hips and straighten legs. Squeeze your belly, pulling your belly button up. Bring shoulder blades together and tighten thighs to keep your body straight. You can drop to your knees for an easier option. Remember to breathe into your chest.

Boat Pose

Boat pose is challenging but adaptable. The goal is to keep your back straight and chest lifted, avoiding slouching. Sit with bent knees, hands behind you. Lift lower legs parallel to the mat, pulling your belly in. For more challenge, extend arms forward, or even straighten both legs, aiming for a "V" shape balancing on your sit bones.

Chair Pose

Chair pose is a standing exercise that works your thighs, ankles, and core, requiring focus. From standing, squat down, bending knees. Press inner thighs together, shifting weight to heels, and drop your tailbone. Raise arms overhead. Hold as long as you can. For an easier option, bring hands to your chest. For a deeper challenge, sink lower.

Yoga has a variety of poses, routines, and exercises that can help you build your strength. Many people falsely believe that yoga is just about flexibility; however, if you lack stability, endurance as well as muscle strength, you may not be able to do yoga. The great thing is that yoga poses can help you build these skills.

Poses That Can Help You Build Endurance For Yoga

Holding a plank is a full-body exercise that really tests your limits. However, if you do not have the strength or endurance, holding a plank for a longer period can be difficult. If you want to hold your plank with more stability, strengthening your forearms is key. Stronger forearms give you the support you need. Many yoga poses are great for building this forearm strength, helping you get better at holding a plank.

Downward-Facing Dog

This common pose is great for making your arms stronger. Push evenly through your hands and fingertips, lifting your hips high. This works your forearms and wrists, making them stable. Doing this pose regularly will get your arms ready to hold your weight, like in a plank.

Crow Pose

Crow Pose is a balancing pose that needs a lot of forearm and wrist strength. You balance your body on your bent arms, which makes your forearms work hard to keep you steady. Even just trying to lift one foot will really work these muscles. Doing this often will build amazing forearm power.

Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga)

Often seen in yoga classes, Chaturanga is super for arm and core strength. In this pose, your forearms work hard to lower and hold your body close to the floor, building endurance. Keep your elbows tucked in to make sure your forearms are doing the work, getting them ready for a plank.

Side Plank

Side Plank is excellent for making your whole arm stronger, including your forearms, and it also builds core strength. When you hold this pose, your bottom forearm and wrist work hard to support your body's weight. Push down through your hand and lift your hips to really make your forearms work.

Dolphin Pose

Dolphin Pose is a good way to get ready for forearm stands and directly targets forearm strength. In this pose, you rest on your forearms, pushing them firmly into the ground as you lift your hips. This builds strength and endurance in your forearms, similar to what you need for a plank.

Plank Pose

Of course, practicing Plank Pose itself is key! When you hold a plank, your forearms are always working to support your body, keeping it in a straight line. Focus on pressing through your hands, spreading your fingers wide, and pulling your belly button in. This helps spread the effort and makes your forearms stronger over time.

Handstand Prep Against Wall

Even though a full handstand is tough, practicing Handstand Prep against a wall seriously builds forearm and wrist strength. By kicking up a little or just leaning into your hands against the wall, you put a lot of weight on your forearms. This helps get them ready for the long effort needed to hold a plank.

Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines careful movements, focused breathing, and being present in the moment. It started over 3,000 years ago in India and has many different styles, each with its own poses, breathing methods, and meditation.

Yoga has many benefits for your well-being, including better mental and emotional health, reduced stress, relief from some types of pain, weight loss, and improved sleep. This article will focus on how yoga can help you sleep better.

Does Yoga Really Help You Sleep?

According to the Sleep Foundation, more than half of people who practice yoga say their sleep has improved, and over 85% report less stress. Many studies show that yoga can help different groups of people sleep better. These studies usually look at the quality of sleep, not just how much sleep someone gets. That's because getting more sleep doesn't always mean better sleep or feeling good. Good quality sleep usually means feeling energized during the day and not being woken up easily at night.

Yoga and Insomnia

Insomnia means you can't fall asleep or stay asleep. It can lead to feeling sleepy and unfocused during the day, memory problems, and mood changes. Studies show that yoga can be very helpful in managing sleep problems like insomnia. Yoga is especially good for certain groups with insomnia, such as women after menopause and women with breast cancer.

Yoga and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)

Restless leg syndrome is an uncomfortable or even painful urge to move your legs. This urge often happens when you're still, like at night. RLS affects more women than men. In a small study of women with RLS, their symptoms got much better after just eight weeks of yoga classes. Their sleep, stress, and mood also improved a lot. While more research is needed, these results suggest that yoga is a helpful tool for improving sleep in people with RLS.

How Often Should You Practice Yoga for Better Sleep?

Doing yoga sometimes will likely help your sleep quality more than not doing it at all. However, people who practice yoga regularly and over a long period tend to get better quality sleep.

If you want to use yoga to improve your sleep, try to make it a regular part of your routine. This could mean going to classes weekly, setting aside a specific time to practice at home, or doing a mix of both. Here are some poses recommended by the Sleep Foundation, doing these poses can help you induce sleep and make you feel rested.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

Start standing, then gently fold your body forward over your legs. Let your hands rest wherever comfortable – on your elbows, shins, or the floor. This pose helps calm your mind.

Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Lie on your back, press the bottoms of your feet together, and let your knees gently fall open to the sides. You can keep your arms by your sides or above your head for a gentle stretch.

Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Lie on your back and rest your legs straight up against a wall, forming an "L" shape with your body. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides. This pose is very calming and restorative.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Often the last pose in a yoga session, lie flat on the floor. Place your arms by your sides with palms facing up, and your legs straight. This pose helps you fully relax your body and mind.