Yoga is a form of exercise and self-care that I really have to work on, it doesn’t come as naturally to me as a HIIT workout or going for a jog would. It’s slower and requires more patience which is not my strong point!

I recently introduced yoga to my online community and the reaction has been great. This week I’m going to discuss the benefits of yoga and what we’re doing on Derval.ie. For this week’s recipe, I’m sharing a gorgeous lamb tagine.

Yoga is a group of mental, physical and spiritual practices. It has amazing benefits for your body but also your mind. This is one of the reasons why I was so eager to introduce it on Derval.ie as it combines the fitness element with the mindfulness element & I think is something that everyone appreciates during the current climate.

Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility:
This is one of the physical benefits. Yoga improves your posture, balance, coordination, and range of motion which are things which will help in everyday life. While you’re strengthening your bones, you’re also targeting your muscles which surround your bones, making you much stronger overall.

Yoga can help with injuries or illnesses:
Yoga is known for helping with things such as back & joint pain & easing symptoms of arthritis. Yoga stretches and strengthens the bodies muscles and bones which helps with lots of injuries, or if you don’t have injuries, it can keep you feeling fit & mobile.

Yoga relaxes you:
This is the element which relates to mindfulness. When you think about practicing yoga, you think about being still, in nice surroundings, with calming music in the background. It can be a great way to unwind. As well as being a super stress-busting technique, it can also improve the quality of your sleep – which is something I know lots of people are struggling with lately.

Yoga can mean more energy:
We all know that regular physical activity of any form – workouts, stretching, walking, running – has a positive impact on your energy levels, yoga is the very same.
Yoga can also help to improve your mood by lifting your energy levels, reducing stress & relaxing you, your mood will feel brighter.
Yoga promotes self-care – which is something that many of us can ignore in our busy lives. Practicing yoga regularly will ensure you’re getting that very important self-care time in each week.

Emer Harrington leads the yoga classes on my site and she also has her own online yoga studio. For my new challenge starting on derval.ie on Monday, yoga will be a weekly element for the first time which is very exciting. It will be mixed with outdoor exercise ideas and lots of recipe inspiration coming into summer.