Restorative yoga is known as a gentler, kinder form of yoga practice and is a perfect way to balance your busy summer lifestyle and improve your physical and mental health. Below are 8 benefits to incorporating restorative yoga into your daily practice.

1. Restorative Yoga Boosts Metabolism and Weight Loss

A study from the University of California proved that regular restorative yoga practice is more effective in combating extra pounds and controlling weight than any other active stretching regime. The yogis who practice restorative yoga usually can lose more weight than the stretchers because restorative poses help them decrease cortisol level. As you know high levels of cortisol are lead to increased abdominal fat.

2. Restorative Yoga Reduces Stress and Strengthens Immune System

This gentle type of yoga is very effective in the fight against stress that so negatively affects the immune system. Besides, practicing restorative yoga stimulates the lungs, respiratory tract and the lymphatic system, which in turn helps you detoxify the body of harmful toxins and bring oxygenated blood to the different organs in order to improve their function.

3. Restorative Yoga Improves Flexibility

While practicing restorative poses with props, your muscles will gradually stretch when you’re in a relaxed state.

4. Restorative Yoga Brings Balance to the Nervous System

If you’re always very busy and nervous, restorative yoga is what you really need in your chaotic life. Doing restorative yoga poses can affect your nervous system in a positive manner and make you feel much better.

Our central nervous system consists of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The first system is responsible for the “fight or flight mode” and the second one is for our breathing, heart and metabolic rates.

You usually overwork your sympathetic nervous system in your everyday life. But with the help of restorative yoga, you have a chance to stimulate the parasympathetic system and in such a way to balance your central nervous system.

5. Restorative Yoga Helps You Identify Where You Are Tense

Restorative yoga practice gives you the opportunity to know who you are and find out where you held the tension. If you realize that once, you can gradually make small changes in your everyday life for the better.

6. Restorative Yoga Makes You Heal and Recover Faster

Restorative yoga is a wonderful way to make your mind and body to recover quickly. It doesn’t get the body just moving, keeping it mobile and stretched, but restorative poses keep your body as well as mind restful and stress-free. All this is very important for better and faster recovery.

7. Restorative Yoga Lets You Enjoy Each Pose

Restorative poses can hold longer than other ones, so you can benefit from the full and deep stretch and, moreover, receive great pleasure from each pose. Using props allows you to lower the risk of straining muscles by rushing into the pose.

8. Restorative Yoga Slows Down the Aging Process

You’re getting older and that’s inevitable. However, there’s a cool way to smooth the aging process. Practicing restorative yoga will definitely help you because it can improve your balance and stability, lower high blood pressure, decrease anxiety and stress, boost mindfulness, enhance respiration, flexibility and joint health.

Trust us, we know how crazy the summer can get when you’ve got a little army full of athletes and social butterflies, but caring for self is just as important as caring for your loved ones. Try incorporating restorative yoga into your daily routines this summer for a great mental break and an even better workout.

Thanks for these reminders...Helen Rogers who is an editor for https://thecrossfitshoes.com/ (I am not personally endorsing the site...)