Body practices for relaxation and recovery

1. Asana is a posture, a stable, motionless, comfortable position of the body. For beginners, they may seem uncomfortable, but the negative feelings disappear as soon as you master the basic movements.
   At first, it may be difficult to perform the first pose, but it will become easier with each repetition.
2. Pranayama is the art of breath control. The complete cycle includes puraka (inhalation), kumbhaka (retention), rechaka (exhalation), and shunyaka (pause after exhalation). It creates a habit of directing attention to one’s own feelings, teaches how to manage the mind, even in difficult situations, and has a beneficial effect on the body.
3. Meditation is a mental technique for complete concentration and observation of what is happening inside. Usually, to start practicing, it is necessary to take a comfortable position, close your eyes, lower your shoulders, and observe your breathing. Meditation does not require any special equipment, only an inner willingness to be in the present moment.

Yoga helps to improve the body and slow down the age-related destructive processes, put muscles, joints, skin and other organs in order and optimize the functioning of the body systems. Many studies have shown that yoga effectively relieves stress and fatigue, helps to cope with depression, alleviates pain, reduces the risk of heart and vascular diseases.

This is a yoga in which the exercises are selected as a result of the joint work of professional yogis and real neuroscientists. They have a beneficial effect proven by scientific research and are suitable for solving problems related to slowing down aging, improving health and prolonging life.

Many studies have shown that yoga not only helps to improve physical fitness, but also has an impact on overall well-being:

• improves body health, increases muscle and skin tone, and enhances joint mobility;
• alleviates pain;
• slows down age-related changes;
• reduces the risk of heart and vascular diseases;
• effectively relieves stress and fatigue;
• helps to cope with depression, anxiety, or fears.

In many cases, it is the body that is the first to “signal” physical or emotional overload: unpleasant sensations, clamps, and pain appear. Yoga allows you to work with these signals rather than ignore them.

Yoga exercises produce beneficial structural changes at the genetic level, as has been proven by scientists from Norway. According to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE (2013), participants experienced changes in 111 genes associated with stress reduction and platelet production after just two days of yoga therapy, which included breathing practices, asanas, and meditation. These changes were observed immediately during the practice and were long-lasting.

After practicing yoga, the areas of the brain responsible for memory, attention, learning, and emotional control improve, including the growth of the hippocampus, the development of the prefrontal and cingulate cortices, and the amygdala. This increases our chances of maintaining mental clarity in old age.

Thus, the practice works not only at the physical level but also at the mental level, creating a strong connection between the body and the mind.

Qigong is an ancient Chinese system that aims to restore the balance of the body and mind through movement, breathing, and concentration. It includes gentle gymnastics, breathing practices, elements of self-massage, and simple meditation techniques. There are various branches of qigong with different sets of exercises.

Unlike intense workouts, qigong is often performed slowly and in simple positions, such as standing or with minimal movement. The focus is not on exertion, but on being mindful of what is happening in the body, including the tension in the arms, legs, abdomen, head, and breathing.

Qigong is valuable for its accessibility: it is easy to perform, does not require high physical fitness, and is suitable for men and women of different ages. The exercises have almost no contraindications and help to gradually regain a sense of lightness and calmness without making sudden efforts.

Regular practice:

• guarantees the removal of psychological tension;
• improves concentration and helps to recover from injuries;
• contributes to the reduction of anxiety;
• heals depression, hypertension and joint diseases;
• improves the work of the respiratory, digestive and cardiovascular systems.