There is a lot of information about the mind-body connection when it comes to women’s health. As a women’s health and fitness coach, I am extremely passionate about sharing the benefits of exercise on our mental health, asides from the obvious physical benefits. Many of us when we start to exercise it is for its physical benefits, however as a mother of two soon to be three there are much more important benefits to our maternal mental health.

Yoga is one of the oldest and most popular physical and mental exercise forms. Yoga gives us the opportunity to work through the body to strengthen and deepen the mind-body connection. It cultivates our relationship with ourselves and helps us manage stress and maintain good mental health.

How does yoga help improve physical and mental health?

The mind-body connection is an essential aspect of yoga that helps to bring these positive effects. Practising yoga can help us understand how our body affects our minds and vice versa. By engaging in yoga mindfully, we can learn to listen to the signals from our body and better understand how our thoughts and feelings impact our physical health.

What are the benefits of yoga for women?

• Improved strength

• Improved balance and flexibility

• Increased energy levels

• Reduction in stress and anxiety

• Better posture

• Increased mindfulness which will help enhance concentration and emotional resilience

Yoga can be an excellent add-on to an existing fitness routine, particularly for busy mums. Yoga helps us practice mindfulness and mindful movement. This awareness during exercise can help people focus on their goals instead of allowing negative thoughts or emotions to interfere with their progress. We know positive thinking is essential for motivation when it comes to exercise. By thinking positively we are more likely to stay consistent with our health and fitness practices and be inspired by the results.

Prioritising our overall wellness is extremely important for us time-poor mums. Most days we are running around after our young children and do not make time for ourselves. Practising 10-15 minutes of mindful movements like yoga can improve our overall wellness. With regular yoga practice, we can cultivate positive thoughts that will help us navigate through life challenges with greater ease.

Finally, yoga has become increasingly popular for improving the physical and mental well-being of women. If you are looking to get started with yoga practice why not check out the FIT MAMA Powered By Mari Carmen Fitness and access the wealth of workouts in the library including yoga with expert Kerry Palmer founder of the basement snug yoga studio, who is also a busy mother of 2 and a pre and postnatal expert.