Yoga postures or asanas help your muscles and joints to stay strong and flexible. Asanas are also known to help reduce blood pressure and stimulate the immune system.
Their dual effect on the human nervous system is interesting. The sympathetic nervous system also called the “fight or flight” system causes typical human reactions to challenging situations: a rise of blood pressure, quickening of breath rate and the release of stress hormones throughout the body.
Given that we face so much stress in our daily lives, we experience these symptoms everyday, perhaps even several times a day.
The result: health disorders such as poor digestion, ulcers, heart disease, migraines, sexual disorders etc.
On the contrary, the parasympathetic nervous system lowers blood pressure and slows breathing. More importantly, it leaves our blood circulation free to feed our digestive, reproductive and immune systems.
Pranayama is said to encourage the parasympathetic nervous system and thus promote healing and a general state of well-being.
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