Yoga and walking entail a number of similar mental and physical benefits, though those offered by the holistic regimen are often more significant.
In order to improve health outcomes, many people try Dahn Yoga, which combines the exercise intensity of, say, a long walk with the relaxation and mindfulness of deep meditation. When it comes right down to it, yoga and walking entail a number of similar mental and physical benefits, though those offered by the holistic regimen are often more significant.
For instance, a study recently published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that yoga may have a greater effect on anxiety levels, compared to walking.
The authors, a group psychiatrists and neuroscientists from Boston University School of Medicine, asked participants to engage in either yoga or walking for one hour three times weekly.
After 12 weeks, researchers found that adults in the yoga group displayed lower levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter associated with anxiety. These volunteers also reported feeling less stressed, compared to those given the walking-based intervention.
Other studies have reached similar conclusions. A report appearing in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine determined that six months of yoga classes helped elderly participants fight fatigue and improve cognitive function better than an equal time spent walking to improve health.
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Tags: improve health, improve health outcomes, walking to improve health
