When do you start to feel the benefits of yoga?

Continuous practice of this ancient discipline has a positive and progressive effect on physical, mental and spiritual health. But you’ll already feel much more relaxed from the very first class.

When you start doing any sport, exercise or physical activity, the health benefits take some time to become apparent. For example, if you have started lifting weights, it will take several weeks before you notice a significant change in your muscles. However, as Rachel Rose, Mind & Body expert at SHA Wellness Clinic, says, “the health benefits of yoga are noticeable from the very first class, and you’ll come out of it feeling both physically and mentally relaxed”.

But that’s just the beginning. Because, unlike other disciplines, the concept of progression in yoga is unrelated to competitiveness or becoming the best or number one, but rather tied to self-knowledge and self-care. “The benefits are very gradual and are noticeable with continued practice. There is a Sanskrit term, vinyasa krama, which describes it perfectly and refers to progressive change over time. Moreover, yoga is a constant surprise because, just when you start to think you understand it all, you discover something new. In fact, the main spiritual teaching of yoga is that the more you practice it and the more knowledge you think you have, the more you realise that you know nothing”, adds the expert.

If you are new to this millennia-old discipline, our recommendation is to be patient and consistent for at least six weeks. As Rachel explains, “you need 40 days of practice to really notice significant progress. After this time, you start to find a certain connection with yoga and begin to understand what you’re doing. In addition, yoga also has a very interesting social side, especially if the classes are in a group, since you share the experience with people who have the same concerns as you. And, after about a year, you develop a strong sense of belonging to the group”.

Another key moment in the practice of yoga comes after seven years. “According to the principles of energy medicine, there is a total transformation every six (in men) or seven years (in women). During this time, all the cells in the body are renewed and there is an overall change, both physically and energetically”, Rachel concludes.