Describe the health and wellness benefits of yoga/pilates and their contribution to stress management

The benefits of yoga are too numerous to list here but I'll give you some of the highlights. There are physical, mental and spiritual benefits. The physical benefits include, but are not limited to, improved flexibility, circulation, breathing, cardiovascular conditioning, strength and pain management. Yoga also teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths, which activates the body’s relaxation response and lowers the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. As a result, yoga eases anxiety, depression, fatigue and insomnia. When the physical poses are combined with breathing and meditation, yoga also leads to a deep connection with spirit and peace of mind.