Yoga Vs Walking – What is the Difference, Which is Better?
It is important that we keep our body healthy and fit. This way we can remain disease free and lead a happy and relaxed life. People do various exercises to keep their body healthy. Some prefer exercises like palates, aerobic exercises and going to the gym. Some engage themselves in various kinds of sports, while others go for walking or do yoga.
You know that walking is good for health. Yoga is also very good for having a healthy body. But yoga or walking, which one is better? It may seem to be a tricky question. Read on and you will get the answer for it!
Yoga Vs Walking
Yoga and walking are both good for your health. They help you lose weight and manage your weight. They are also good for controlling diabetes. Still yoga is considered to be better than walking if the two are statically compared. According to prevalent data, you burn about 242 calories when you walk for one hour. On the other hand, one hour power yoga can help you burn 340 calories. So, you can say that yoga is better than walking when it is for weight management and diabetes control. If you are still unsure about which of the two is better, then read on.
- Scientific studies show that yoga is better for elevating your mood compared to walking. It is the GABA level in the brain that controls the production and secretion of serotonin in humans. One of the main reasons for depression, anxiety and mood disorders in human beings is the decrease in serotonin. Research made recently shows that yoga can make your brain calm. This helps in increasing the levels of GABA in the brain. When there is an increase in GABA levels, the secretion of serotonin is triggered. When you walk, then also a similar kind of situation takes place. But when you do yoga, there is higher mood elevation (n=19) than walking (n=15).
- Yoga is great for complete physical and mental fitness. Walking is a physical exercise. It also offers physical and mental fitness. But yoga has the added benefit as it offers you spiritual fitness as well. Yogasanas are great for providing you the feeling of well being. It can help you reduce anger and anxiety. Spiritual yoga also helps in improving breathing. Practicing it enables you to have a better control over the five senses (touch, smell, hear, feel and see).
- Yoga can increase your mental alertness. It is very effective for reducing the flow of random and other nagging thoughts that come in your mind. As a result, positivity is increased and there is a reduction in negativity. This way you will be able to concentrate better on the many different things in your day to day life. Yoga is a combination of exercise and meditation. It is a spiritual means to make you positive while balancing the body in different postures. As a result, your brain will become stronger and sharper.
- Many people go for walk early in the morning as it can greatly reduce blood sugar. It is true and you can benefit a lot by walking. Walking can metabolize blood sugar level and bring it down. But yoga can metabolize blood sugar better than walking. There are special yoga postures that diabetic patients can do to bring down the blood sugar levels. Different yogasanas like Mandukasana and yogamudrasana are very beneficial for controlling blood sugar levels. Practicing these special yoga postures helps in triggering the secretion of insulin. Brain directs the pancreas to stimulate the secretion of insulin. Insulin is a natural hormone and helps in regulating and metabolizing sugar in the blood.
- Now let us see which is a better stress manager – walking or yoga. Walking can help in elevating your mood and reduce stress. But practicing yoga can elevate your mood as well as increase your mental concentration. It also promotes a feeling of well being. Yoga is known to be an exceptional means to relax stressed muscles, tissues as well as the brain. By practicing yoga you will get good sleep as it is great for promoting sleep and treating sleeping disorders. You can say that yoga promotes the overall well being of a person.
- Yoga is also good for maintaining your beauty. If you want to remain beautiful and young looking, practice yoga regularly. It has the ability to keep your skin glowing and vibrant. Yogasanas are very effective for restoring the normal chemical balance in the brain. As a result, there is an increase in the supply of oxygen in the blood. Oxygen-rich blood can make the cells and tissues lively. The collagen fibres in the epidermis get strengthened by practicing yoga regularly. This makes your skin impeccable and radiant. You will get healthy and glowing skin by practicing yoga.
Now you have a clear picture about which of the two is better for you. Although walking helps in boosting our physical as well as mental health, yoga is more effective. This does not mean that you should stop walking. You can combine both walking and yoga. This way you will get the benefits of both. Both yoga and walking are suitable for all age groups. They are also not expensive as going to the gym etc. However, if you make a choice between the two, you can go for yoga as it is more beneficial for you.