Yin yoga is a more passive form of yoga that’s good for our minds as well as our bodies. When we practice yin yoga we use longer held stretches or poses of three minutes or more that allow us to get deeper into our bodies. We target our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, and the fascia rather than stressing our muscles.  The result is improved flexibility, better circulation, and less tension. 

Yin yoga brings benefits for people of any age, but it is particularly good for people over 50 as it promotes greater range of motion while lowering our blood pressure and regulating our heartbeats, giving us a greater feeling of well-being. 

As we get older, our joints and connective tissues tend to fuse together. This can be from repetitive jobs, from sports, or even from sitting for long periods. Often this causes pain and limits your mobility. The gentle stretching of yin yoga strengthens your connective tissues, reducing pain and inflammation. It’s particularly good for conditions like arthritis.

By holding poses for a longer time in yin yoga you can promote a deep release of your connective tissues, encouraging them to stretch. This helps increase your range of motion, meaning things like cutting your toenails or sitting on your heels become possible once again – maybe after many years of neglect.

Yes. Yin yoga stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system, the rest-and-digest system. It reduces your heart rate, relaxes your muscles, and lowers your blood pressure.

Yin yoga started in the 80s by people experimenting with long-held stretches to see the effects on their flexibility. 

The founders of yin yoga say its inspiration comes from ancient Chinese Taoist practices of stretching and meditation. That explains why yin yoga targets the physical aspects of stretching while including elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine.