A Healthy Spine

Yoga focuses on the health of the spine predominantly, that is why all classes always include a forward bend, back bend and twists to either side of the spine.

The spine is home to the central nervous system which functions as a communicator between the body and brain, it interprets our environment and body from the inside, out, and the actions we do both consciously and sub-consciously.

We carry out actions either voluntarily or involuntarily, for instance, when we practice yoga we are conscious of our bodies’ movements and our brain tells us what we will do next so this is a voluntary action.

In contrast an involuntary action is for example breathing; your heart beats or food is digested, where the body just functions without a thought.

Involuntary actions such as these are synchronized by your autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic part of the nervous system ensures that all your internal organs and glands function smoothly.

The autonomic nervous system has two parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.

Your sympathetic nervous system prepares your body for emergencies. It boosts your blood to your muscles and increases your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate, enabling you to cope with stressful situations.

Your parasympathetic nervous system maintains and restores your energy. It directs blood to your digestive tract and makes sure you actively digest food. It also maintains your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate at a low level. That's why it is sometimes called your 'rest and digest' system.