Here are a few reasons how school pupils will  benefit from a yoga session: 

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• Managing emotions- Learning breathing and mindfulness techniques to calm and relax. Gentle movement moves tension held in the body, yoga is proving to have a positive effect on those dealing with anxiety and stress. 

• Focus and concentration- Yoga postures that involve maintaining balance and focus for periods of time, build strength in the body and also the mind. bringing more focus when studying and learning during school time.

•  Balance- Postures that help with balancing will also bring balance to the mind, so we are able to make clear and healthy life choices. 

• Gross motor skills/ cognitive development- Along with the balancing poses, yoga involves twisting and crossing over of the limbs, which send signals to the left and right side of the brain, creating coherence. We also like to play games during our sessions which encourages cognitive development. if your child has a diagnosis of dyslexia and dyspraxia this would be highly recommended. 

• Behaviour- When we are feeling stressed, anxious or have various things going on in our lives, this can have an impact on our behaviour. Yoga brings peace of mind and tools to encourage positive behaviour and also learn that it's ok not to be perfect all the time. There is no good and bad, we just need to learn how to express ourselves appropriately.  

• Sleep and routine- Yoga encourages better sleep and the routine of getting up and going to bed will be improved. When we practice yoga regularly, we calm the nervous signal response, which tells us its safe to sleep and relax. 

• Body health- practising yoga helps keep the body moving and the muscles stretched to relieve tension and strain. When a child is developing, it is crucial that they maintain good spinal health, this is done through the postures, building core strength. Hypermobility is very common in children and would need the support of yoga to build strength in those areas to avoid injury or overexertion. 

• Internal body- breathing and gentle body movement sends signals to our nervous system that it is time to relax. when we relax we are able to sleep, learn and function fully. Our hormones are also releasing endorphins and serotonin to the brain. When our bodies are overstressed, this is fight or flight, releasing cortisol, which over time, if not addressed can have a massive impact on our body. 

• State of mind- Learning to be positive, kind and loving to ourselves and others will build self-esteem and improve mental health. Over time if we neglect our emotional wellbeing, bury feelings and thoughts and allow others to treat us badly. This can create mental illnesses like depression. When we have an understanding of who we are in the world and how to let go of negative or traumatic situation we are able to be more confident, have better relationships with others and ourselves.