Most people who take yoga classes on a set schedule or have a regular yoga commitment already know the general benefits of the exercise. However, like anything else, even a regular yoga schedule can become mundane after a while. The solution? A yoga retreat!

A retreat can offer yogis a break and an opportunity to hit the “reset” button. Taking a break allows students to reconnect with yoga goals and offers a sometimes much-needed change of scenery.

Here are some additional reasons to go on a yoga retreat:

1. Feeling Lost and Directionless – When life gets stuck in a rut, either through a yoga routine or often times much more with work, life balance, goals and family, it’s easy to feel out of control and lost. Immediate goals are pushed to the front (work, family, etc.) and long-term goals become ambiguous and undefined. A retreat allows participants to escape the mundane and just breathe. Taking the time to reassess allows a person to think long-term again and form new goals for life and health.

2. Exhaustion – When people are exhausted by chronic stress, demands, challenges and no clear destinations are in sight, it wears the body down- both mentally and physically. Feeling worn down constantly can lead to poor performance, diminished thinking, loss of energy, overeating and depression. A retreat can help break this cycle by allowing a much-needed break and a moment to re-energize the internal batteries.

3. Ongoing Frustration – Challenges and disappointments in life can easily make people upset or sad. While regular yoga exercise is well known for its calming benefits, some life issues are so heavy that they exceed what a regular session can offset in a day. A retreat allows someone the time to get all of that anger or sadness vented out and provides the time to think through emotions or grief and move on with logical solutions.

4. Boredom– Even the most passionate issues and activities, including yoga, can get old and stale with time. As a result, those who want to keep their passion going in something use change to spark a renewed interest. Yoga works the same way. A retreat provides an entirely different approach from the daily or weekly sessions, allowing a person to learn new concepts, procedures, ideas and methods in refining one’s personal yoga experience.

5. A Chance to Travel – Many yoga retreats are often located elsewhere- not in one’s hometown. Along with the benefit of change, a person gets a chance to travel when participating in a retreat- usually in a location off the beaten path. A retreat in a warm climate is very appealing when back home the house is covered under two feet of snow.

6. To Learn – For those who have been to a yoga retreat before, the value of these programs and how they can provide great insight and allow one to learn more about oneself is known. Yoga offers an integrated approach to mind and body wellness and a retreat allows a person to be introspective, which in turn provides a moment of clarity for many, giving them the means to move forward in a new direction.

So for a serious change or stress-relief and when weekly yoga sessions are not doing the trick, consider a retreat for a deep mental and physical re-setting and rest. The benefits can be significant.