Take a look around and it’s not hard to see that yoga is everywhere. There are new yoga studios on every corner, most gyms offer yoga classes for group fitness, and your university may even offer yoga as a course or a recreational activity! Practicing yoga can have benefits on all aspects of your life, including stress. Yoga is a physical, emotional, and spiritual exercise that allows you to move your body, practice mindfulness, and connect with your divine all at the same time-- making it an effective tool for stress management.
What is yoga? Although yoga is relatively new to the United States, it is actually an ancient Hindu system of techniques and practices for living a well-rounded and fulfilling life. When most people think of yoga, however, they think of the practice that is most popular, hatha yoga, which includes the poses, breath work, and meditation. Hatha yoga is one aspect of all the overall system of yoga, and that is what I will be focusing on for this blog. As I mentioned in the beginning, yoga is more than just a physical practice. It is a “mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation or relaxation” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). It helps us develop awareness of our bodies, minds, and breath, bringing us a great sense of peace and relief in our lives. Benefits of yoga for stress Being that is exercise and mindfulness wrapped into one, it is no surprise that yoga can have so many benefits for our health and stress! Many different studies have shown that practicing yoga can reduce stress and many of the major stress symptoms we experience. This is because yoga boosts our parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming our bodies down after a stress response . Over time, practicing yoga can lower the amount of stress hormones in our bodies (Wei, 2018), relieving many of the typical stress symptoms such as:
Aside from these, yoga also promotes a sense of relaxation in our lives, giving us time away from our stressors to focus on our own health and well-being. The self-care aspect of yoga alone provides much needed relief from stress.Plus, if you practice yoga in a group setting, you also receive all the stress benefits that social support has to offer! I went in depth on the stress benefits of social support on my last blog post, so please check that out for more information. Try it! As you can see, yoga can benefit virtually every aspect of our lives, including our stress management. The best part about it-- all you really need is some active wear and your body! While there are some expensive yoga studios and classes, there are just as many affordable or free ways to practice yoga. Check in with your city’s community center or university to see about community yoga classes on near you. Also, many yoga studios offer a student discount if you have your school ID, so don’t be afraid to ask your local yoga studio if this applies for them! If you don’t feel like going out, that’s okay, too. You can practice yoga with just a little floor space in the comfort of your own home! If you are just looking to try out a few different yoga poses, head to https://chopra.com/articles/8-yoga-poses-to-help-you-manage-stress for a list of the top 8 stress reducing yoga poses and instructions on how to do them. If you have a little more time on your hands and are looking to do a full sequence, try following along with this video https://yogawithadriene.com/yoga-for-stress-management/, where you’ll be lead through a 30 minute yoga practice designed for stress relief. However you decide to implement yoga into your stress management routine, you will surely be feeling all the relief and benefits that it has to offer. So go put on your stretchiest pants, grab a friend, and lay down your yoga mats-- your body, mind, and stress will be forever grateful. References Brady, A. (n.d.). 8 Yoga Poses to Help You Manage Stress. Retrieved from: https://chopra.com/articles/8-yoga-poses-to-help-you-manage-stress. Harvard Health Publishing. (2018, May 9). Yoga for anxiety and depression. Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018, October 4). Yoga: Fight stress and find serenity. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733 Wei, M. (2015, December 8). Yoga for Stress Relief. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/urban-survival/201512/yoga-stress-relief Yoga with Adriene. (2018, July 1). Yoga For Stress Management. Retrieved from: https://yogawithadriene.com/yoga-for-stress-management/.
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AuthorHannah Brewington Archives
November 2018
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