In a much-too-fast, digitally controlled world, stress has become the unwelcome yet comfortably familiar companion to our busy lives. We are so inundated with demands that on our busy schedules and constantly active minds that stress has affected our bodies through headaches, insomnia, and muscle tension. We seek an instant remedy for the constituent parts of our anxious minds and bodies and, thereby, dismiss a meaningful stress reduction solution rooted in sound philosophy. Yoga, a traditional (oceanic) mind-body practice that originated in India, provides a holistic path to softness and dignity while managing the stress of contemporary life.
The contemporary stress epidemic: an imbalance of the mind-body
The urban lifestyle, incessant connectivity, and insatiable work culture have demolished our health. Stress is no longer an acute reaction to dangerous stimuli; it has become a chronic condition that can adversely affect our health and lead to more serious diseases, such as heart disease and depression. When we’re faced with chronic stress, our bodies’ sympathetic nervous systems shift into “fight-or-flight”, and the stress hormone, cortisol, pours into our system. In essence, we are gifted moments of increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and sustained muscle tension; the antonyms to the acts of restfulness..
Yoga guides our bodies and minds to promptly counteract the stress responses. Stress responses will shift your balance from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic system, or the “rest and digest” response—that space of sincere relaxation and restoration. Yoga shapes your way to a state of balance or, at a minimum, feel your way back to balance between your mind and body.
How yoga works to alleviate stress
Yoga is a holistic approach to stress. It targets stress physically, mentally, and emotionally through 3 main components:
- Asanas (Postures): A yoga practice involves postures that could be as gentle as stretches or as active as flows. Asanas release physical stress lodged in the body, especially when stored in the neck, shoulders, and back. While moving your body, you become aware of the body and can more fully release tightness.
- Pranayama (Breath): The breath is one of the foundations of yoga. When you consciously control your breath and slow your breathing down, you can ultimately affect your nervous system. Breath techniques like deep abdominal breathing, Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana), and Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama) can all calm your racing mind, reduce heart rate, and create a feeling of peace.
- Meditation and Mindfulness: A typical yoga session starts and finishes with a meditation, which trains the mind to be present to the moment. Mindfulness helps the student to notice their thinking and feeling patterns in a non-judgmental way, interrupting their habitual looping of worry, dazing off thinking of worries or habitual ruminating thinking loop. By simply connecting with their breath and sensations of their body, the student will be anchored in the present moment and detached from anxious/stressful thoughts about past and future events.
Yoga poses specifically for stress relief.
No need to be a pretzel to do yoga. Many of the stress-busting postures can be for beginners.
Calm down poses for beginners-
- Child’s Pose (Balasana): A belly-down restorative pose for the back, hips, and ankles. It provokes calm, deep breaths and promotes stilling a busy mind.
- Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana): A moving and flowing action that lengths and releases spine tension and massages the abdominal organs. This can be an effective warm-up for unwinding stress.
- Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana): A calming pose for your neck, shoulders, and back. Also, it re-stimulates the liver and kidneys which may help elevate head pain and insomnia.
- Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani): A supported inversion, promotes relaxation and blood flow, and adds calmness to the mind.
- Corpse pose (Savasana): The ultimate relaxation pose. When you lie flat on the ground and deliberately release every body part, a unique sustained period of rest and recovery ultimately happens.
Beyond the mat: Integrating yoga into your life.
The experience of yoga holds so much more than simply how much time you are on the mat. Developing mindfulness and self-awareness will give you a continual sense of calmness and perspective in all aspects of your personal life. Here are some tips for mindful living to enhance yogic principles on a daily basis.
- Practice: Even just 10–15 minutes of daily routine practice can help. Designate a comfortable and quiet area and a time and stick with it.
- Pay attention to your body: Don’t expect perfection. Be aware and watch your physical limits. Modify poses as necessary and do not attempt to cause pain or discomfort to yourself.
- Use mindful breathing not just on the mat: When you notice something stressful, pause and breathe. Inhale fully through your nose and slowly exhale. Return to this simple motion so you can reframe and respond more calmy to the stress. (Note: This will help you not yell at the person that cuts you off in traffic)
- Make time to rest: Create time for restful practices like Yoga Nidra or “yogic sleep.” It can be beneficial for the journey to restfulness at bedtime.
Gratatitude: Yoga philosophy asks for ethical lifestyles and positive mindsets. Gratitude will alter your perspective and remove negative thoughts.
The proven power of yoga
Scientific research demonstrates the concept that yogi’s knew thousands of years ago. Studies clearly show that continued yoga practice can:
- Lower cortisol levels (stress hormone)
- Decrease sleep latency and improve sleep quality through inducing a relaxation response and soothing the nervous system
- Reduce anxiety and depression through activating rest-and-digest
- Improve the immune system by improving blood flow and reducing inflammation
- Update brain function for sharper concentration and memory
Your pathway to inner peace
In a world where one has to go above, and beyond, what they may have to offer, yoga provides a powerful and gentle solution for quieting that inner resource pressure. The practice meets you where you are at; regardless of athletic ability of prior of experience. With a commitment to practice, you will have a stronger body, more flexible mind, and clear pathway toward inner peace. Why not roll out a mat, take a breath and begin your journey toward a calm, stressless existence? The journey toward inner calm is a couple of poses away!
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