How Yoga Helps With Stress
Everybody can use a little help with stress. That's why many different markets concentrate on creating not only products but programs to help one combat the rigors of the fast-paced world we all live in. But perhaps looking at new ideas isn't the best option. In fact, there's one method that has been used for centuries that could be the key to relieving some of that stress you feel every day.
Yoga is a practice that has been used for centuries and because it combines both physical and mental focuses, and is a great way to help with stress.
On a physical aspect, the postures used within the practice help relieve tension and pain as well as heightens flexibility. Because of this, endorphins are released into your body, and this can help combat stress.
On the mental aspect, the core teachings of yoga allow one to build skills to help be more aware of their feelings and the world around them. By staying in the present, you keep from worrying about the past and the future, which helps reduce your stress.
There are a multitude of ways that yoga helps with stress and in this article, we're going to take a look at them as well as some tips to help you with successful stress management through yoga and poses that are specifically perfect to help with stress.
How Yoga Helps With Stress
Yoga focuses on two key aspects of your overall health - mental and physical. These two conjoined together allow for yoga to have a lot of effects when it comes to dealing with stress as well as many other mental and physical ailments.
Through the physical movement of each pose and the transitions between them, the body is taught specific postures. These postures help not only make the individual more flexible but through this process allow for the muscles to have reduced levels of tension which in turn alleviates pain.
These poses are designed to help remove blockages like muscle knots that often are caused by high levels of stress. Once these knots have been stretched out and removed, the body then releases endorphins, which are one of the many hormones that help our body and mind be positive. Along with the physical aspect, though, you have the mental ramifications of yoga.
The teachings and core principles of yoga promote the individual staying in the present. Through breathing and meditational aspects tied with successful yoga practice, you become more aware of your body as well as the surroundings around you. This will help with focus and being able to center your mind so that you can be less reactive to situations. By understanding your body as well as things like thoughts and feelings, one will be able to let go and really embrace the moment.
Better De-stressing Through Yoga: Tips for Successful Stress Management
To get the most out of a yoga practice, you want to make sure that you are really taking every step possible to embrace the teachings. So we thought we'd give you some of our best tips for de-stressing through yoga so that you have an amazing stress management system.
Let It Go
One of the core ways' yoga helps with stress is to let go of all the negativity. This does not mean ignoring those negative feelings, rather it means embracing them, understanding them, and then letting them go. By being able to do this, you're going to reduce your level of stress tenfold. Through practices within yoga like breathwork and meditation, you will be able to do this.
In the Moment
One of the biggest reasons people feel so stressed is that they're constantly worrying about what may be and the consequences of what has already passed. Though understanding consequences is key to a good life, dwelling on things that have happened or haven't happened that you can't change often causes stress.
This is because it triggers areas in our brain that are part of its fight or flight system. By staying in the moment you take away the power of that system and learn how to handle situations that come up in a less stressful manner. In other words, staying in the moment is key to reducing your stress, and yoga teaches you how to do that.
Change Is Good
The key to having yoga be so successful when it comes to helping with your stress is to utilize it in conjunction with other lifestyle changes. That means that along with adding yoga into your daily routine, you need to make positive changes away from the yoga practice. If you know there are things that in your life cause you stress, you need to either find a way to deal with them or remove them.
Ask for Guidance
Though many of us want to fix our problems ourselves, sometimes it's best if you reach out and ask for guidance. This means that reaching out to a yoga professional or someone who is familiar with the practice might help you. Having someone to talk to and help you could be elevating your yoga practice and changing how yoga can help with stress in your life.
Yoga Poses to Help with Stress
Though a complete yoga practice will of course relieve your stress, there are a few poses that have specific effects when it comes to stress. So we thought we'd give you three of them so that if you're not ready for a complete practice, you can utilize them to help with stress.
Legs On Chair
If you're someone who is always on their feet, then this pose's a wonderful option to incorporate into your daily yoga practice. By being on your feet all day, you're building tension throughout your knees and hips. So this pose helps get rid of some of that tension.
You're going to want to start by laying on your back and bending your knees. Then find a chair and relax your legs from the knee down over the seat. While doing this, relax your upper body (your head, shoulders, and hips). Lay your arms comfortably by your side and then hold this pose for up to 10 minutes.
Rag Doll
This is one of those yoga poses that if you start to feel stressed throughout the day, you can do it anywhere. It's really great if you've had an extended time when you were standing, driving, or sitting. Particularly this works on removing stress from the lower back, neck, hamstrings, and shoulders.
Stand with your feet as wide as your hips, and then bend your knees slightly as you drop your body forward. You can either hold on to your elbows or let your arms dangle, either one will work. As you do this, keep your legs engaged so that you can remain stable, and then relax your neck and shoulders. Hold this position for as long as you like, but at least up to two minutes.
Final Resting
Often when you're in a yoga class, this pose will be the final one you do for the day. It is intended to help reduce stress throughout the entire body and help you re-ground your nervous system. Start by finding a quiet place and then lay down on your back.
Once you have done this, you're going to extend your legs and put them in a position like you were standing with your feet hips with apart. Then you're going to place your arms palm pump up and straight out at your sides. Lay there, continually doing your breathing for up to 10 minutes.
Final Thoughts
There are many answers to the question of how yoga helps with stress. Through the combination of physical and mental activities within these practices, your body is allowed the time to relax and rejuvenate.
Anytime a person takes the time to commit a little self-care as one does when incorporating yoga into their daily life, they are sure to see a reduced level of stress and anxiety. This in turn will guide the individual to finding their wellness path and a happier, healthier life.
