Before we talk about how yoga fights stress, we need to get to know the true dimension of this phenomenon. Stress is a normal reaction to danger and demanding situations. When it occurs with limited frequency, it does not pose a health risk, but sometimes helps us deal with situations and make decisions. However, when stress becomes intense and daily, it affects the quality of life and symptoms such as insomnia, dizziness and nausea, migraines, shortness of breath, intestinal problems, high blood pressure and panic attacks appear.
The best "cure" for negative stress
Practicing yoga can help in cases of stress during a crisis, but also on a deeper level. Through breathing techniques, meditation, posture (asanas) and philosophy, yoga offers instant relief to the body, but also improves the quality of life, making changes that will positively affect our psyche. This is exactly what we discovered in a study conducted by researchers from the University of Miami on 40 children and adults, in which one yoga training with asanas and guided meditation resulted in a reduction of stress symptoms and a reduction of stress hormone - cortisol. Similarly, a University of Duisberg-Essen study conducted by Dr. Andreas Michalsen, conducted on 24 women with anxiety symptoms, found that two-week 90-minute yoga practices over a three-month period resulted in reduced anxiety, depression, and cortisol levels. A third study by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, found that an eight-week asana and meditation program reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and panic in 20 of 22 patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety and panic disorder.
How does yoga affect the body?
One of the techniques used to treat stress is concentrating on breathing and controlling it. Breathing is affected by our mental state. In stressful situations, breathing becomes fast and shallow or can even stop for a few seconds. Yoga teaches us full breathing, deep and slow, using the diaphragm. At the same time, by concentrating on the breath, we stimulate the mind, in order to remove unpleasant thoughts. Together with asanas, body positions that we perform during yoga practice, muscle tension is removed, the body is deeply relaxed. This removes the accumulated tension and calms the body.
How does yoga affect the mind?
Observing the mind through meditation, we notice habits that do not benefit us and gradually try to change them. After that, we can notice a reaction in the mind in advance that could lead to the peak of anxiety or panic attacks, and apply immediate relaxation techniques in a timely manner. At a deeper level, it is possible to discover the source of stress and what triggers it. Awareness developed by practicing yoga systematically helps us understand behaviors that negatively affect our psyche. Our choices, the food we eat, the people we hang out with, our activities, the way we choose to use our free time, have an impact on our psyche. Through yoga, our choices are made consciously, with love and self-respect. In addition to the instant relaxation that yoga techniques offer the body, systematic practice allows us to change beliefs and lifestyles, achieving healthier behaviors and conscious choices.
