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Yoga
And Stress Relief: Take A Deep Breath!
Author: ©Ashley
Tense muscles and rapid breath. Headache and stomach ache. Difficulty
sleeping, depression and irritability. All symptoms of the great
modern complaint: stress. How can we relieve stress and make our
bodies and minds less susceptible to its ravages in the future?
More and more people are turning to yoga, an age old method of
balancing mind and body.
Yoga uses a combination of mental activity, physical activity,
stillness, meditation and breathing exercises to balance and detoxify
the body and mind. The physical activity is composed of positions
known as asanas. Different asanas have benefits for different
systems of the body. For instance, asanas commonly referred to
as twists are excellent for detoxification and regulation of the
digestion and lymphatic system. Poses where the heart is above
the head, known as inverted poses, are said to "turn back
the clock" and stimulate the circulatory and glandular systems.
Pranayama is the name for yoga breathing practices and range from
very simple awareness of breath exercises to changing of breath
patterns for specific health benefits. They can have a profound
impact on mental and physical health and can be practiced anywhere
and at any time! Don't believe me? Try this quick breathing exercise
while sitting in the chair at your computer:
1. Uncross your legs and place the soles of your feet flat on
the floor.
2. If you are feeling that your energy levels are low, rest your
hands with the palms up on your thighs; for stress relief and
grounding, rest your hands palms down.
3. Start by taking notice of the natural movement of your breath
as you inhale and exhale. Spend one minute breathing in and out
slowly. Feel the inflation of your chest and belly as you observe
your breathing.
4. Now gently release the muscles in the back of your neck and
tuck in your chin slightly. Feel the crown of the head reach toward
the sky. Ground your feet downwards as you find stillness in your
body.
5. Begin to deepen your breathing, allowing the breath to circulate
lower and lower into your belly. Keep your shoulders relaxed by
rolling your shoulder blades down the back.
6. Now begin to even out the lengths of inhales and exhales to
come to a smooth rhythmic breath. First, inhale a breath through
the nose, filling up the lungs while slowly counting to five,
then exhale through the nose, emptying the lungs to another count
of five.
7. Continue to inhale and exhale through the nose, lengthening
the the inhales and exhales until your breathing is at a slow,
comfortable pace. This is the even, calm breathing that you should
use during a beginning yoga practice. It can also be used by itself
as a breathing exercise to increase mental equanimity and focus.
With the physical benefits of yoga come mental benefits. At the
least, the combination of physical activity and concentration
on yoga breathing practices allows you to stop your mind from
racing and gives you a break from the distractions of the world.
Improvement in overall mood and energy levels are also often reported
with the continuing practice of yoga.
Eventually, the goal of the asanas is to create health and balance
throughout all of the systems of the body, leaving the mind free
to find peace and balance without the interruption of pain or
discomfort. In fact, possibly the most important health benefits
of yoga can be found in the last yoga pose in any yoga sequence—savasana.
As you lay down in stillness, savasana allows your body to incorporate
all of the benefits of your yoga practice. Yoga can be incorporated
into daily life, using a combination of breathing techniques and
asana sequences. Even a ten minute yoga exercise can bring mental
focus and calmness to your life.
About
the Author: Ashley Hecht is one of the founders of Guided
Yoga, an online yoga studio bringing personalized yoga classes
to aspiring yogis of all skill levels, and dedicated to
improving the quality of the online yoga experience. CONTACT:
ashley@guidedyoga.com
http://www.guidedyoga.com
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