Stress Management and Yoga

Everyone deals with stress in their own way, with some methods being more effective than others. Many people turn to yoga for its numerous physical and mental benefits. Because yoga sometimes uses Sanskrit words and has numerous different poses, some of which require a high level of flexibility, it can be intimidating for beginners, but the reality is that (yoga) can be adopted in part or in whole, and those who do yoga are encouraged to work at their own pace based on their own abilities. Whether someone is starting out in a yoga class or with self-study, the practice offers a variety of benefits, including stress management.

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is a combination of practices that seeks to support both physical and mental well-being. Yoga can be found in many variations, but most combine physical poses and movements to improve balance and flexibility with meditation to soothe and focus the mind. Some variations are higher in intensity, focusing on raising the heart rate and building strength. Other forms of yoga target stress reduction and seek alignment of the mind and body to achieve greater calm and peace. Getting started on the yoga journey is the most important part. Any part of yoga that doesn't benefit you can be minimized in favor of those aspects that offer the most help.

Benefits of Yoga

Just as everyone deals with stress in slightly different ways, everyone seeks something different from yoga. Fortunately, it's easy to find benefits to regular yoga practice that can help anyone. Focusing on your breathing and balance as you hold each pose can lend a sense of mindfulness that other activities may not. That feeling may lead to a renewed interest in self-care as you progress toward your goals. Yoga classes can offer a sense of belonging as you work to better yourself alongside like-minded people. Yoga also includes poses and movements that build core strength and improve balance. Physical ailments like arthritis and back pain can be targeted and relieved by increasing strength and flexibility. The extra physical activity inherent in yoga practice can reduce stress levels and improve heart health as well. Taken together, the result is often a sense of relaxation that many practitioners feel can help them achieve more restful sleep.

Yoga and Stress

The physical activity aspect of yoga can help slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol. However, it's the holistic approach yoga takes that should be credited with its surprisingly long list of potential benefits. For many people, stress relief is a crucial aspect of their yoga practice. Many of the techniques popularized by yoga can be used in classes or by themselves. Slowing and controlling breathing can help calm the mind and hold off anxiety so you can get to sleep. Meditation can focus the mind on a single point or a single word, shutting out the anxiety and worry associated with stress. Similarly, concentrating on perfecting your yoga poses can help keep intrusive negative thoughts at bay. Yoga can also feature guided imagery, such as the colors associated with each of the seven chakras, or energy points. Because yoga can be found in many forms, a beginner has the opportunity to try several types before settling on their ideal variation. Hatha yoga, for instance, is a style that takes a slower approach and generally features less challenging poses. It's a good choice for beginners and for stress relief.

Yoga Poses for Beginners

Even if you're only familiar with yoga in passing, you've probably heard terms like "downward facing dog," "child's pose," and "corpse pose." Yoga includes a wide variety of poses, and different styles will mix and match the poses as needed. Standing poses are often used to warm up muscles at the start of a yoga session but can also be used to rest between other poses. They typically involve mild stretching but otherwise focus on stillness. Balancing poses, like the name suggests, help to build the core strength necessary to improve balance. Flexibility and overall strength contribute to this enhanced balance and are the building blocks of advanced yoga. Backbends help to extend the spine and increase flexibility. Resting poses like child's pose can be used for a short break during a yoga session. And seated poses are often used for mild stretching at the end of a yoga session.

Glossary of Terms