According to the 2019 Global Emotions Report, a third of the world's population is stressed. 55% of Americans recall feeling stressed much of the day in 2018. But nothing beats Greece with 59% of its population under stress since 2012.
It doesn't matter who's on the top rank, however, because stress is recognized as the number one proxy killer and is one of the leading causes of death. It is basically ranked along with accidents, cancer, heart disease, lung ailments, liver cirrhosis, and suicide.
The long and short of it is that stress is bad for your health.
Well, did you know that yoga can help with stress management? The mental, physical and spiritual disciplines and practices combine meditation and deep breathing to promote calmness and mental clarity. Practicing yoga regularly relieves chronic stress patterns.
Although the western world generally discounts Yoga as having any sort of ‘medicinal’ benefit, there are countless studies to show that Yoga reduces levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol.
Furthermore, the amount of empirical evidence is overwhelming; I mean talk to any Yogi and ask them if they experience a drop in stress after doing Yoga?
More and more people are turning to Yoga for one reason or another, not just to manage their stress. For example, even the prolific 6 x Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, quit his Temple gym bodybuilding workouts for Yoga. Dorian even went on record saying; “I feel like I have almost got a new body, that’s the benefit of Yoga”.
If you are not already doing Yoga, then you should, you can reap a multitude of benefits.
So in this article, you'll learn the benefits of yoga and the different poses you can do to prevent or alleviate your stress levels.
How does Yoga can relieve stress?
Reduces stress hormones
The hormone cortisol plays a vital part in maintaining blood sugar, blood pressure, metabolism, and response to infections and stress. Elevated levels, however, have an adverse effect.
Too much of it can over-stress your body and elevated cortisol levels can negatively affect your health.
But individuals practicing yoga regularly showed low levels of the serum cortisol. Therefore if your body is under constant stress, finding balance through daily yoga can keep cortisol levels down.
Helps control breathing
For some people, stress can lead to panic attacks and anxiety, resulting in shallow and fast-paced breathing.
By learning different breathing techniques, you will be able to control your response to stressful situations and remain calm.
Yoga will teach you the ways to breathe deeply, calmly, and slowly. So every time you feel yourself getting stressed out or your nerves are spiking up, control your breath and you will overcome your negative feelings.
Relieves anxiety
Who knew that practicing yoga can relieve a serious condition such as anxiety?
A study showed that women with anxiety disorders showed significant improvements in their perceived levels of anxiety after enrolling in a two-month yoga course. The results proved that the discipline can serve as an alternative or complementary treatment.
Promotes better sleep
People, who don't have enough sleep, often feel nervous. People with insomnia, on the other hand, are at risk of anxiety, confusion, depression, and frustration.
Do you know what one of the main causes of insomnia is? The answer is stress.
It is no coincidence that research shows that you can achieve better sleep quality by practicing yoga long-term.
Facilitates deep relaxation
There are two things in yoga that can put you and your mind at ease.
Both of these combine to promote deep relaxation that is essential in achieving a stress-free experience.
In addition, yoga provides asthma symptom relief, increases strength and flexibility, lowers blood pressure, and slows down the aging process.
Overall, you enjoy a better quality of life with the disciplined integrated into your lifestyle.
What techniques in yoga can help with stress management?
Controlled breathing
When you control your breathing, you control your body and mind. How you breathe affects your whole body, thus the benefit of breathing exercises that reduce tension, quiet your mind, and relieve stress.
Mental imagery
Guided imagery in yoga is a powerful tool for relaxation and stress relief. You will be taught to get into a deeply relaxed state and to start envisioning in great detail a relaxing scene, for example. Guided imagery is not only used for stress-relieving therapy but also as a source of insight and wisdom.
Meditation
Yoga teaches that meditation will help you become more aware and more mindful of the present moment. It also relaxes and slows the mind, pulling you back in focus when you start feeling stressed out for when your mind becomes busy.
Poses
Also called postures, these series of movements will increase flexibility and strength. Yoga poses can range from as simple as lying on the floor feeling completely relaxed to as complex as stretching your body to its physical limits.
Stretching
The Bridge Pose, for example, gently stretches the back and legs. This posture can reduce anxiety, backaches, fatigue, headaches, and insomnia. All of which can cause stress.
With all these combined in one practice, you’re sure to be stress-free for much of your day and every day.
Different Yoga Poses Recommended for Stress Management
While yoga, in general, can alleviate stress, some are designed to reduce if not eliminate stress completely.
Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana) - stretches your neck, spine, and shoulders. As you hold your position, stress and anxiety are reduced and your mind becomes quiet.
Eagle Pose (Garudasana) - improves balance and focus, effectively keeping stress at bay. As your body releases tension in the back, legs, and shoulders, so would stress go away.
Plow Pose (Halasana) - activates the thyroid, calms the mind, stretches the hamstrings and shoulders, and stimulates internal organs.
Pranayama or the breathing exercises - there are four breathing exercises that inspire inner calm and stillness.
Rabbit Pose (Sasangasana) - is a forward bend post that flexes the spine, relieves tension around the neck quiets the mind and increases breathing and body awareness.
These are just a few postures designed for stress relief. For optimum health, start practicing yoga today and never feel stressed again.
Full-time blogger and Travel Consultant.