How Yoga Calms Anxiety Holistically

  • By Jennifer Mulder
  • 12 December 2018
  • 3 minute read
How Yoga Calms Anxiety Holistically | The Health Sessions

This article was written by Manmohan Singh from Rishikul Yogshala.

In this age and era of professional stress and personal troubles, anxiety is the condition that afflicts a number of people. Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders affecting people of all ages and gender.

 Medications, counseling, and other forms of therapy have proven to be effective in treating anxiety. But going natural is highly recommended. Yoga science calms anxiety holistically. It equally addresses physical, mental, and emotional anxiety and produces effects that are long-lasting and healthy.  

The Asanas, Pranayama, and Meditation are the core components of yoga that when practiced reduces anxiety and promotes serenity on a deeper level. These three are natural yoga techniques that affect the body,mind, and soul to release the anxiety and stress.  

How Does Yoga Help You Calm Your Anxiety?

1. Yoga lowers tension.

When we encounter stressful situations, our brain produces stress hormone cortisol that negatively affects our internal system. Also, in times of anxiety, our body constrict as our shoulders, hips, neck, hold tensions. The physical practice of yoga asanas helps in releasing body tensions by opening the constrict body areas. And, the performance of yoga poses like Balasana, Savasana, Sirsasana, and more activates the parasympathetic nervous system that promotes relaxation of body and mind. Yoga teacher training in Indiais one priceless opportunity to learn and practice the diverse yoga forms and asanas.

2. It regulates breathing.  

How you breathe is closely linked with your nervous system. When you are anxious, you take shallow breaths that negatively touch your brain and body. With shallow breaths, you take in less prana (energy or life force) that hampers the functioning of brain and body organs. The yogic technique of Pranayama is the art of deep breaths that leads to expansion of prana in the body. The yogic pranayama practices teach the practitioners the importance of relaxed breathing and how to use this breathing in challenging situations for nourishment. When you learn to regulate your breath, you soothe anxiety holistically.

How Yoga Calms Anxiety Holistically | The Health Sessions

3. Yoga calms the mind fluctuations. 

There are hundreds of studies that state the benefits of meditation for calming the mind. When you are anxious, your mind worries about everything, which may cause symptoms like insomnia. Meditation involves focusing on your breathing and letting go of the unwanted thoughts. With the skill of being present in the moment, you counteract the stress and prevent it from getting worse. The mantra chanting in meditation allows your mind to shift in non-thinking realm thus controlling anxiety and troublesome thinking pattern. Loving Kindness Meditation is also effective as it is the practice of sending love thoughts to yourself.  

4. It connects body and mind. 

Each yoga series ends with the practice of Corpse Pose (Savasana). The Savasana is a relaxing posture that releases both body and mind profoundly. When you rest in Corpse pose, you feel transported into a world of rejuvenation that helps combat stress in daily life. Yoga Nidra is a meditation technique and the practice of relaxing the body deeply. The intense relaxation experienced by the body in these techniques facilitate in reducing anxiety levels.

5. Yoga increases GABA. 

GABA is a chemical messenger in the brain. It functions to control the fear of anxiety experienced when the neurons in the body are overexcited. The practice of yoga and meditation enhance the natural effect of GABA. So, the increased GABA function helps you calm down.

The science of yoga is by far the most enjoyable method to calm anxiety internally and externally. Keep practicing it for effective results.

Author Bio: Manmohan Singh is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveler in India. He provides yoga teacher training in nepal, yoga teacher training in kerala and India. He loves writing and reading the books related to yoga, health, nature and the Himalayas. His strong connection with Yoga and the Himalayas has made him organize yoga, meditation and Ayurveda tours, and retreats in the Himalayas.

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