Yoga and Anxiety
Yoga stress and anxiety
For any one who has ever stepped on a yoga mat it will probably come as no surprise that yoga helps to calm the crazy, whirling chatter of our “monkey minds”. It is possible to walk away after as little as 20 minutes yoga practice feeling lighter and less stressed.
I don’t think it would be exaggerating to say yoga has kept me from a melt down over the last few months. There were points, as I am sure there have been for all of us, where I felt like I was in some very deep water, out of my depth and way out of my comfort zone. I couldn’t see the end or a solution, as our situation was completely out of our control, and we just had to wait for the powers that be to make decisions for us.
When I began to feel over whelmed, I would find my way to a quiet space with my mat and usually some cushions or bolsters and
I would simply breathe. Sometimes I would flow through a challenging Vinyasa, sometimes I was there to teach, which I loved and seeing the smiling faces from all over the world in my classes made my day. Whatever the reason I ended up on my mat, whatever form of yoga I did when I was there, I always came away feeling clearer, calmer.
With this being the feeling that many practitioners experience after a session it is perhaps no surprise that the scientific world has been looking into yoga as an aid to help with wellbeing, stress reduction and improved mobility for decades. I came across an article regarding one of the latest studies to take place. It looks more closely at yoga and Anxiety, specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which is categorized as a feeling of dread or worry that is diffused throughout every aspect of that person's life.
The New York University, Grossman School of Medicine took 230 men and women and divided them into three groups. Yes, you guessed it - one of the groups was given 120 minutes of yoga a week, with 20 minutes of homework to do every day. The group who received yoga as part of their treatment plan had a 54% improvement after 12 weeks, in comparison to their pre trial assessment. The group which had been given CBT(cognitive behavioural therapy) had a higher response rate of 71% while the third group who were given Stress education saw 33% response.
I think research like this is brilliant for showing just how powerful a tool yoga can be when used in conjunction with counselling, therapy and medication. According to the WHO the number of people suffering with anxiety disorders globally is estimated to be around 3.4%. With that in mind finding a rounded holistic treatment plan for the future can only be a good thing.
To find out more about this particular study, simply pop GAD and yoga into your search bar.
Alway remember that it is ok not to be ok, never be scared to ask for help if you think you need it.
Both the NHS
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/
&
have great resources.
Kate x