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5 Ways Yoga Helps You Overcome Stress

Healthcare

By FarhatPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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5 Ways Yoga Helps You Overcome Stress
Photo by Jose Vazquez on Unsplash

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Stress has become so common that it’s practically synonymous with daily life. We all experience stress sometimes, whether we’re feeling pressure from our jobs or trying to juggle the responsibilities of parenthood, but too much stress can take its toll on your body and mind. One of the best ways to manage stress is through practicing yoga, which can reduce your symptoms and help you learn how to conquer your stress. If you’re ready to get started, try these five easy ways yoga helps you overcome stress.

1) A short introduction to yoga

You’ve probably heard of yoga, or seen a few ladies doing downward dog in your local park, but what is it really? Well, put simply, yoga is an ancient art which aims to improve your physical health and well-being through controlled breathing and stretching exercises. In short, it’s more than just rolling out a mat—it’s also a great way to help you cope with stress. But how exactly does it work? Read on...

2) Yoga relaxes you

I’ve talked about how much yoga relaxes me before and there are a lot of ways in which it helps you relax. By practicing deep breathing techniques while stretching your body, yoga can help you calm down when you feel stressed or anxious. Aside from that, doing yoga regularly can also reduce cortisol levels, lower your blood pressure and increase dopamine levels – all factors that contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing. Not to mention that research has shown that people who practice yoga have less stress than people who don’t. So yes, you should definitely give yoga a try if you want to improve your overall quality of life!

#10: It relieves pain: Many types of exercise can help relieve back pain or neck pain (like pilates for instance), but no other kind comes close to yoga when it comes to dealing with these issues.

3) Yoga calms you down

By now, you know that yoga has benefits for stress relief. When done on a regular basis, it helps keep stress levels in check and soothes your system. It’s even been shown to help people overcome post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A simple practice of breathing exercises can help cut down on your stress levels, reducing heart rate and respiration as well as decreasing cortisol levels. Yoga also relieves tension in muscles—like headaches and backaches—which is often at least partly responsible for physical stress. Studies show deep breathing alone can greatly reduce chronic pain; practicing yoga regularly takes relaxation to another level.

4) Yoga increases concentration

A 2011 study published in Clinical Psychology Review found that patients suffering from major depressive disorder improved their concentration after just four weeks of yoga. Researchers believe that practicing certain poses can help treat mental health disorders by increasing a person’s focus and relaxation. And, if you aren’t into taking a class, there are many poses you can practice on your own to reap these stress-relieving benefits at home. When it comes to reducing stress, studies have shown that incorporating more yoga into our daily lives could be beneficial for both body and mind. Researchers point out that with our fast-paced lifestyles often come tension, worry, fatigue and anxiety—but we don’t always have time to hit the gym or take long yoga classes throughout our busy days.

5) Yoga reduces anxiety and depression

According to a study by researchers at UCLA’s Department of Psychology, yoga can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety among women. The findings showed that women who participated in weekly yoga sessions for three months reported feeling less stressed and more self-aware, with no adverse effects on their physical health.1 Those who practiced yoga also saw improved sleep quality—another key factor in reducing stress levels and fostering overall well-being. This is great news for people struggling with mental illness or those just looking to relax!

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