Many people know what anxiety feels like, the way it controls the mind, produces achiness or nausea, and creates a sense of disconnect between mind, body, spirit, and the outside world. Under these conditions, relaxation is often a challenge. But yogic breathing practices and asana sequences that slow the heart rate, drop blood pressure, and release muscles can help soothe an anxious mind. When people are anxious, the sympathetic nervous system is revved up. Yoga says calming the breath calms the nervous system, and calming the nervous system calms the mind. A tense mind can lead to tense muscles, and relaxing the muscles can help relax the mind.
It’s worked for Stacey, who has found a source of deep calm in her Yoga home practice. Though yoga hasn’t proved a cure-all, Stacey commented “When I practice, I can feel calmer,” she says, “like there’s a home inside me to go to, that all the safety and peace I need is inside, and that it will always be there for me.” Most of all “Yoga allows me a way out of my brain and into my body.”
Peace and Quiet
So how does it work? Yoga relieves anxiety by inducing the relaxation response. First, active asana stimulates the sympathetic nervous system; then, more-calming poses activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The effect is a rare moment of quiet that is healing to the anxious mind.
Loving relationships
Having people around you that are supportive and are there to simple give you a hug can boost your immune system. So stay warm this Autumn and make sure that you manage to give everyone you love a little hug. Most importantly, if you don’t get to that yoga class then develop your home practice and enjoy that feeling of inner peace.
