Meditation and other stress-reducing techniques have been examined for years. The research has shown that various meditation practices can be used to treat anxiety and depression. One of the most popular forms of meditation is yoga, which has seen a significant increase in popularity in recent years. Not only does yoga improve strength, balance and flexibility, it can also strengthen your mind and reduce feelings of stress or sadness.
Yoga is thought to have originated in India thousands of years ago and was developed to achieve harmony between one's mind and heart. Yoga was considered the path to enlightenment and spiritual growth because of its meditative core values. When yoga was introduced in Western culture, the physical aspect of the practice was emphasized. Although it is still considered a form of meditation, it can also be viewed as a great form of exercise. Different variations of yoga exist: some focus more on meditation, while others focus on physical activity.
The variation of yoga classes can range from calm and gentle to intense and upbeat. The difference in yoga style and technique is based on personal preference and physical ability. Each form of yoga focuses on controlled breathing and moving with your breath. Yoga incorporates a series of postures and poses to train your mind to push through stress and discomfort.
Research on a wide variety of yoga practices has shown a reduction in the impact of stress on the body. The practice increases and slows your heart rate, enabling your body to respond to stress. The focus on controlled breath teaches yogis to breathe through feelings of tension and stress in the body and, in turn, the mind. For individuals who struggle with stress, anxiety, or depression, yoga may be an excellent meditation practice to manage those symptoms.
Feelings of anxiety and panic cause the body to tense and tighten, often causing pain sensitivity. Yoga poses help subside physical discomfort that comes from anxiety by stretching, lengthening, and balancing the muscles. The visualization and focus on breathing in yoga meditation can help with subsiding feelings of worry, panic and stress. The practice induces feelings of relaxation, which eases the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.
