When someone is highly stressed or anxious, they are often told to “just breathe” or “take some deep breaths”. We intuitively know that slowing down and redirecting attention to the breath is calming.

Yoga is an intuitive practice, developed over thousands of years through trial and observation. What I love is that modern science is catching up to the benefits of the practice that yogis have known and felt for millennia.

Studies have shown that yoga is one of the most therapeutic ways to exercise. A regular yoga practice can help reduce stress and anxiety. The combination of movement, breathwork, and mindfulness helps to release physical tension and regulates the nervous system. And the secret sauce? By taking the time to be present in our body and mind we become more in touch with ourselves and uncover ways to become more responsive to events happening in our lives.

Stress isn’t just in our minds— prolonged stressed manifests physically affecting our overall quality of life. It shows up in many ways including digestive issues, sleep disruptions, anxiety, depression, heart disease, chronic pain, and weakened immunity. Yoga provides us with tools we can use to combat stress and anxiety, improving our overall quality of life.

⁠I’m very grateful for my yoga practice. It is the secret sauce that has helped me again and again through challenging times in my life. I wonder where I would be without this practice, I’m a work in progress, certainly not perfect, but I’m continually learning to tap into the tools of yoga to give me a soft place to land when I feel unanchored.

Can you relate?

If this resonates and you wish to discuss further, contact me to chat, or to see how we can work together.

Articles:

https://beckman.illinois.edu/about/news/article/2023/05/04/resilience-in-dark-times-at-home-yoga-reduces-anxiety-improves-short-term-memory

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/stress