Introduction:
We all want to be happy and free from suffering as human beings. Suffering manifests itself in a variety of ways, all of which spring from a misunderstanding of who we are at our core, beyond our ideas, feelings and external circumstances.
Yoga will take you down the path to a better life by balancing your body and mind and achieving that state of inner peace you’ve been searching for so long. It is a means for discovering our inner selves and connecting with our state of being, rather than just a physical activity.
The COVID-19 epidemic has had a major influence on mental health in the general populace. As a result, during a crisis like a pandemic, monitoring and management of the population’s mental health is a top responsibility. Yoga is proven to be effective in reducing stress and promoting mental clarity. It offers us hope and encourages us to think positively.
Yoga with roots in peace:
Yoga has numerous and diverse mental and physical benefits. Yoga is a philosophy, not just a kind of exercise for staying in shape. Yoga sessions frequently begin with a brief period of meditation, which aids in the preparation of both our bodies and minds for the upcoming activities – thus negative energy dissipates, allowing positive energy to flow. The mind clears and the spirit settles into a balanced state, which is essential for full self-control. The following is a detailed explanation of its key benefits, which will aid in achieving ultimate calm and serenity.
Reduces Stress:
Yoga can help with challenges that many of us face such as stress, anxiety and depression. This is because practicing it lowers our levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises are excellent ways to relieve stress, re-energize and improve your general health.
Increase Energy level:
Yoga exercise has been shown to trigger the processes that release dopamine, also known as “the happiness hormone,” on an internal level. Dopamine is intimately linked to pleasant sensations, which is why most individuals who try yoga and love this practice end up getting “hooked.”
Raises Self-Esteem:
Everyone who practices yoga is familiar with the feeling of optimism and well-being that comes with it. As a result, one of the most significant advantages of yoga is that it boosts one’s self-esteem by encouraging self-confidence. One of the most suggested poses for reaching this goal is the bridge position, which consists of lifting yourself on the tips of your feet with your back facing down and the palms of your hands resting on the floor.
Clears your mind:
Yoga improves your capacity to concentrate and study while also improving your memory. Yoga for 15 minutes a day is enough to modify the biochemical activity of the brain in a positive way.
Reduces tension:
Yoga allows you to focus on your own body and everything that entails. You pay attention to each aspect of your body while you practise as well as the various feelings we are typically unaware of. As a result, it enables us to perceive bodily tensions, which are frequently linked to mental tensions. It’s the first step toward minimizing and reducing them.
Reduces the risk of illness:
When you practise any sort of yoga, your immune system will benefit as well. The immune system is activated by the various positions or asanas that are a part of the practice as well as the breathing exercises that go along with them. As a result, the immune system is strengthened and the risks of becoming ill are reduced.
How Yoga helps to Deal with Stress:
Yoga promotes mental and physical relaxation, which aids in stress and anxiety reduction. Flexibility, stress relief and pain relief are all benefits of the physical postures.
Yoga positions may aid in the release of emotional and tension-related obstructions, such as muscular knots. They also encourage the release of mood-enhancing endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals that can help you cope with stress. During your yoga practice, focusing on the present moment improves your awareness, attention and mental centering.
Stress Relief Techniques:
Many of the popular techniques found to reduce stress derive from yoga are:
- Controlled breathing
- Meditation
- Physical movement
- Mental imagery
- Stretching
Research on Yoga and Anxiety Management:
- Yoga had a good effect on women who did Hatha yoga three times a week for four weeks, according to a 2018 research. They observed significant decreases in stress, despair and anxiety after 12 sessions.
- Yoga stretches were found to lower cortisol levels and increase parasympathetic nerve activity, which promotes relaxation, in a small 2020 research of adult men.
- Another study from 2020 revealed that persons who practiced an 11-minute yoga nidra meditation for 30 days lowered their stress levels, increased their general well-being and slept better.
Yoga and Pandemic Anxiety:
In our everyday lives, we come across a variety of stressful situations. More than half of the world’s population is now depressed or anxious as a result of the recent epidemic. COVID-19 has resulted in a rise in isolation and unemployment as well as a substantial psychological toll. Professionals are concerned about these potential consequences. Yoga has been discovered to be an effective treatment for anxiety and stress alleviation. It enables you to clear your mind of negative ideas and energies so you can concentrate on the good parts of the situation. It helps in reducing stress by using following techniques:
- Increase physical activity.
- Encourage people to eat more healthily.
- Reduce your motivation to drink and smoke by improving your sleep quality.
- Increase the brain chemical GABA, which produces a calming effect.
- Reduce the cortisol, “the stress hormone”.
The best thing is that yoga comes in a variety of styles, ranging from high-intensity to low-intensity. You can begin regardless of your degree of experience.
Conclusion: Relate this paragraph with Covid Anxiety.
According to WebMD, yoga is a 5,000-year-old tradition that is performed by around 11 million people in the United States. Some people practise yoga for the physical advantages, while others do it for the mental benefits. Yoga not only helps to enhance flexibility and relieve tension, but it also provides mental and spiritual advantages. One of the numerous advantages of yoga is stress management, which has aided many individuals throughout the world in their fight against depression in this era of pandemic. Apart from this, yoga does not even require special equipment or accessories. A simple yoga suit and mat, both of which are readily accessible on COYA, are sufficient.
Author’s Bio:
Asfia is a Content Strategist at eTek Studio, a Dubai-based web design firm. She has a great grasp on her writing expertise and has been writing essays, articles, product content and blogs for a long time. COYA is one of the projects she has been working on. She obtains her inspirations by looking at everyday objects in a new light. She continuously studies to explore technologies and trends in web design and strives to highlight wonderful secrets of creation with her good artistic style.
