Yoga for Depression and Anxiety: How to Improve Your Mental Health Through Gentle Stretching

Are you Stressed or Depressed? Try Yoga!

It's well-known that yoga has numerous health benefits and is often recommended for physical ailments such as back pain, but it's interesting to delve into the use of the ancient technique to improve mental well-being and provide a healthy outlook on life.

Recent research in the United States found that three sessions of gentle yoga a week can help combat depression as it boosts levels of a chemical in the brain which is essential for a relaxed mind. In 2010, scientists at the Boston University School of Medicine found that the levels of the amino acid GABA are significantly higher in people that carry out yoga than those who do the equivalent of a similarly strenuous exercise, for example walking. This chemical is essential for the function of brain and central nervous system and promotes a state of calm within the body.

Low levels of GABA are associated with various anxiety disorders, and depression. This would suggest then that there is more to the way in which yoga makes us feel happy and relaxed than simply releasing endorphins as other exercise does.

Stress is a common occurrence in today's society; factors such as the recent credit crunch and job market on top of raising a family, relationships, studies etc. can take a toll on all of us. Our bodies and minds are not designed to handle long periods of stress- which can manifest itself in hypertension, insomnia, skin problems, asthma, ulcers, and as previously mentioned; anxiety and depression.

How to Reduce Stress and Anxiety Through Focused Breathing and Awareness

Yoga provides good results for stress management

-It physically releases stress and tension by the stretching and twisting into different postures (referred to as 'Asanas' in yoga) and unwinds knots in the back and neck muscles etc. which may be causing the body to feel tight.

-The physical exercises releases endorphins, natural hormones in the body which create a feeling of well-being.

-Yoga breathing techniques (known as 'Pranayamas') make a person take deeper breaths which fill the bloodstream with more oxygen and control blood pressure, but also being aware of your control over breathing is a very effective tool in combating stress.

-Pranayamas and Asanas, together the 'language of the body' help us get to know our innermost being, and control over ourselves through learning to control our body. Practising yoga will help realise there is an inter-connection between mind, body and spirit which in turn helps to maintain balance in daily life.

-Yoga clears the mind: Our minds are constantly racing from one thought to another and tiring themselves out in the process! The concentration used in yoga for Asanas and Pranayamas gives the brain a well-deserved break, and puts all other worries and thoughts to the side.

-Yogic philosophy also plays an important role in achieving a more optimistic outlook. Regular practising of yoga can change the way in which a person views the world and their attitude towards achieving goals and success rather than failure. Asanas and Pranayamas impart positive thinking.

-Ending each yoga session relaxing with the 'savasana' or corpse pose might feel like an enforced relaxation at first but eventually becomes a total release for both body and mind, transitioning you back into the world refreshed and ready to go!

A few key yoga postures, or asanas, for relieving stress are 'savasana' (corpse pose) as mentioned above, 'balasana' (child's pose), 'makarasana' (crocodile pose) and 'vrikshasana' (tree pose). Take a breather next time you feel stressed out and see how much of a difference yoga makes to your mood!

Evolve Wellness Centre is innovative and pioneering yoga centre in the heart of London. As well as providing a variety of yoga classes in London, evolve also hosts personal development and self growth talks, workshops and on going events. If you're looking to experience less stress, and wanting to experience yoga for depression as a possible way to help reduce and manage this condition as well as more balance and peace in your life this yoga centre could be the place for you. Learn how to reduce anxiety, practice yoga and experience increasing levels of bliss and energy. Visit http://www.evolvewellnesscentre.com/

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The Amazing Physical and Mental Bikram Yoga Benefits

The practice of yoga in the United States today has become quite popular. It is regarded by most as a physical practice or sport that leaves the body more flexible and strong, however, yoga is much more than a sport.

Yoga was first conceived nearly 5,000 years ago in India by the sage Patanjali. Yoga literally means "yoke", which is interpreted as uniting or joining and alludes to the ultimate goal of the process which involves uniting the mind, body and spirit as one. Bikram Yoga is a highly popular form of the art that involves practicing a series of postures in a heated room. Bikram yoga benefits are numerous and extend beyond the mere elongation and strengthening of the muscles.

Bikram Yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury and became popular in the early 1970's. The practice combines a regiment of 26 yogic postures, two pranayama breathing techniques and the use of a heated space. The room is heated to 105 degrees F for the practice, which helps facilitate the relaxation of the muscles as well as the body's production of perspiration.

The primary benefit of Bikram Yoga is the improvement of blood circulation which is accomplished through several techniques. The yogic postures performed throughout the session are designed to restrict and increase blood flow to specific parts of the body. The restriction of blood vessels while holding postures is said to actually increase the blood flow in that same area because the blood rushes back more quickly to the area when the posture is released.

Combining this technique with breathing exercises that increase the amount of oxygen in the blood allows the blood to become highly oxygenated which deeply nourishes all the body's tissues. By practicing the postures in a heated environment the blood is circulated even faster as the body works hard to cool down, thus providing a benefit even if the postures are not performed with perfect execution. Bikram Yoga benefits not only the muscles, lungs and circulatory system but it also has a positive effect on the overall wellbeing of the practitioner.

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years by men and women seeking a more enlightened consciousness and state of being. It is only very recently that the art has been used as a fitness tool. While the physical benefits of Bikram Yoga are indisputable, the effect on the mind of the practitioner should not be overlooked.

The practice of yoga demands that the practitioner has a focused mind. In fact, yoga is really a form of meditation that involves the body. When the mind is focused, calm, and cantered, the postures can be performed with more precision and the practitioner can experience a firm and deep posture. The more focused the mind becomes the more effective the postures are and vice versa. This process of using the power of the mind to discipline the body is said to be one of the keys to reaching higher consciousness.

While Bikram yoga benefits the body, studies show that it also benefits the mind of the practitioner leading to a more relaxed and tranquil feeling and an overall enhanced lifestyle.

You can find much more information on the health benefits of yoga by simply visiting http://www.famousbymorning.com/yoga-benefits.htm

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The Mental Benefits of Yoga and Their Importance

Yoga becomes a part of your mental life simply by breathing. This occurs especially when you are excited or nervous. You should always apply yoga exercise in a good mood. It will cause you a more satisfied feeling afterwards. A yoga practice done religiously creates mental clarity and calmness, increases body awareness, relieves chronic stress patterns, relaxes the mind, centres attention and sharpens concentration.

Mental Benefits:

Social adjustment increases: Practicing yoga relaxes you. That effects in conditioning your body to adjust easily to the environment.Concentration and Learning Efficiency Improves: The mind is kept firm at one place instead of letting it wander here and there. This reduces strain on the mind. The mental strength increases. With such habitual concentration, the work is done effectively and efficiently.Self-Actualization, Social Skills and Well-being Increases: Yoga when practiced regularly puts your body in a positive healthy state. This in turn puts your mind in a positive healthy state which helps to keep your body looking and feeling good. Yoga provides a continuous loop of positive well-being and continual rejuvenation.Mental Calmness: By practicing yoga on a daily basis, you can regain your mental calmness and get rid of stress and other mental ailments.Stress Reduction: Because of the required concentration in yoga, your day-to-day stressors, both tiny and huge, will melt away with just a snap. This stops the demands of people giving you stress.Body and Self-Awareness: Practicing yoga will bring you more self-awareness and increase the level of comfort to your body. Yoga has been proven to improve one's posture; in turn, increasing one's confidence. It strives to up bring your confidence to learn to prevail upon relaxation and to use techniques whenever pain appears. Practicing yoga will help you counter feelings of helplessness and depression.Mood Change and Vitality: Those who participates in yoga over a period of time can achieve a positive outlook in life. Yoga stretching and breathing helps you to meditate deeper and throw away those unwanted feelings you are encountering at the present.

Mental Performance is really a best way to remove stress and other distracting feelings in our body. Study shows that it increases brain activity, especially if it is accompanied by yoga. It has been proven that yoga improves your mood. With this mood boost, your subjective well-being will increase while anxiety and depression decreases. You should always leave yoga sessions feeling energized, not tired. If you feel tired after yoga, it means you spent the time "fighting" yourself, trying to force yourself into poses. In yoga, you "surrender" to the pose by letting go of the tension.

Abbey Reynolds is a reputable yoga instructor in North Dakota. A practitioner for 8 years and has been teaching since 2006. She has recently developed a site to serve as a guiding path to all who want to learn and practice yoga.

Visit her site to learn more about these principles and the different Yoga health benefits

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