4 ways yoga can help with pandemic anxiety
Fighting coronavirus anxiety, one practice at a time
Anxiety is something we all experience. As cases of Covid-19 rise around the globe, health officials are urging people to practice social distancing. That can make a yoga sessions seem more harmful than healthy. Let’s not panic. Yoga can reduce the impact of exaggerated stress response and is helpful for both anxiety and depression.
Here are 4 ways yoga can help with anxiety in these uncertain times.
Breathing (Pranayama). Having anxious thoughts often causes rapid and shallow breathing, which in itself increases anxiety in a vicious circle.
The simplest technique is “Breath awareness”. Start by becoming aware of your breath and noticing how it is flowing. Focus on the flow without trying to influence it. The simple act of focusing the mind will slow it down and reduce your anxiety level.
You should then move on to “abdominal breathing”, or “nostril breathing”, but that’s for another article :)
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Practice asanas. Yoga helps us release that tension through the practice of asana and relaxation. Try to soften and surrender as you perform each asana and maintain breath awareness to keep the mind focused.
Asana can also help us shift energy in the physical body. A few rounds of sun salutations or flows will be beneficial, but again try to practice in a way that is soothing and nurturing.
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Practice meditation, it’s easier than you think. An anxious mind is usually very active and easily agitated. Meditation helps to slow down the mind which has a calming effect on the entire mind-body complex. A regular practice will help you become familiar with your minds particular patterns and triggers and allow you to reduce the impact your thoughts have on you.
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Lifestyle can have a part to play in anxiety, and obviously things like alcohol, caffeine, and stress can fuel your anxiety. Yoga teaches us to become more loving and understanding of ourselves and the world around us, and it also encourages us to respect and nurture our bodies with healthy, nutritious food that supports and balances us. Eating and living in a mindful and loving way will go a long way in helping to ease anxiety.
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xoxo
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