Is Yoga Magic for Mental Healh? / Emily Rapp

Is Yoga Magic for Mental Health?

By Emily Rapp

Just google “benefits of yoga” and in the first few citations you will see, “The Nine Benefits of Yoga,” “The Twenty-Two Benefits of Yoga,” “38 Ways Yoga Can Save Your Life”, etc. Really?

THREE WAYS YOGA IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH:

1All exercise is good for your body and mind. Dr. Google will confirm that exercise is near the top on any list for non-pharmaceutical treatments for depression and anxiety. Exercise releases endorphins, thought to be responsible for the euphoric feeling many people experience after exercise.

Yoga can be a particularly good choice of exercise for people with depression or anxiety, because it can be started slowly, even just with breathing (see the next point!), is self-paced, and there are many levels of physical challenge, depending on the style of yoga involved.

2Yoga puts a focus on breathing more than many other forms of exercise. Yogic tradition incorporates many specific types of breathing exercises, but all involve either chest breathing or belly breathing. Chest breathing activates the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the “fight or flight” response, or sometimes useful just for the “I have to get out of bed” response. This can get the body ready for action/physical activity/ energizing. In contrast, belly breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and relax” response, allowing the body to downshift, sending a message to the brain to de-stress. Purposefully belly breathing can help break the stress cycle where stress hormones are constantly being released, leading to inflammation throughout the body. When therapists talk about deep breathing as a calming technique, they are typically recommending belly breathing.

3Meditation and mindfulness are often high on any list of strategies to combat depression and anxiety. Yoga is often described as a moving meditation, or moving mindfulness. In most group yoga classes, the instructor works to set a mood that keeps the participants focused in the room, on their body, and on their breathing throughout the class. This breaks the cycle of rumination, worry, and catastrophizing which can be so common in depression and anxiety. Yay! If you do yoga, you will get exercise and meditation together!

What are you waiting for? Yoga is for everybody. Whether through your local yoga studio, gym, DVD or YouTube, there are many ways to get started. Put it on your calendar, commit to a time with a buddy and take that first step.

Author Bio: Emily Rapp is a certified yoga instructor with the Original Hot Yoga Association. She teaches classes based in the 26+2 bikram-style tradition, both at the Pure Hot Yoga studio in Richmond Heights, MO (yogastlouis.com) and via Zoom for her Loosen Up Athletes Zoom studio (loosenupathletes.com). She can be reached at emilyrapp@sbcglobal.net and will help you get started!

agape love YOU ARE LIMITLESS

Welcome to the Center for Spiritual Living

Rev. Dr. Marigene DeRusha Rev. Marigene is a dynamic spiritual leader dedicated to teaching and practicing spirituality that inspires, educates, and opens people to their full potential. Through Center for Spiritual Living (CSL) she offers classes, events, music and Sunday Celebration – online and in person. CSL is a diverse, “not your usual church” kind of place.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe there are many paths to God! We believe that when you change your thinking you can change your life.

LOCATION & SERVICES

St. Louis, MO 63146, USA Sunday Morning (11: 00 a.m.) Sunday Streaming (11:00 a.m.) Video Replay (8:00 p.m.)

WATCH LIVE

We are glad to deliver online live streaming services. Join us live every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Facebook.com/CSLSTL www.stlouiscsl.org