Stress seems to be everywhere these days. From work commitments to family responsibilities, we suffer through a never-ending list of tasks to complete – all while facing time and financial pressures that can weigh heavily upon us. So many outside sources attempt to influence us and our decisions – from our employers to advertisers to social media – until it’s exhausting to keep up with it all.
Most of us have experienced varying degrees of mental or emotional strain at some point in our lives, and while there are those of us who cope better with this than others, eventually stress takes its toll on each of us. Though many try to carry on as normal, others seek out guidance from a therapist and some turn to pharmaceutical help from a doctor. Wouldn’t it be great if we could address the stress that permeates our lives in a more holistic way that avoids medication?
Avoiding solutions that may adversely affect us, such as the side effects associated with many drugs, and addressing the underlying causes of our anxiety is a far safer and more sustainable approach to tackling stress and its varied symptoms. Recent research has already told us that yoga can be wonderful for our physical wellbeing; we’re now discovering that it can also be just as helpful for our mental and emotional wellbeing.
How can yoga help us combat stress without turning to medication?
Numerous scientific studies have found evidence that the regular practice of yoga can have significant positive effects on reducing stress and anxiety levels. There seems to be several factors at work that contribute to yoga’s ability to improve our moods and keep us calm.
One of the keys appears to be a neurotransmitter called GABA (short for gamma-aminoutryic acid). GABA acts to inhibit nerve transmission in the brain, thereby calming overactive nervous activity. Having lower levels of GABA is associated with mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety while higher levels have a calming effect. Studies have shown that those who practice yoga on a regular basis, have elevated levels of GABA compared to those people who partake in another similar form of regular exercise (such as walking).
Researchers have also found evidence that links the practices of yoga, meditation, and deep breathing to changes in the expression of genes involved in metabolism, immune function, and insulin secretion. The study author notes that these methods of deep relaxation enhance wellness and counteract the effects of stress such as anxiety and hypertension.
Additionally, a separate study has shown that yoga and meditation can be an effective tool to reduce inflammation caused by chronic stress. Regular practice altered the activity of inflammatory and antiviral proteins in practitioners and brought stress relief to the study participants.
How do we apply an ancient practice like yoga to help us manage stress in modern times?
While it’s true that the world has changed a great deal since yoga was created, the fundamental aspects of the human condition are still very much the same. People have always faced external pressures and stressors. While the most obvious aspects of our current lives are very different from conditions in the past, the fundamental existential functioning of our minds and our emotions remains unchanged.
In a high-pressure world where we are trying to be productive in our professional careers and attentive to our familial responsibilities while still maintaining an active social life, it seems that something has to give. When juggling all of these commitments, we need some way to create balance in our lives and to step out of our hectic daily routines.
The regular practice of yoga can give us just the break we’re seeking. The ancient techniques of yoga – sometimes combined with more modern modifications – give us tools and techniques to achieve equanimity and inner calm by regulating our bodies and our minds. It enables us to listen more closely to our internal wisdom and tune out the incessant chatter and distractions of the outside world.
Yoga teaches us how to remain centered and focused, making us less likely to be easily triggered by eternal factors that create stress and anxiety. When faced with a new problem, a looming deadline, or a disagreement with a colleague or family member, yogic tools help us to moderate any propensity toward knee-jerk reactivity and allow us the perspective to take a more calm and measured approach to resolving challenging situations.
The ultimate aim of yoga – through physical postures, meditation, focused breathing, and other techniques – is to settle the mind. A calm mind sharpens our awareness, makes us less reactive to external stimuli, and helps us to maintain our perspective in difficult circumstances. Even subtle shifts in our mindset can create profound changes in our ability to handle anxiety and assimilate stress.
As practitioners have long known – and scientific studies continue to demonstrate – the physiological responses that yoga activates in our bodies also have far-reaching effects on our minds and emotions. The integration of mind and body through yoga offers a tremendously effective method for reducing the stress of modern life.
So whether you’ve considered taking a class at a local gym or studio, traveling to an exotic locale on vacation for a yoga retreat, or just want to practice in the comfort of your own home, yoga can offer profound benefits and help us to feel calmer, more relaxed, and more balanced in our daily lives.