Yoga Stress Relief
Yoga is a great method for relieving stress. There are recent studies showing how yoga stress relief is caused by reducing stress hormones as well as increasing brain chemicals that lessen the stress response.
The effects of yoga on brain chemistry are discussed in this article on yoga and brain chemistry. In particular it explains that:
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine, New York Medical College and the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons hypothesized that there are certain imbalances in the brain when a person has depression or stress-related conditions. Such imbalances include low activity of something called gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA); low activity of GABA is linked with epilepsy, chronic pain, depression, anxiety and PTSD, researchers said.
Different styles have different effects on stress. A strong workout may cause a small release of stress hormones during class, but the activity tends to use up the chemicals. Of course, the relaxation at the end of the class stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, the part that causes the body to relax. Relaxation after a strong exertion has a noticeable effect for most people.
A modern style of yoga, Laughter yoga, is shown to release stress in an obviously different way. As well as a reduction in stress hormones the feel good brain chemicals called endorphins are released bringing an even greater calm. The endorphin release is discussed in this laughter yoga article:
It’s not a fantasy but a real therapy, laughter yoga is a system for making people laugh, regardless of their sense of humor. It lowers stress and increases the confidence in them. A course to learn how to smile is so artificial and spontaneous. The benefits are proven; you release endorphins and improve self-esteem. The laughter yoga session usually begins with breathing exercises, yoga-based techniques. A real laughter therapy, although based on different principle.
Another modern inovation is Yin Yoga which is holding stretches for a long time. It releases stress by allowing the participant to go inward to release blockages to the pose which relate to their inner workings. The method is discussed in this article on Yin Yoga in which she writes:
It works like this: We know, in yoga, that discomfort is okay. Discomfort can be good. It means that we have come right up to an edge—I imagine it as a literal fence. We can check out the borderlines, see how it feels there, and peer over to the other side without actually jumping on the barbwire. We can hang out in a place that threatens to reveal a deeper layer of our true selves, even while the mind is making up all kinds of tricks to try to get you back to your comfort zone, despite the fact that the only comfort you’ll often really find there is familiarity.
Find the style of yoga that appeals to you and give it a try. There are many more benefits than just yoga stress relief, but that is reason enough.
You can learn more about the styles discussed from these yoga videos.
65 Need-to-know Laughter Yoga Exercises
Yin Yoga: The Foundations of a Quiet Practice
Recommended Reading
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