Being a yoga teacher, some of my friends can assume that I am always calm, relaxed and immune to the effects of stress.
Not quite.
The advantage that yoga gives me is that I have built a buffer zone so that I don’t get stressed as easily as I used to, and when I do get stressed (Yes, even yoga teachers get stressed!) I have tools to help me deal with it.
So what is stress?
Stress is defined as the body’s response to pressure.
This makes it very personal. No two people will experience stress in the same way, even if they are confronted to the same trigger.
When feeling stressed, you might experience some of the following:
Emotionally, you might feel:
- Anxious
- Afraid
- Angry
- Sad
- Irritable
- Overwhelmed
Physically, you might experience:
- Headaches
- Digestive problems
- Heart palpitations
- Aches and pains
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea
If you have recognised yourself in any of the above, yoga can help you reduce your stress levels and develop ways of approaching situations so that you don’t experience as much stress as you normally would.
How does yoga help?
Relaxation
When you are stressed, your body is on high alert. As much as we can cope with short term stress and not feel any negative effects from it, we start to get into trouble if we experience longer time stress.
This is when your nervous system stays alert for a longer period of time, slowly taking energy away from your digestion, your recovery system and your immune system.
Daily relaxation will help you release the effects of stress so that you become less reactive and calmer.
Try a seated relaxation by clicking HERE
Movements
Yoga poses and sequences are designed in order to release the physical stress that locks itself into your joints whenever you experience a stressful situation.
Done regularly, yoga will help you release the physical tension, enabling your body to not accumulate stress day after day after day. By releasing stress regularly, you will cultivate your body’s natural ability to cope to ensure that it doesn’t get overwhelmed by the things that go on around you.
Try a short yoga sequence designed to release stress by clicking HERE
Breathing
The breath is your champion when it comes to stress management. By breathing the right way, you can reduce stress, calm your mind and increase your ability to focus and make decisions. All of this put together will help you be in a better place to face up to situations that could be challenging at home or at work.
A simple and easy breathing technique to help you feel calmer and reduce your stress:
Breathe in for a count of 4
Hold your breath for a count of 1
Breathe out for a count of 4
Hold your breath for a count of 1
By combining movements, breathing and relaxation, yoga offers you a package of techniques that will help you release the stress you may already have accumulated, putting you in a much better place if something challenging comes up for you.
If you’re looking for a very targeted way to feel calmer, more relaxed and more able to handle what life sends your way, sign up for my 3 days mini course to become calmer and more peaceful. It is completely free and you can find the details HERE.