Yoga, in case you don’t know, is an ancient practice derived from the ancient wisdom traditions of India and is the sister science to Ayurveda. It focuses on breathing, getting into various postures and meditation. It is widely used to encourage wellness and relaxation. But there is a great deal of research on yoga for anxiety and consumer testimony to suggest that it can help you experience ease in your body and mind.
Here are 5 Yoga tips to overcome anxiety disorder as well as these other natural cures for anxiety.
Yoga For Anxiety
5 Tips To Help You Experience Ease in your Body and Mind
1. Keep At It
Yoga, like anything worth doing, can be challenging.
When you attend a yoga class for the first time, you may find yourself amazed that anyone can get into those positions.
You may scoff in disbelief if somebody suggests that you too could do it.
Yet, it is true. I remember the first time I tried ‘downward facing dog’. It was agony! But, after a couple of months, my heels were touching the floor and I felt much more flexible.
If you do this, it will help your anxiety. Research has shown for example that yoga can change the structure of your brain for the better.
If you give up, this WILL NOT happen.
2. Don't Beat Yourself Up
You do not want to be anxious about something that you are using to ease your anxiety!
Some people feel bad about themselves because they don’t feel like they are a yoga expert immediately, or because their anxiety is not reducing as quickly as they would like.
Don't beat yourself up.
It WILL have an impact. Just the very act of getting to your class or practicing yoga at home will help your state of mind. However, as well as this, research has shown conclusively that those who take part in yoga are more likely to be able to cope with stress.
3. Get A Good Teacher
If you go to the doctors, you will expect a prescription that meets your individual needs. Likewise, you will want a yoga teacher who is an expert, and who can give you an individualized program that will suit you. Whether it is a live class in a gym, or if you want to practice online yoga, a must is a good teacher who knows and can meet your needs.
One teacher who I have always found to be a very competent teacher of yoga is Shy Sayar, and I recommend his class – Therapeutic Yoga for Stress and Anxiety.
4. Practice Your Breathing
People with anxiety often breath ‘incorrectly’: they take short, sharp breaths. This can have a profound effect on your physiology and your state of mind, meaning you are constantly in ‘fight or flight’ mode.
Yoga for anxiety is completely focused on breathing. This means that when you breathe slowly and deliberately you can reduce the physical effect of your anxiety.
For example, alternate nostril breathing is wonderful for calming your mind.  It can help reduce your stress and allow you to ‘connect to your inner self’. Experts in anxiety recommend modifying your breathing and it can have an instantaneous effect. Even just a few minutes of this breathing exercise can have positive results.
5. Be Mindful
Mindfulness, which essentially means to focus on the here and now, is very important and effective for those who suffer from anxiety. This is because many who suffer from anxiety are plagued by worries and intrusive thoughts, and thus they do not live in the moment.
A moving meditation along with mindfulness can lead to a relaxed mind, and research cited by the National Institute of Health shows that mindfulness can be moderately effective in reducing anxiety.
Yoga helps you to be mindful by obliging you to focus on your breathing and the poses you are performing rather than your anxiety. If you are engaged in Vinyasa flow, matching your pose to your breath, you will find it more difficult to be anxious.
The great thing about Yoga is that there is something for everyone from the complete beginner to the seasoned pro engaging esoteric yogic discipline.
The more you practice, the more you will get better. As all of the research shows, it can have a profound effect on your state of mind, and, as a bonus, it will improve your health and your physique more generally.
Guest Author:
Marcus Clarke regularly blogs at psysci, a psychology, science blog that examines the latest research and explains how findings can impact and improve people’s lives.
