WHY Yoga

You may know that yoga is good for you. But what is it about yoga that is different than other forms of physical activity? Why is yoga specifically helpful in easing chronic back pain, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety along with assisting in managing chronic illnesses to name just a few of its many benefits?

Yoga is a 5,000 year old science that teaches us in a very simple way, how to de-stress. Many of the diseases we are susceptible to today are rooted in stress. When we are living under a constant state of stress, our sympathetic, or "fight or flight" response takes over, and nonessential bodily functions operate poorly (digestion, elimination for example). We can also experience an overactive heart rate, high blood pressure, shallow/chest breathing and constant tenseness in our bodies.

Yoga is designed to allow our body and mind to function together. Our breath is this missing link. When we breathe deeply we send a message to our body to relax. Through yoga, we also consciously relax the musculature of the body. These actions of deep breathing and muscle relaxation stimulate a parasympathetic nervous system response. In this state, our bodies have the time and resources to repair some of this damage caused by living under constant tension. The more frequently we can live in this more peaceful state, the more efficiently our body can work.

With a consistent yoga practice, we also learn 'awareness'. We become better at identifying our negative thoughts and noticing what effect this has on us both physically and mentally. If our shoulders start to tense, we notice this more quickly and can relax and take a deep breath. If our mind starts racing or stressing about something, we can recognize this and redirect our thoughts. Eventually, we learn how to skip that sympathetic nervous 'fight or flight' response when the actual stressor isn't dangerous or serious, and instead stay in a healthy balanced place.