Yoga is a practice of mindfulness and body awareness. It is one of the oldest forms of exercise and involves stretching, breathing, and deep relaxation or meditation. Many studies suggest yoga has a positive influence on its practitioners in terms of managing stress, anxiety, and depression. Yoga improves physical strength and concentration. In return, one becomes more relaxed and gains better control over their emotions. It is non-competitive in the sense that there are no trophies to win or belts to earn in yoga. Yoga is practiced simply because it is good for the body and mind.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness is about being present at the moment. It’s the ability to focus on current feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations without allowing the mind to take flight. Yoga works in the same way. Meditation is an essential part of yoga that promotes anxiety and stress management. It can also help reduce blood pressure and mitigate insomnia. As with mindfulness, meditation is about accepting the current state of mind without getting consumed by other straying thoughts.
Yoga and mindfulness go hand in hand. Yoga promotes brain cell development, resulting in improved cognitive skills. It strengthens the part of the brain that influences memory and awareness. But yoga cannot work on its own. To achieve optimal outcomes, it should be used as an add-on treatment to complement clinical therapy and medication. This even more so to treat more serious conditions of depression, stress or anxiety.