Yoga and Depression

Yoga and Depression

Sometimes its easy to get overwhelmed, its easy to feel low and alone, we all have days like that, for the lucky ones with a positive outlook, this days are few and far in between, but what about the rest of us? What happens when these days are numerous and sometimes stretch for weeks? It’s easy to dismiss this as just a phase and hope the problem will go away but what about the effects this ‘phase’ has on your body in the meanwhile?

The body and mind are intricately intertwined as in what changes good or bad is enforced on one with have a similar outcome on the other, so a simple feeling of prolonged sadness would cause increased aches and pains, weight gain or loss, insomnia and as a result overall fatigue.

The sad part is that the solution is both easy and difficult, as when one feels low a lethargy sets in which in turns effects ones breathing which is cause of so many problems, so the simple solution would be to move even more , but how does one do so when the mind is working against itself?

 This is where yoga can help

-          One of the main benefits is the excess amounts of oxygen one takes in during the many practices of yoga, this in turn invigorates the circulation system thus stimulating your body out of its inertness

-          Due to the focus one needs to maintain the balance during pro the mind immediately stops focusing on the troubling thoughts thus allowing itself a break from the pain thus elevating ones mood and increasing its focus on the body

-          Yoga also helps one feel a sense of accomplishment, after all its takes a lot to maintain your balance in that one position for as long as possible

-          It helps you grow spiritually, hard as it may sound yoga helps one connect to the spiritual sides of life thus allowing one to takes things a little bit easier thus reducing ones anxiety

Here are a few basic yoga postures that helps:

First I would suggest Suryanamaskaras with right breathing.More you do more active your body becomes.To know more about how to perform check in my blog titled "Suryanamaskaras a health tonic".
Just to be careful if one has not learnt yoga before then learn from the proper teacher so that you don't harm yourself by just blindly following what is mentioned in blog.
There are many of them now a days suffering from combination of problems like diabetes and low back and neck complaints.In that case though Suryanamaskaras are good  for  diabetes but not to be practiced initially, for other health issues mentioned. I would suggest one must go slow taking in to consideration each problem at a time giving priority to certain problem.In this way one can get rid of health issues if any, in a slow process but confidently.

Ushtrasana-Practice with one arm then slowly both arms together. Hold for 10 secs during exhalation.Repeat  thrice.

Sarpasana: Practice for  1 min twice a day

Practice Chakrasana from the floor and hold it for 10 secs and repeat three times .
Just to mention above asanas are not to be done by people suffering from hernia and uterus prolapse.
They can practice Nadishodhana Pranayama.To know more in detail please check the post"Nadishodhna"in my blog.

                           

                                                           HARI OM TAT SAT