Archive for the ‘yoga for depression’ Category

Yoga Techniques to Alleviate Grief

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

online yoga teacher coursesBy Faye Martins

Yoga offers a student several ways to alleviate grief. The emotional devastation of losing someone or something very close to your heart can cause unrelenting sadness, frustration, hopelessness, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. The practice of Yoga helps to balance your system and slow you down enough to really feel the grief. When you feel the grief, in its fullness, and allow yourself to cry, the physical and emotional tension begins to release.

Some of the Yogic techniques that help a student to alleviate grief are asanas, pranayama, and mantra. Yoga asanas help to unwind deep grief that is lodged in the muscle tissues and ligaments. Pranayama practices help to lower anxiety, soothe your mind and balance your endocrine system. Mantras and prayer are also incredibly helpful at shifting your vibration from one of deep sadness to one of more lightness, ease, and well-being.

Very deep grief is literally lodged in the very fibers of our physical beings. The intense muscular contraction or heaviness of grief is a type of holding, of not wanting to let go of what has been lost. Sometimes this physical holding is a way of unconsciously refusing to acknowledge that the loss has actually taken place. Yoga asanas or postures are wonderful tools for slowly, thoroughly, and methodically releasing deep-seated muscular tension. This will leave a practitioner with a feeling of lightness and well-being after a strong Yoga asana practice.

The Yogic practice of pranayama or deep breathing is also an invaluable tool for relieving the heaviness, anger, and agitation of grief. When we are very stressed, anxious, or depressed, our breathing becomes very shallow, making us feel even more exhausted and overwhelmed in our grief.

Deep, diaphragmatic breathing helps to soothe the entire body and slow the mind. Alternate nostril breathing will balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in the body. This balance will help to reduce anxiety and depression, as well as promoting a feeling of well-being and peace. The Sudarshan Kriya is also a wonderful pranayama technique that helps to release pent-up feelings during times of loss.

Although it is wise to allow your grieving process to unfold naturally, sometimes it is a huge breath of fresh air to have some relief from the sadness. The Yogic practice of chanting or kirtan will very quickly bring that relief. Chanting sacred mantras and devoting time to pray are immediately uplifting. The vibrations of the syllables themselves lift your own vibration to a higher level. As the mantras or prayers penetrate your being, your grief may be brought to the surface. As the waves of grief subside, the heaviness will be cleansed from you and your whole being will be vibrating with divine and compassionate love.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Restorative Yoga for Depression Relief

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

yoga certificationBy Gopi Rao

Being depressed is a painful and difficult way to go through life. Depression can make you feel unable to handle everyday tasks. When you are depressed, you may feel tired much of the time, lose the desire to socialize or be intimate. Depression gives you a general, overall feeling of hopelessness, sadness and guilt.

Restorative Yoga can help as it gently releases the negative energy that is lodged in your body and mind. A nourishing, restorative Yoga class will help you to replace the negative energy with positive energy as the supported postures allow the body and mind to release deeply held tension and stress.

Practicing restorative Yoga will lower cortisol levels and raise endorphin levels through the deep, slow practice of holding Yoga postures (asanas) for an extended period of time. The release of endorphins helps to ease aching muscles through the natural pain relief of these chemicals.

The release of endorphins will also give you a sense of buoyancy, so often missing if you are feeling depressed. Lowering your cortisol levels will help you to sleep better at night because your adrenalin levels will begin to stabilize. Think of the saying, “I’m exhausted, but I’m so wired, I can’t sleep!” Restorative Yoga will help to “un-wire” you.

One of the primary ways that restorative Yoga addresses depression is through correcting your alignment. When you are depressed, it is difficult to stand up straight with your head held high and your heart-area exposed.

Instead, the inclination is to withdraw into your shell with your head down and your heart-area caved in. Restorative Yoga poses will gently correct your alignment so that your pranic energy flows freely, and you feel more ennobled.

Additionally, restorative Yoga addresses depression through the oxygenation of your entire body through long, slow, and rhythmic breathing, while your body is holding supported poses (asanas) with lots of blankets and bolsters. Shallow breathing is one of the primary indicators of depression.

During a restorative Yoga session, the studio should be pleasantly warm, comfortable and serene. This atmosphere will assist you in relaxing and slowing down enough to breathe deeply. The practice of deep breathing will help to break up residual tension and stress in your body.

If you practice restorative Yoga at a studio, you will also benefit from socializing with other students. Isolation is one of the leading causes of depression. Actively participating in any social activity offsets this isolation.

Restorative Yoga classes have the added benefit of directly supporting your physical and mental health through the practice of postures and deep breathing. Truly, the practice of restorative Yoga is beneficial as a holistic approach to maintaining good mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Aura has a reasonably priced Restorative Yoga teacher training course, which can be found at: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Restorative-Yoga-Teacher-Certification-Course-Level-1.html

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher certification courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga for Depression

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Waterfall at Yoga Teacher resortBy Mary Vilcheck

“Depression is the common cold of the deluded human being. And according to the Buddha, all human beings are quite deluded”.  Stephen Cope, Kripalu

Depression is a constellation of emotions, cognitions, behaviors and health issues. Both its roots and treatment (cure and management) lie in bio-psycho-social, spiritual aspects. Depression evokes hopelessness and helplessness. It arises when internal and external conflicts destabilize someone and can involve despair, sadness, and melancholy. It can erode self esteem and health, and can result in isolation and separation, further adding to its spiraling. Since chemical neurotransmitters and other hormones fluctuations are involved in depression, women are more prone to it.

There are several levels and types of depression – the word is widely used in our Western culture. Acute depression can range from a temporary sadness in response to a life event or situation, to an insidious, chronic state, defined clinically and marked by distinct features. The most recognized categories are major depression, dysthymia, bipolar, and post-traumatic stress disorder/PTSD. Major depression is marked by five or more symptoms for at least 2 weeks (sad, hopeless, worthless, pessimistic, low energy, agitation, changes/problems in eating and/or sleeping, pain, cognitive issues, memory impairment, suicidal ideology, and others). Dysthymia is a lower grade chronic situation that may not disable someone, but can result in low functioning, joylessness, ongoing relationship and job problems. This condition can go under the radar and thus is very important to identify. Bipolarity is a cycling mood changes, marked by highs (mania) and lows (depression). Cyclothymia is a lower grade Bipolar. PTSD is marked by cascading and debilitating panic attacks, disturbing flashbacks, unrelenting dread, and deep shame.

While depression and other mental illnesses can be pushed under the rug and viewed as a failure, weakness, or dreaded fate, the symptoms of depression can also be viewed as an opportunity to probe – to journey through the ‘dark night of the soul’, so to speak. Since the body has wisdom, depression is an opportunity to move through discomfort, confusion, agony, worry, and stagnation to literally open up new pathways – both physically and mentally. Mindful reflection, not always valued in this culture, has made ‘rescuing’ practices somewhat difficult or taboo. Now, thankfully, dialogs about depression include fewer stigmas, an understanding of the situation within the cultural context, and are yielding integrative treatment options. This is good news. Depression can and should be treated holistically. Although antidepressant medications are popular, they can carry many unpleasant sides, be expensive, and may simply act as a band-aid. Using them in conjunction with other treatments such as bodymind yoga may be key. Then weaning off may be possible. Of course, depressive energy, like happiness, can be contagious, so it is important to give it its due of exploration, respect, and treatment.  Practices using energy, elemental, Vedic doshas, positive psychology, therapeutic laugher, qigong, walking, and yoga – are great – this is where Yoga can instill hope.

Yoga practiced to relieve depression is a hopeful and compassionate modality shown to quell suffering. Components of yoga have long been recognized as helpful to improve mood. Of course, aspects of meditation with and without mantra, exercising, and breathing are well known, long-standing parts of treatment for health problems, including depression. Yoga possesses all of those components and more making it a perfect union for the treatment of all types of depressive related mood disorders.

Interestingly, Yogic science offers three psychological archetypes; called gunas, which can loosely correspond, to depressive states. Sattvic refers to a balanced state, tamasic is marked by lethargy (our depression/dysthymia), and rajasic denotes an anxious or aggressive state (anxious depression and bipolar disorder). All yoga practices can bring bodymind into balance. Yoga and postures can sooth and evoke calm; others create dynamic energy. In order to achieve balance/sattva via yoga practice design, it is helpful to identify which type of depression is being experienced (1).

A review of the literature shows that yoga is having success in the research lab. Just today as I turned on the computer and up popped another journal noting the study conducted and Brown and Butler Universities in Rhode Island. Here, 8 weeks of vinyassa classes yielded a decrease in uncomfortable symptoms and an increase in focus and ability to solve certain problems. Elements of mindfulness, together with asana, pranayama, meditation, and relaxation attributed to this positive behavior change reporting (2). Another promising study in India compared the effects two participant groups – some practiced yoga without meditation, others practiced yoga together with breathwork. Results showed a 42% improvement in the first group, and a 73% improvement with yoga and meditation (3). Yoga can also relieve pain symptoms related to depression. This was illustrated in a 2008 study conducted at the University of Utah looking at yoga and the stress response. Undergirding this study is the fact that people with poorly regulated responses to stress are commonly more sensitive to pain. In this 2008 study, 12 experienced yoga instructors’ responses to pain were compared with the pain responses of 14 people with fibromyalgia after being given thumbnail pressure. Interestingly, the yoginis reported less pain. In addition, their functional MRIs showed lower pain activity in the brain than their counterparts (4). Currently, many veterans returning with traumatic stress are being treated with yoga therapy and related techniques. In fact, Walter Reed Medical Center offers yogic deep relaxation to those returning from the Middle East (5). These practices are being received so well that yoga is being used as part of post deployment PTSD awareness classes. Yoga for PTSD has been widely used at the Trauma Center in Brookline, MA with trauma expert, Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk and staff. With such widespread interest and success in their programs, they offer training and resources for both yoga practitioners and psychotherapists, including comprehensive material about principles and practice of trauma sensitive yoga.

Essential to alleviating depression is learning how to calm down and self regulate. Putting events and situations into perspective, living in the moment – verses grieving or regretting the past (depression) or worrying about the future (anxiety) is key. Yoga practice can reduce autonomic sympathetic activation, blood pressure, racing mind (aka monkey mind), muscle tension, and pain sensation. The postures/asanas can literally move stagnant energy, freeing up pathways for blood to circulate more effectively. It creates space. It lends well to the saying ‘the issues are in the tissues’. By nudging energy and lymph, yoga can ease and free the bodymind. It can decrease emotional and physical distress and improve hormonal and neuroendocrine activity, thus promoting full body balance and well-being. This in turn can improve outlook, mood, and quality of life. Used as an adjunctive therapy, yoga is cutting edge medical treatment.

When taking about yoga, pranayma – vital life-force breathing is key. There are three aspects of effective pranayama breathing to consider during all yoga practice (6). One is to have fresh air circulating in the room. Another is to leave at least two hours in between eating and yoga practice. The third is to be mindful that the spine is erect; the legs are crossed in Easy Pose or Half-Lotus hands on the knees and open to receive. Several types of breathing exercises can help. Ujjayi is beneficial for healing depression. It is soothing, grounding, and involves the back of the throat. Alternate nostril breathing is perfect for centering and peace. Both are helpful components of mindfulness, which is key to yoga. Breath of fire will activate, so those in highly anxious state may not choose this breath. Bellows breath is great for dysthymia, as the vagus nerve is stimulated – this is good for depression. During bellows, breath, ‘feel good’ hormones such as oxytocin and prolactin are released. Moving with breath in asana invites being in ‘the moment’ thinking, which can benefit depressive states, which can leave people ‘stuck’ in past or future thinking). Staying with the breath, just witnessing, not judging, not trying to change a thing, and delighting in sensation and grounded space are beautiful. The continued breath allows sensations to be tolerated and allows deepening into a pose. Yoga teachers can cue students how to move with inhalation and exhalation with regard to asana. Although the yoga practice and breathing are personal and individual, if practiced in a group, there is almost an experience of unison breathing, which can add social support to the depressed practitioner. In savasana, or relaxation pose, the breath is natural, not contrived – just breathing in and breathing out.

There are yoga asanas recommended for depression. Of course, with any practice, the regular contraindications and modification must be adhered to. For instance, inversions and some twists are not good for those with hypertension. Those menstruating should also refrain from inversions. Pregnant women and those with spine and neck injuries also need special considerations. And so on.

Similar to being in touch with which breath promotes well-being, knowing which pose will be helpful is great. Many yoga teachers agree that open heart poses and bends greatly help low energy, sullen, closed in depression, and that poses such as forward bends can sooth anxious states. Prop assisted traditional restorative poses help any type of depression, keeping in mind contraindications and considerations/modifications. Most postures, when sequenced correctly, can be practiced by those with depression. Many yoga teachers have favorite postures to introduce to people who are experiencing depression, such as: sun salutation reps, bow, plough, camel, threading the needle, bridge, shoulder stand, and cat/cow extension and flexion. Vinyassa can be delightful. Some enjoy promoting powerful warrior sequences for those who have depleted esteem or confidence. Some suggest delightful side stretches for those who are jumpy and anxious. So in this yoga flow, pranayama and asana nicely balance right and left-brain – a balance disrupted in depression. Many yoga teachers agree that practicing yoga upon waking in the morning helps to move the day in a positive direction, and thus assist with depressive symptoms, such as dread, rumination, and worry, which are often tweaked upon rising. For individuals with a slow fog depression, meeting and honoring this energy level can be nice, so beginning with slower asanas is fine. Doing so with mindful breathing can gently transform any negative spiral energy. Popular is the knowledge that heart-opening postures yield open and loving hearts, so healing and softening mood. A bit of levity holds that if one keeps armpits open, one will never be depressed. Yoga does have a sense of humor. The Breath of Joy sequence, which involves synchronized arm movements, deep breathing, and some bending can also be practiced first thing in the morning, moving stagnated energy to begin the day with positive intention and outlook. It warms the body and can be practiced in up to nine rounds (7). This practice increases blood oxygen levels and circulation, releases tension, aids the nervous system, and can improve mood. Those with hypertension and eye injury should avoid this practice.

Sometimes, highly anxious individuals may desire to move into vigorous postures upon rising to nudge extra energy out of the body, and then continue with a slower flow. Those who have adrenal fatigue benefit from a later rising time (8), so for them yoga practice might include restorative poses, so not to deplete their cortisol levels. In every instance, people will honor themselves and their practice by listening to what the body wants during each visit to the mat. Incorporating affirmation, chants, and/or prayer can boost the mood, plus set the intention for living a fully conscious day. Using guided meditation and chakra (energy center) balancing are also fortifying parts of a yoga for depression session. Finally, being with a loving presence (teacher/class) itself can be gratifying and nurturing to a person experiencing a mood problem, and thus the yoga teacher must show up totally prepared to serve and gently help with adjustments.

Some yoga teachers are licensed or trained in psychotherapy, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, Yoga for Depression, Yoga for Trauma, or other specialized training, which will likely include material about working with people experiencing depression. All yoga teachers must adhere to their Codes of Ethics and have the highest regard for any student – doing no harm – to all they teach, including those who may experience a sense of fragility as they move through their depressive journey and into healing.

Namaste.

References

1. Yoga For Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga, Weintraub, Amy. Broadway Books/Division of Random House, 2004.

2. Yoga for Anxiety and Depression, www.bing.com/health/article/harvard

3. Yoga, Not Just and Exercise, www.psychologytoday.com/articles200011/

4. Yoga, Not Just an Exercise, www.psychologytoday.com/article200011/

5. Trauma Sensitive Yoga: Principles, Practice, and Research. Emerson, D, Sharman, R, Chaudhry, S, and Turner, J. International Journal of Yoga Therapy.

6. Yoga for Depression, www.aurawellnesscenter.com.2010.24.yoga-for-depression

7. Breath of Joy. Weintraub, A. Yoga International, Winter, 2010-11, pg. 58.

8. Adrenal Fatigue, Wilson, J. Smart Publications, 2001.

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Yoga as a Health Practice

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

By Sabrina Smith

Yoga has been revered for centuries by many countries of Asia for its ability to heal and promote health and wellness. Some of the countries have derived medical practices that revolve around the key concept of yoga: balancing the mind body and spirit to achieve their goal of health and wellness. India, one of the Asian countries that has been at the heart of yoga for many years, developed the practice of Ayurveda. Yoga and Yogic practices such as meditation, and postures are key to its medicines. Aside from this form of traditional medicine Yoga has been proven to be very beneficial in modern day, curing such ailments like depression, decreasing the risk of heart attacks, stimulating irregular bowls and creating healthy eating habits, helping to release your body from addiction, as well as promote a healthy physical, mental and emotional body.

Ayurveda has been very much a common medicinal practice in India working hand in hand with yoga and it has most recently been made popular by Deepak Chopra, M.D. Chopra explains the methodology of Ayurveda, and its view of the human body as a quantum mechanical device, that is not easily fixed through the prescription of magic pills. But can return back to a balanced state once the body’s energies begin to function in harmony. He explains Ayurveda uses Yogic techniques of mediation to heal the emotional issues such as depression. In his book Perfect Health, Chopra tells a story of a young man whose parents had divorced causing him to fall into a deep depression. When he went off to college the symptoms worsened, causing him to suffer from blindingly severe headaches, acute pain, dizziness and vomiting. He dropped out of college before the end of the first semester, his father sent him to see a therapist that prescribed him an array anti-depressants. But nothing worked very good or for very long. After a few years of dealing with the depression and thoughts of suicide he had heard about meditation from a friend. The young man began to employ the techniques he learned. He began to find the place deep down inside of him where the headaches and the depression did not dwell. Through continued meditation his small island of awareness slowly became larger, and slowly he began to see his true self that had been hidden underneath the depression and pain (Chopra, 160-63).

The yogic practice of meditation can also reduce the risk of heart attack among those who suffer from borderline hypertension, and high cholesterol. A study conducted at Harvard medical School in 1974 studied twenty-two hypertensive patients. The study showed that the average reading dropped from150/94 to 141/88 it was enough to bring the diastolic pressure (the bottom number) down from borderline to a normal range. However the systolic pressure (the top number) was not lowered enough to be considered normal. However any elevation in blood pressure for an extended period of time can take years off one’s life. So, one might consider the experiment a success (Chopra, 164). Similar experiments to this one have been done regarding patience with high-cholesterol.

Meditation has been used in a study done by two researchers in Israel, M.J. Cooper and M.M. Aygen showed that employing meditation could lower cholesterol. The researchers took a group of 23 patients with elevated cholesterol, twelve were taught meditation and eleven were not. At the end of eleven months they screened their cholesterol again. The twelve that meditated dropped their levels from an average of 255 to an average 225 (the expectable number in the U.S. is 200). This same team did the same study with patience that had normal cholesterol numbers as well. The study showed that cholesterol could be lowered in people who had a normal cholesterol number (Chopra, 164-165). The mind is a powerful device in Yoga and meditation is a showcase of its power at work. However it is not the only device that is activated through yogic practices.

The postures used in Yogic practice as well as the Yogic diet can help to stimulate irregular bowels. Yogic postures give a gentle message to the abdominal viscera, postures like the cat and the plow help to correct constipation, aid in digestion and bowel action (Hewitt, 222 & 244). In regards to the yogic diet, “overeating and underrating are alike detrimental to success in Yoga. A Yogic rule is that one should finish a meal feeling that a little more could have been taken,” (Hewitt, 398). A Yogic diet is considered lacto-vegetarian, not eating meat for ethical as well as health reasons. The yogic diet is further broken down in smaller food groups.

There are particular food groups in the Yogic diet that are considered to influence the human personality, sattvic “pure” food, rajasic “stimulating” food, and “tamasic” impure food. The “pure” foods consist of milk, butter fruits, vegetables and grains. “Stimulating” foods are foods that are stimulating to the nervous system like, spicy, strong tasting foods, meat, fish eggs and alcohol. “Impure” foods are foods that have been putrefied, overripe, rotten or impure in some way (Hewitt 154.) Much of the modern diet consists of these “impure” foods, especially for those who consume meat and processed food.

Have you ever wondered how come meat is not hard and stiff due to rigor mortis, it becomes tender again due to putrefaction, or the decaying process. Much of all food that comes pre-packaged will fall into the category of “impure” due to the additives and preservatives that grace the ingredient list.

According to the Bhagavad-Gita these “impure foods make a person dull and lazy. Their thinking capacity diminishes and they sink almost to the level of animals or bushmen. They have no high ideals or purpose in life; on a physical side, they suffer from chronic ailments of the body,” (Swami Vishnu-devananda, 209). Throughout the practice Yoga one opens themselves up to a new level of awareness in regards to what they put in their body and how it affects them.

“Pure” foods are said to bring purity and calmness to the mind and are soothing and nourishing to the body. Rajasic or “stimulating” foods arouse the animal passion in man and brings a restless state of mind (Swami Vishnu-Devananda, 209).

Beyond the food that we put in our body there are substances that are not only physically harmful to our bodies but are very detrimental to our Being. For instance drugs and the addiction that accompanies them, ranging from nicotine to narcotics cause not only physical harm but disrupt the chemical patterns in bodies. For many, addiction is a hard pattern to break free from. Addiction is like when you manually over ride a program to make it do something out side of its memory. The body has a memory of how the body is suppose to work in a healthy pattern, but the addictive pattern has taken over. Yoga can be used to help restore and remind the body of what the healthy pattern is. When one begins to practice yoga they begin to open up the chakras in the body, freeing up the energy flow within the body. Yogic postures that are specific to the particular chakra where the addiction is held can be extremely helpful in freeing the body from the addictive pattern. For instance if the addiction rest in the Root Chakra or Muladahar, one would want to practice an asana that would ground them, consisting of seated postures, supine, as well as prone. It is good to have a well rounded set of asana’s so that the chakras do not become over or under stimulated but when you have areas that need focus it is good to give them the attention that they need.

This attention does not only have to be in the form of the physical asana, as mentioned before the mind is a very powerful device and through meditation addictions pattern can be broken as well. This can happen unintentionally. A study done in 1972, by physiologist Robert Keith Wallace, showed that a group of 1,860 mostly college students that began to practice meditation decreased their drug use significantly. After twenty-one months of practicing their drug dependency in the areas of narcotics, barbiturates, hallucinogens, marijuana and amphetamines decreased so much that most had stopped using all together. Marijuana was still used by about twelve percent and all the others ranged from one to four percent of users. The most interesting part is that they were not part of a rehabilitation program, they were not asked to quit, and the researcher did not follow their progress, nor reward them for abstaining (Chopra, 201-202). It was the mediators’ body coming back into sync, and no longer being part of the addictive pattern.

Yoga as a whole promotes a healthy lifestyle. Yoga makes you more aware of what you are putting in to your body, how you are. Whether you are exercising or not exercising, healthy and un-healthy habits that you have developed in your life, or habits that you hope to develop. Yoga can be used to encourage healing within the body whether it is physical, mental or emotional. This is often through meditation but not limited to meditation. Yogic postures and diet play an integral part in Yoga as a “health practice.”

Work Cited

Chopra, Deepak M.D. “Perfect Health.” New York, Three Rivers Press; 2000.

Hewitt, James. “The Complete Book of Yoga.” New York, Schocken Books; 1977.

Vishnu-Devananda, Swami. “The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.” New York,

Three Rivers Press; 1988.

Sabrina Smith is a certified Yoga teacher. She teaches classes in the Oakley, California area.

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Anxiety and Depression

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

By Janet Mizzi

One of my biggest concerns is how people of all ages could be suffering anxiety and depression. Anxiety disorders clock on as the most common mental illness with 40 million of adults in the United States. Depression touches over 14 million adults every year. To say this is a problem would be an understatement. The best solution to this problem I believe is yoga.

First let’s understand that anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that can often occur without an identifiable triggering stimulus. As such, it is distinguished from fear, which occurs in the presence of an observed threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable.

Anxiety can lead to depression. Symptoms of depression include feeling sad, hopeless, worthless, or pessimistic. In addition, people with major depression often have behavior changes, such as new eating and sleeping patterns.

Depression can appear as anger and discouragement, rather than as feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. If depression is very severe, there may also be psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions. These symptoms may focus on themes of guilt, inadequacy, or disease.

Is yoga a simple solution to anxiety and depression when it has received less attention in the medical literature; however, it has become increasingly popular? Yes, through postures (asanas), meditation, relaxation and socialization are self soothing techniques can help stabilize oneself. The alternative would be a vast amount of medication that is available for these problems.

When a person is stressed his/her heart rate exceeds the norm, but through focus and breathing; we are able to reduce the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and increases respiration. Yoga practitioners are also able to have a higher pain tolerance. This tolerance will help them to regulate their stress.

Yoga improves mood and functioning. I believe most people are depressed when they feel they have no control over their lives. Yoga gives them back control, at least over their minds and their bodies. Holding a posture takes concentration and when you are concentration on asanas, there is little time to think about other concerns in the everyday world.

The proof that I offer to the statements above come from several studies done in the last few years. However, I will just offer four, three for and one against.

An article in the Harvard Health Publication gave me great incite to one of their many studies on depression and yoga. The article simply commented on a test that was given to participants in a yoga class that had bipolar, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility and fatigue. After the class, the average levels of tension dropped significantly.

Another study in Germany in 2005, twenty four (24) women who described themselves as “emotionally distressed” took two 90 minute yoga classes for three months. They were compared to women that continue their every day routine. At the end of this three month period this group of woman reported improvements in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, energy, fatigue, and well-being. Results showed depression scores improved by 50 percent and anxiety scores by 30 percent.

One uncontrolled, descriptive 2005 study examined the effects of a single yoga class for inpatients at a New Hampshire psychiatric hospital. The 113 participants included patients with bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia. After the class, average levels of tension, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, and fatigue dropped significantly, as measured by the Profile of Mood States, a standard 65-item questionnaire.

At the University Of Westminster between March and June 2004, a systematic review was carried out of the research evidence on the effectiveness of yoga for the treatment of anxiety an anxiety disorders. Eight studies were reviewed. They reported positive results, although there were many methodological inadequacies. Owing the diversity of conditions treated and poor quality of most of the studies, it is not possible to say that yoga is effective in treating anxiety or anxiety disorders in general. However, there are encouraging results particularly with obsessive compulsive disorder. Further well conducted research is necessary which may be most productive if focused on specific anxiety disorders.

Although the University of Westminster did not have a conclusive result, the result they did manage to observe that yoga did help with compulsive disorder. Compulsive disorder can definitely lead to anxiety and we know anxiety can lead to depression. So we can conclude that breathing, posture holding and meditation are a crystal-clear plus in this category.

Let’s continue with using the results of the test above to discuss the benefits of yoga and which poses can help.

A great benefit in yoga is the controlled breathing. In addition to the study listed above there was a study on controlled breathing in providing a relief for depression. This study was done six days a week for thirty minutes. The results, “67% of those using the breathing technique had achieved depression remission”.

The best poses for anxiety and depression to reduce stress are bridge pose, easy pose two, staff pose, bound angle pose, and child’s pose. These poses when practices ten-to-fifteen minutes in

the beginning add awareness to your body. This alone is a great benefit. These poses are not discouraging and can actually add courage to continue into a more strenuous routine.

Meditation is another great way to relieve anxiety and depression. Anxiety can challenge your ability to concentrate and drain your willpower. Nourishment from words of wisdom is always a fine way to begin a meditation, another grand benefit. Affirmations can help you to gain some control over your life.

To become more aware of yourself during meditation, stop breathing, and ask, “What’s going on now?” Tune into your emotions and release all that does not serve you.

As I mentioned in my first paragraph anxiety and depression are not only subjected to adults. Children of several age groups also suffer from anxiety, especially teenagers. They live in a world of perfection and self doubt. They are going through emotional as well as psychical changes.

Yoga can enhance their mind-body connection, which can improve your mood and physical health – and even lighten various psychological disorders. It can improve their depression, body image struggles, eating disorders, and even physical problems. They can focus on their inner peace and self worth. A teenager which focuses is purely an immense concept.

Just think if yoga was part of a school curriculum, you would not see studies like the ones I have listed below.

This is an article from the American Journal of Psychiatric: Over the past 30 years the incidence of suicide in older adolescents in the United States has shown marked gender and ethnic variations. The rate has remained largely stable among females of all ethnic groups. Among white males it reached a peak in 1988 but has since stabilized. The rate for black and other minority males, however, has increased markedly since 1986. Increases have been more rapid in regions where the incidence was historically low. One effect of these changes has been to reduce the discrepancy between white and black teen suicide rates. The perception that young blacks are at much lower risk for suicide than whites requires revision.

Depression Screening in Adolescents with Somatic Complaints Presenting to the Emergency Department presented this article:

Study objective: To determine the frequency of documented depression screening for adolescents presenting with somatic chief complaints to a pediatric emergency department. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 408 consecutive patients aged 11 to 17 years who presented to the ED with a chief complaint of chest pain, abdominal pain, headache, weakness/fatigue, dizziness/fainting, or hyperventilation. Results: Documentation of depression screening was noted in 4.2% of cases (17 of 408).

In my conclusion to all of the studies presented today, I believe facts offer stability on people and their train of thoughts. Anxiety and depression does not know gender and does not know

age. Yoga also does not know gender or age. Anyone can learn yoga, yoga breathing techniques, and meditation.

Yoga knows no time boundaries. You can do as little as ten minutes a day to over extending yourself, as long as your realize your limitations. And if you end every session with a positive affirmation or the lion pose to bring a little laughter into your life, the positive energy will win out.

Sources: Yoga for Anxiety by Mary NurrieStearns

Yoga for Depression by Amy Weintraub

Healing Depression the Mind – Body Way by Nancy Liebler and Sandra Moss

Internet Sources: Yoga Journal

University of Westminster

Harvard University

American Journal of Psychiatric

Janet Mizzi is a certified Yoga teacher. Janet teaches Yoga classes in Farmingdale, New York.

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