Journey to Wellness; give it a try

The first time I tried yoga was in 2009. I was going through some difficult times, and I was reaching out trying to find some way to get life back into balance. I noticed a flyer on the cork board at Clary Fitness advertising yoga classes being taught by Stacy. I called her, signed up, and I have been doing yoga consistently ever since that first class. I attended yoga classes for several years but over the last few years I have been doing yoga at home.

The first class was a challenge for me. We were doing poses like downward and upward facing dog, warrior 1, 2, and 3, the wheel, crow and eagle pose, and the list goes on and on. The great thing about yoga is you go at your own pace and all poses can be modified to accommodate your health status. Yoga helps to increase strength, balance and flexibility. The following are some of the numerous benefits to doing yoga:

1. Practicing yoga twice a week for one-year improves sleep outcomes and quality of life.

2. Yoga can reduce stress, promote a feeling of calm and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.

3. US national survey data from 2012 showed that 86% of adults felt yoga reduced their stress levels, and 67% said it helped them feel better emotionally.

4. Researchers found that yogic-based breathing reduces depression and anxiety (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2016).

5. Yoga practice helps clarify thought, increases cognitive function, and reduces emotional problems (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2016).

Reach is clear about the value of yoga. British and Australian researcher’s analyzed data from 13 previously published studies of adults who had been diagnosed with a mental disorder and who were engaged in yoga that included physical movement. The types of yoga studied included hatha, vinyasa, kundalini, and kripala. They were in weekly sessions between 20- 90 minutes. They discovered that yoga appeared to have a moderate effect on reducing depressive symptoms in people with existing mental health disorders. These benefits were especially pronounced with people who had been diagnosed with depression and schizophrenia. The positive effects of yoga increased along with the number of sessions the subjects performed (British Journal of Sports Medicine, May 18, 2020).

In our area we have a few yoga teachers offering yoga. I encourage you to sign up for classes especially if you are a beginner, but classes can be helpful and fruitful for anyone regardless of how long you have been practicing yoga. If you can’t afford to take classes, time is an issue, or if accessibility is a challenge yoga classes are offered online and there are free classes on You-Tube. Namaste’ or the Divine within me sees the Divine within you.