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Yoga - A Cure for Modern Day Stress
Michelle Trantina
As we walk the tightrope between modern life and our animal
instincts, the human race strives to find balance. In our
bodies, our minds, our environment, in our lives. With our
brains over-stimulated and our bodies more sedentary than
ever, many of us suffer from the fatigue and imbalance that
comes from chronic stress without sufficient recovery. A yoga
practice is an excellent way to soothe nerves that are in
a constant state of overdrive. Yoga can help give us the ability
to live healthy amidst hectic schedules and bustling environments.
Why does it seem that as technology evolves at such epic pace
we have less and less time at our disposal? Now more than
ever we need to slow down, quiet our minds, take a deep breath...
Stress has become a chronic aspect of life for many of us;
and it takes its toll. The nervous system senses continued
pressure and remains slightly activated, producing extra stress
hormones over an extended period of time. This can wear out
the body's reserves, leaving us feeling depleted or overwhelmed.
Over time the immune system weakens causing illness and fatigue,
mood swings, lack of focus, and irritability. Stress is implicated
in many health problems from migraines and insomnia to lupus,
MS, eczema, poor digestion, weight gain, high blood pressure,
and heart attacks. In milder situations a little stress can
keep us on our toes and help us to rise to a challenge. However,
in today's world chronic, unreleased stress has become prevalent
and is taking a tremendous toll on our bodies as it diminishes
our enjoyment of life.
In city living the constant noise, electricity, radiation,
radiowaves, electromagnetic rays, and infra-red which surround
us, create an ever-present stimuli that haggars the central
nervous system. We do not yet know long term effects of this
"white noise." We may not consciously be aware of it, but
our bodies register all that is going on around us. In our
jobs and lifestyles we are often engaged in many tasks at
once and feeling that we are constantly on the go, and that
even when we do have a moment to spare we can't seem to truly
relax.
What is Stress?
In a challenging situation the human brain responds to stressors
by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. The
hypothalamus (located in the center of the brain) signals
the adrenal glands to produce more of the hormones adrenaline
and cortisol, and release them into the bloodstream. Heart
rate, blood pressure, and metabolism increase, blood vessels
open wider to allow more blood flow into large muscles groups,
making our muscles tense and putting the brain on high alert.
Pupils dilate to improve vision. The liver releases a dose
of stored glucose to increase the body's energy. Sweat is
produced to cool the body. This chain reaction of physical
effects happens to prepare the human being to react quickly
and effectively, enabling them to handle the pressure of the
moment. Cortisol is a natural steroid that raises your blood
sugar level (so the muscles have plenty of fuel) and suppresses
inflammation, but it also suppresses the immune system. The
adrenal hormones are catabolic, which means they foster biological
processes that burn energy and break down cellular structures.
If you activate the adrenal glands over and over again without
sufficient recovery in between, your body becomes depleted
and exhausted.
Stress is necessary for the human to remain self-sufficient;
to survive. In the jungle, ancient man conjured stress hormones
when needed to fight a bear or a tiger, or to survive extreme
weather conditions. With a concrete defensive action stress
hormones in the blood get used up entailing reduced stress
effects and symptoms of anxiety. In modern life some stress
situations sharpen us; clear the cobwebs from our thinking,
and stimulate faculties to attain our true potential. Each
stage of human evolution happened by adapting in order to
survive extreme conditions and stressors in our environment,
as at this time the body is prepared to act with increased
strength and speed while the mind is sharp and focused. Stress
and a human response to stress is necessary.
However, what we need now is to learn to adapt to our new
world, to handle the increase in milder but consistent stress
in a better way and to learn to release before it affects
us in a negative manner. When we fail to counter a stress
situation these chemicals and hormones remain unreleased in
the body and bloodstream for a long period of time. This leads
to a long list of symptoms such as tense muscles, unfocused
anxiety, dizziness and rapid heartbeat, and compels the mind-body
to in an almost constant alarm state in preparation to fight
or run away (known as the fight or flight response).
Accumulated stress can increase the risk of both acute and
chronic psychosomatic illnesses, and cause everything from
headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, frequent cold and fatigue,
to diseases such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, heart
ailments and even cancer. Many medical doctors and psychologists
go as far as to say that 70 -- 90 % of visits by adults to
primary care physicians are for stress related problems.**
How Yoga Affects Stress
Enhance the body's natural functions:
To recover from the exhaustion associated with chronic stress,
we need to do things that turn off the adrenal hormones and
promote secretion of anabolic hormones. Certain yoga poses,
such as inversions help to stimulate glands in the brain (Pituitary,
Pineal). Moving into the ALPHA state is very important. The
alpha state is considered the ideal waking state, where we
reach the pinnacle of our creative thought process while the
body is in a healing cycle. Alpha state is often attained
during savasana; final resting pose in yoga practice.
Yoga's smooth, deep, symmetrical breathing, twists, stretches
and balancing postures help to enhance the body's natural
functions, keeping the spine, house of the nervous system
supple, enhancing flow of fluids in the spine and stimulating
glands and circulation of blood and lymph throughout the rest
of the body. Muscles are lengthened and toxins are released.
Pranayam (breath exercises) and poses such as cat where we
roll along the spine with breath can help to flush and clear
the lung tissue.
Yoga innately helps us to create balance; to know our bodies,
to recognize when we are not balanced both on and off of the
mat. On a purely physical level hatha yoga creates strength,
flexibility, grace. Part of Yoga's philosophy is to take the
approach of strengthening and healing the body in the process
of healing and cleansing the mind. Yoga views the body as
having many layers. Asana (physical yoga postures) affect
the body but also these deeper layers, en route to creating
a whole, balanced self. Hatha yoga practice creates unobstructed
energy flow.
Release Tension:
Stressed out individuals tend to carry a great deal of physical
tension in their bodies. Yoga helps to unlock and release
these tensions before they can accumulate over time and become
chronic physical and psychological conditions. As we release
physical blockages, toxins, and limitations from the body
we also do so in mind, spirit, and emotions. The benefits
of yoga postures (asana), breathing (pranayama), and meditation
(dhyana) include increased body awareness, release of muscular
tension and increased coordination between mind-and body which
leads to better management of stress and cultivates an overall
feeling of well being.
During the resting poses in yoga such as child's pose, abdominal
tension is released. This allows internal organs to unwind
promoting deep breathing and enhancing digestive and reproductive
functions. This deep rest affords the central nervous system
much needed time in 'para-sympathetic' mode (relaxed calm
state, free of the "flight or flight" stress response) in
order to recover and rejuvenate. Creating focus through a
series of specific bodily poses also helps us to truly take
our mind off of work and other stressors.
The Breath:
In normal conditions the body follows a natural breath pattern
that is slow and fairly regulated. Under stress when the body
shows symptoms such as tightening of muscles, distractions,
anxiety, hyperactivity and angry reactions, breathing becomes
quick and shallow. One tends to hold one's breath frequently.
With restricted breathing inflow of oxygen is diminished.
Lungs are unable to exhale the stale airs and residual toxins
build up inside the body. Stiff muscles restrict the circulation
of blood that so even less oxygen comes in and fewer toxins
are removed. This in turn affects the healthy regeneration
of cells and can accelerate aging and disease. Medical studies
show that the oxygen-starved cells are the major contributing
factors in cancer, immunity deficiency, heart disease and
strokes. Breathing also affects our state of mind and consequently
makes our thinking either confused or clear. Lengthening and
deepening breath in yoga creates a more balanced state of
being. A change in breath pattern creates a change in the
metabolic process, emotions, endorphins, internal chemical
reactions, and the release of specific hormones. Mind affects
body; body affects mind.
Mind Body Connection:
The sensitivity that comes through a yoga practice helps to
develop a level of skill in cultivating, observing and choosing
one's posture, breath, emotions, and diet more wisely. As
we practice we learn to listen with our bodies. Whenever we
experience an emotion, our bodies register this emotion and
mirror it. The next time you get angry, stressed, or afraid,
stop and notice exactly what is happening in your own body
in that moment. Which muscles got tense? How has your breath
been affected? How did your posture change? Is your heart
beating faster? What affects you and why? Are you able to
notice it as it happens?
Over time yoga helps us to let go of unwanted emotional and
physical patterns. Yoga practice is great for providing recovery
and can also help you deal with stressful circumstances without
having such a strong negative reaction. The mindfulness --
mind-body awareness cultivated with yoga practice allows us
to realize emotions as they arise; sensing what is the cause
of the emotion and how that emotion affects the body/mind.
As Patanjali says in his Yoga Sutras**, "Yoga quells the fluctuations
of the mind." It slows down the mental loops and patterns
of frustration, regret, anger, fear, and desire that can cause
stress. No matter what age, we can release past traumas, feelings
of guilt or inadequacy, denial, patterns of feeling unable
to communicate or connect, patterns of addiction, (all of
which lead to more guilt and denial). We need to clear out
these patterns in order to stay freshly alive or else there
is an accumulation, a blockage, both physical and mental.
We need to continually release these psycho/somatic holding
patterns. As we release blockages, toxins, and tightness physically,
we also do so in mind, spirit, emotions.
Awareness from the inside out and from the outside in are
necessary. They are one in the same. Through a regular yoga
practice we develop a balanced state on a consistent basis
and this translates into our lives off the mat. We become
better equipped to handle everything that comes our way in
life; to handle life with more grace, ease, and presence,
from a more objective point of view. By staying open we keep
on top of the game, in the moment, able to truly enjoy each
day to the fullest. The way we deal with coworkers and friends
or family will innately be transformed. The very way we perceive
things around us and who we are as a person from moment to
moment will be transformed. Our sense of self-perception is
the root of our own life. From here the world around us takes
shape. As we become more aware of ourselves we are able to
be less judgmental, more open, more honest, and take things
less personally. True wisdom comes from within, from self
knowledge and a clear eye. If you learn to quiet your mind,
you'll be likely to live longer, and fuller, with better health.
Yoga and meditation offer some of the same benefits as antidepressants-without
the side effects.
It is no wonder yoga has soared to such heights of popularity.
Through yoga practice we begin to find a sense of wholeness.
We become more aware. We create balance in our bodies, in
our minds, in our lives. As we evolve individually and come
closer to an open, authentic state of being, we also evolve
as a species, creating a better world for us all.
Michelle Trantina is a certified Hatha Yoga Teacher.
She is the co-founder of My Yoga Online and My Yoga Music.
She can also be seen in the national Yoga television series
Namaste on HDTV and CityTV. To learn more about Michelle Trantina
and My Yoga Online, visit www.myyogaonline.com
and www.myyogamusic.com
Article Source: http://ezinecrow.com
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