Helen Barefoot, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, September 2017
We can all start counting all those instances in our life when we have experienced emotions of stress, anxiety or depression, we may lose count!
e.g., Anxiety about the result of an exam or the reaction of our parents’ to the report card. Nervousness about a job interview . Or depression after being dumped by your boyfriend or more devastatingly losing a loved one.
We would have all lived through these moments. A little bit of this is normal; in fact, just like salt in our food, it is needed. The problem begins, when these emotions become so persistent and intimidating that they are interring with our everyday lives, and it needs to be treated. This is where Yoga can help!
Since the 1970S, mediation and other stress-reduction techniques have been studied as possible treatments for depression and anxiety. In this respect, yoga functions like other self- soothing techniques such as mediation, relaxation, exercise, or even socializing with friends. Yoga has received less attention in the medical literature, although it has become increasingly popular in recent decades. One national survey estimated that about 7.5% of adults had tried yoga at least once and that nearly 4% practiced yoga in the previous year.
What is Stress?
Stress causes a surge of hormones in your body. When your body detects stress, a small region in the base of the brain called the hypothalamus reacts by stimulating the body to produce hormones that include adrenaline and cortisol.
These hormones help you to deal with any threats of pressure that you are facing – which is called ‘fight or flight’ response. Adrenaline increases your heart rate, raises your blood pressure and provides extra energy.
Stress can cause headaches, high blood pressure and stomach upsets. And can lead to physiological problems. It can make people feel anger, distrust, anxiety and fear, which in turn can destroy relationships at home or work. Stress can also play a key role in the development of anxiety disorders and depression.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of unease such as worry or fear. These feelings can be mild or severe.
Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life- for example; you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview. During times like these, feeling anxious can be perfectly normal. However, some people find it hard to control their feelings of anxiety, and these are more constant and can often affect their daily lives.
Anxiety is the main symptom of several conditions, including:
- Panic disorder
- Phobias such as claustrophobia or agoraphobia.
- Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia).
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, most anxiety disorders- including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post- traumatic stress disorder and phobias are accompanied by depression.
Anxiety can cause both psychological and mental problems. These can vary from person to person, but can include:
- Feeling restless or worries
- Having trouble sleeping or concentrating
- Dizziness or heart palpitations
What is Depression?
Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities which were once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and decrease a person’s ability to function in everyday life (i.e. At work or home).
- Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
- Feeling sad or depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite- weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping in excess
- Loss of energy levels or increased fatigue
- Increase in purposeless activity (i.e. Hand-wringing pace, slowed movements or speech)
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Thoughts of suicide or death (more severe cases) /difficulty making decisions, or focusing concentrating
- Symptoms tend to last two/three weeks for a diagnosis of depression.
Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) or our population. One is 6 people experience depression at some point in their lives. Depression can strike at any time, but on average first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more prone to depression than men, and studies show that women will experience a major episode at some point in their lifetime. Depression can affect anyone, even someone who appears to live in ideal circumstances.
How can Yoga help?
Yoga can reduce stress ,anxiety and depression by modulating the stress response systems in our body, this reduces physiological arousal by lowering the heart rate; lowering blood pressure and easing respiration. Additionally, evidence suggests that Yoga practices help to increase heart variability, which is an indicator of the body’s ability to respond to stress with more flexibility.
Evidence suggest that its benefit is that it is similar to that of exercise and relaxation techniques. Types of controlled breathing, i.e. Pranayama can provide relief for stress, anxiety and depression. These can range from several types of breathing patterns ranging from slow and calming to rapid and stimulating.
A Study examined the benefits of yoga in 60 alcoholic dependent men. After a week of standard detoxification program at a mental health centre in Bangalore , India, participants were randomly assigned to a two weeks using the Sudarshan Kriya breathing or a standard alcoholism treatment control. After the full three weeks scores on a standard depression inventory dropped by 75% in the SKY group comparable to 60% for the standard treatment group. Levels of two stress hormones Cortisol and Corticotrophin dropped in the SKY group but not at all in the standard alcohol treatment group. This suggests that the SKY breathing might be beneficial for depression in the early stages of recovering from alcohol addiction.
For many people dealing with stress, anxiety or depression, yoga may be an appealing way to manage the symptoms. Scientific studies shows that mental and physical health is not just closely related but are essentially equivalent. Evidence is growing that Yoga practice is a relatively low-risk approach to improving overall health and well-being. Battling Anxiety, Depression and Stress can feel like a fight for your life. Yoga can help you to stop struggling!
My Story.
For me, anxiety and depression have always gone hand in hand. Over the years I’ve noticed that a panic attack or prolonger period of anxiety can trigger depression in me at any time.
After years of trial and error, I found solace in what has now become my trinity of wellness – yoga, and mediation. It is now managed and controlled to the point where it is not as prevalent in my life.
Rather than the illness controlling me; I control the illness. Just the same as Yoga has helped me to control my depression, I now would like to help people combat their mental issues, by introducing yoga into their lives.
Postures to help combat Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Here are a few postures that I can attribute to helping me combat my anxiety and depression. You don’t need a class, special yoga clothes or athletic wear to perform these poses. All you need in a space, dedication and the fearlessness to implement them into your everyday life. You can do these asanas whenever you are feeling anxious; to help to ground you back to the present moment.
- Balasana (Child’s Pose)Effects:
- Helps to release tension in the back, neck and shoulders.
- Helps to promote relaxation by encouraging steady, controlled and conscious breathing,
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing-Dog Pose), variation
Effects:
- Brings relief from despondency or anxiety, energies your whole body, and makes you feel more alive
- Combats anxiety and energies the body
- Calms jittery nerves and combats fatigue.
3.Shashaankasana (Rabbit/Hare pose).
Effects:
- Rabbit pose is an asana that evokes nostalgia for childhood playfulness, a deep connection to nature , and the calmness of bunnies. So generally it is a great feel good posture giving you an added adrenaline rush!
4. Vrikasana (Tree Pose).
Effects:
- Fundamental in easing anxiety.
- By incorporating basic standing balances, you can encourage focus and concentration and awareness with the intention of taking your mind away from anxiety and depression and placing your attention on your physical self.
- Virabhadrasna ( Warrior III pose).Effects:
- Enhances your core strength, it improves coordination, balance and posture.
- Stimulates your abdominal region and organs which helps to improve your digestion. Proper digestion is vital in fighting against anxiety.
- Help to calm the mind by shifting your attention away from intrinsic thoughts
Breath right effective Pranayama and mediation techno with eques to help ease Stress, Anxiety and Depression.
Taking your attention to the breath can help free the mind of the unnecessary clutter of thoughts that breed anxiety. Try the following breath practices:
- Anulom Vilom:
Anulom Vilom, also known as alternative nostril breathing is an incredible energizer which works effectively to relive stress and anxiety.
- Heart Chakra Breathing to ease Anxiety.
Breathe in through the center of the chest ( The thoracic spine region) while guiding the energy of the breath to the opposite side of the spine. Exhale and feel the energy move forward from the point on the spine into the centre of the chest. Breathe in for 5, hold for 5 and exhale for 5 silently. Now do the same with Om. Notice the feeling of the heart chakra opening.
- Yoga Nidra
- Lie in Shavasannah. Bring your mind to your deepest desire, something that you want more than anything else in life. i.e Health, well-being or awakening or to simply improve your practice. Feel this desire with your whole body.
- Bring your attention to your inner self , a safe haven in your body. Somewhere that you feel safe and contented.
- Scan your body. Move your awareness through your body. Let it permeate. Sense your mouth, jaw, ears, nose, forehead, scalp, neck and throat. Left arm, left palm, right arm, right palm. Your torso, pelvis and sacrum. Sense your left hip, leg and foot then your right hip, leg and foot. Sense your whole body as a field of radiant sensation.
- Become aware of your breath by observing the natural flow of air through your nostrils, throat and rib cage. Each breath as a flow of energy throughout your whole body. Feel the warmth and try to bring that feeling to your everyday life by reconnecting to that feeling. At your own pace, transition back to normal breathing. Take a deep breath, rolling onto your right side. Come to Sukasana or a comfortable seated position.