Anxiety and depression are incredibly common, with millions of people in the U.S. experiencing some form of anxiety and depression each year. There are many different ways to treat anxiety and depression, including medication and therapy. But another treatment that doesn’t get as much attention is yoga.
Yoga has long been known as a practice that can help people relax, boost their moods, relieve stress, and improve their overall health. Now research suggests it may be able to help treat anxiety and depression too.
According to Zippia, around 28.75 million Americans are practicing yoga and spending $1080 each year on classes, equipment, and workshops.
What is Therapeutic Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient practice that combines physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. It was used in ancient India to achieve spiritual enlightenment by purifying the body and mind. Yoga is now widely practiced throughout the U.S. as a form of exercise that provides physical, mental, and emotional benefits.
Therapeutic yoga focuses on using yoga poses to help you relax while feeling less pain. The goal of therapeutic yoga is not just about increasing flexibility but also about increasing strength in these areas where tension exists.
When looking out for therapeutic yoga classes, you must keep certain points in mind. First, of course, you would want relaxation, which should not bring any kind of stress or strain on your body.
You also have to keep in mind the temperature outside and your body’s temperature. For instance, if you stay in a desert city like Scottsdale, although it is a beautiful place to live, it’s not easy. The climate is hot, dry, and sunny all year round. Thus, if you feel stressed out and exhausted from working so hard in Scottsdale, you may look for therapeutic yoga in Scottsdale, AZ.
Here are some of the benefits of therapeutic yoga:
- Therapeutic yoga can help you reduce stress and anxiety.
- It can help you sleep better at night.
- It increases flexibility and mobility.
- It can help with depression and mood disorders.
Practicing Therapeutic Yoga with Others Can Help You Feel Less Alone in Your Struggles
If you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, one of the first things you might feel is alone. It’s easy to feel like people around you don’t understand what it’s like to struggle with mental illness. They don’t know what it feels like to constantly be on guard against feeling triggered or upset by someone else’s behavior. They can’t comprehend how much your thoughts and feelings affect your daily life, both positively and negatively.
According to the CDC, the percentage of Americans who developed early symptoms of anxiety or depression rose from 36.4% to 41.5% between 2020 to 2021. These symptoms were seen in adults aged between 18-29 years.
In yoga classes, however, these barriers between those struggling with mental health issues and those without are often broken down through shared experiences of physical discomfort. Thus, for example, when someone has a bad day at work and can’t manage their emotions during class, it’s likely that everyone else in the room will also experience some tension, which is okay.
Sharing these spaces helps us realize our common struggles and provides us with opportunities for support from others who may be going through similar situations themselves.
Yoga Helps You Get Back in Touch with Your Body
Yoga is a practice that helps you get back in touch with your body. You can learn to be more aware of it, listen to it, and understand how it feels. For example, when you are anxious or depressed, your body often feels tense and uncomfortable. Yoga teaches how to relax muscles by breathing deeply and focusing on each part of the body through downward dog or cat poses.
It’s not just about stretching muscles. Yoga also encourages us to pay attention to what is happening inside us.
Yoga Practice Can Help Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Yoga can help you calm your mind, relax your body and reduce stress. Yoga can also help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings. The practice of yoga helps develop healthy habits that benefit both body and mind. For example, it’s been shown that yoga has many benefits for people who suffer from anxiety or depression.
Certain Postures Can Release Tension
In the seated posture, you sit with your legs extended and the soles of your feet touching each other. Then, breathing in, lift your arms straight up to the sky with palms facing outwards.
Exhale as you lower your arms by bending them at 90 degrees at the elbow until they’re parallel with the floor. It should bring about a stretch in your shoulders.
Hold for five breaths or longer if possible, depending on how long it takes for you to feel relaxed. Then relax into Child’s Pose before repeating this posture from scratch on both sides of your body.
Yoga Can Help You Become More Aware of Your Thoughts and Feelings
Yoga can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings in a way impossible through any other practice. This increased awareness allows you to recognize when you are anxious, distressed, or depressed.
Acknowledging these feelings allows them to be released from their hold on your mind so that they no longer interfere with your life. In addition, yoga teaches valuable tools for coping with anxiety, such as breathing exercises and meditation.
Yoga Can Help You Develop Healthy Habits That Benefit Your Body and Mind
Yoga can help you develop healthy habits that benefit your body and mind. Yoga helps you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, which can be especially helpful in dealing with anxiety or depression.
You may find that being present in the moment makes it easier to cope with these issues. According to Statista, 21 million Americans in 2010 practiced yoga at least once in their lives. In 2021, this number reached 34.4 million. It means there was an increase of 63.8% in yoga members. By practicing yoga regularly, you can also begin to develop a sense of self-acceptance, which is crucial when coping with depression or anxiety disorders.
Meditation Practices in Yoga Can Help Boost Your Self-Compassion
Meditation practices in yoga can help boost your self-compassion. When you meditate, you are focusing on the present moment and being mindful of your thoughts and feelings. It is a great way to promote self-compassion because it allows you to take a step back from what’s going on in your mind so that you don’t get caught up in negative thoughts.
Self-compassion also involves being kind to yourself when things don’t go well or when you experience difficult emotions like sadness or anger. Again, practicing yoga regularly will help strengthen these positive feelings toward yourself so that they become automatic responses when challenges arise.
Conclusion
While there are many ways to experience the benefits of yoga, this article has focused on what therapeutic yoga can do to help you manage anxiety and depression. If you’re suffering from these conditions and looking for ways to improve your mental health, give therapeutic yoga a try.
Even if you haven’t done much yoga before, it may be worth trying this type of practice. The movements are gentle and slow enough that beginners can start immediately.