Ishtar Darlington
Stress relief is one of the go-to buzz phrases for any yoga teacher touting the benefits of their classes but, with any form of exercise being good for relieving tension and anxiety, what’s so special about yoga?
Anxiety and stress generally stem from over stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight response centre for the mind). This can be triggered by usual daily stresses like having an argument with a friend or getting stuck in traffic on your way to work. Yoga works to specifically stimulate the parasymathetic nervous system (the rest-and-digest response centre) by lowering your heart rate through slow breathing and gentle movements. What’s great about this is that when we turn up the part of our brains that tell us to relax we automatically turn down the part telling us to worry and stress out.
A regular yoga and meditation practice helps to cultivate a sense of peace and calm not just on the mat but in your day to day life as well.
