If there is one thing that doesn’t seem to escape us in life, it is stress. Whether it be from paying bills, providing for oneself, work, or any other responsibilities, stress can affect us both physically and mentally.
That is why it is growing increasingly important to find outlets and ways to manage that stress with self-care routines. Fortunately, there are ways to circumvent this stress in various ways. Two such methods that are commonly used to manage stress are yoga and meditation. These two exercises have been used for generations, and they have proven to have many benefits.
The Benefits of Yoga
Yoga has been used for many years, and there are over 100 different variations of the exercise. Some of the benefits associated with yoga are the capacity to lessen chronic pain, arthritis, headaches and back pain. It has also been shown to reduce blood pressure and insomnia. There is also an abundance of mental benefits, which many people use the exercise for.
Yoga’s premiere benefit is stress management. The reason why yoga has proven itself to be a very effective stress management mechanism is because it incorporates calmness, mental clarity and breathing. This can greatly help de-clutter the mind and help you become more focused.
As mentioned before, there are over 100 variations of yoga, and there is bound to be at least one that suits every person. For beginners, hatha yoga, which places a focus on basic postures, is ideal. For others, power yoga can help increase strength using your own body’s resistance.
Another hidden benefit of yoga is the impact that it has on the digestive system. When stretching in yoga, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux have shown to be relieved.
Mentally speaking, yoga can help you develop a stronger inner awareness. This focus is something that experts such as Lindsay Guion have recognized. Something to bear in mind is that when you go to a yoga studio, you will seldom find a mirror. That is completely by design.
People are encouraged to focus on their awareness as opposed to how a pose or the people around them look. There have been surveys given that show that those who practiced yoga had a deeper awareness of their own bodies as opposed to those who didn’t. In addition, yoga practitioners also were less critical of their bodies. This, in turn, increases self-esteem to a great degree.
For those looking to lose weight, yoga can be a feasible option to shed some pounds and effectively control their weight. This is because yoga helps you become more mindful of feelings of fullness and also of hunger. This will help develop into a more positive relationship with the food you eat.
From the cardiovascular effects it has on your heart to your overall fitness and mental well-being, yoga has proven to be a powerful method that people across the world use to discover inner awareness and manage their anxiety. However, meditation has also proven to be a powerful coping mechanism as well.
The Benefits of Meditation
Meditation has been proven to have a litany of positive physical and mental benefits to the human body. Meditation shares a lot of traits with yoga, but there are certain traits that makes it unique.
First, meditation actually enhances empathy. Studies have shown that positive feelings will permeate in other areas of your life, and meditation can help you build social connections while making you a more socially affectionate person. This can be helpful in situations when you are dealing with a boss or coworker that can invoke a lot of stress in you.
Meditation has also proven to improve cognition, as many researchers have come to a mutual conclusion that making meditation a part of your daily routine can have positive effects on one’s mental capabilities.
These include decision-making strategies as well as problem-solving. This is one such trait that experts such as Lindsay Guion have become familiar with through experience. There are many situations in our life where these traits come in handy. Taking time to clear our minds in complete silence can help facilitate that process.
One of the qualities that meditation shares with yoga is the impact that it has on our stress levels. Stress is a natural response to the body against unforeseen happenings. Therefore, we initiate defensive mechanisms in order to cope with the stress. However, meditation acts as a natural stress stabilizer.
Stress raises the levels of cortisol in our body, and our autonomous nervous system goes into overdrive. Those who meditate on a regular basis have shown to have lower cortisol levels in their brain, and this can explain resiliency that is present in many practitioners.
If there is one thing that makes meditation a powerful asset to any daily regiment, it is the fact that it immerses you in complete silence. The mindful awareness that meditation provides not only comes naturally, but makes our mind act in harmony with itself, allowing it to complete important functions without stress.
Those who meditate, even for short periods of time, have shown to have significantly more focus than those who do not meditate at all. This is because meditation entails a lot of silence and focused breathing.
Finally, mindful meditation has shown to reduce sensations of pain in the body without the assistance of the brain’s natural pain killers. That is why it has also been suggested that combining meditation with pain medication can be useful for chronic conditions.
As you can see, both meditation and yoga have proven to be simple, but powerful practices that anyone can incorporate into their daily routine to effectively manage stress and improve overall wellness. After consistent practice, there is sure to be some effective, tangible change that will be reflected in daily activities.
