Do You Suffer from Anxiety? Yoga Can Help!

Life is full of moments that cause us to feel stressed or nervous. Situations like public speaking, starting a new school, and trying to ace that important job interview can make us fearful, resulting in sleepless nights and performance jitters.

However, when the fear becomes persistent and overwhelming and interferes with everyday life, “normal fear” becomes a full-blown anxiety disorder.

While a licensed therapist should be consulted to develop a plan for treating your anxiety disorder, yoga can be helpful addition. It is an effective and natural way to get some relief from symptoms like trouble sleeping, muscle tension, and chronic digestive upset.

Yoga, it turns out, can help in anxiety management in a few different ways:

1. Yoga Builds Confidence

Anxiety can result from a lack of confidence in our ability to handle negative situations that may arise. We are not so much fearful of public speaking, as we are fearful that we are somehow going to “mess it up” or “look like a fool.” 

Yoga is a major confidence-builder because it works to strengthen the body and mind at the same time. The practice includes body postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, which can help a person feel calm, centered, and ready to take on new challenges.

2. Yoga Distracts Your Mind from the Negative Loop

What can you do when your mind seems to be stuck on an endless loop of negative and worrisome thoughts? Purposefully put you mind somewhere else. 

Yoga trains a person to focus their thoughts on the moment, specifically by thinking only of their rhythmic breath and body posture.  As soon as the mind wanders to its typical negative thinking, the practitioner simply guides it back to the breath and body without anger or judgement. Feelings of calmness and acceptance naturally follow intense breath work and mindfulness.

3. Yoga is like Your Inner Therapist

Yoga is a wonderful compliment to therapy because, like your therapist, yoga helps you to observe how your inner world. And, also like your therapist, there is no judgement involved. Mediation is simply about paying attention to the thoughts and feelings that you are having, thereby giving you choice in how you respond through awareness. 

If you or a loved one is interested in exploring treatment for your anxiety disorder, please contact me today for a free consultation session.