HEALTH

 

Sure, it's normal to have worries and occasional freakouts (like when tryouts for the play are in two days and you haven't perfected your monologue yet!). But if you're *always* stressed about even the smallest things, you might be dealing with anxiety. Anxiety is a nervous disorder that can seriously affect your life, in a bad way. There are a lot of ways to deal with it—one being hitting the mat. Yoga strikes a balance between the body and the mind through meditation and movement that help reduce stress and make you feel *way* more zen. Here's how it works:

Increased blood flow
Better blood flow = more oxygen to your bod. And it helps your mind function better. The meditation that goes hand in hand with yoga allows your body to relax and reduces stress. The simplest practices, like controlled breathing, free your mind from those pointless thoughts that cause anxiety.

Better sleep
We tend to feel most anxious at night, when we're alone with our thoughts and freaking out about tomorrow's science fair presentation. This causes sleep deprivation which makes us less productive during the day which, surprise, leads to even more anxiety. Sleep is key, so while you’re laying in bed, try practicing some yoga breathing techniques to relax your mind. It will relax your body, too and you will have the best sleep of your life.

Increased confidence
Believing in yourself is a huge step in beating anxiety—and yoga can help you do that. You'll surround yourself with more positive people and learn to face your fears so that soon, instead of being afraid of what you can't do, you'll be amazed by everything you can do.

Peace of mind
Yoga quiets the mind, specifically when it comes to negative emotions like anger, fear, frustration and regret. When you meditate, you remove all the mental "junk" and clear up space for new, positive thoughts.

About our guest author: Valerie is a practicing yogi, who was recently received her yoga teaching certification in India. She enjoys exploring new, healthy recipes and hiking in Colorado with her dog, Rita.

Have you ever tried doing yoga to reduce anxiety? Let us know in the comments! 

Photo credit: Instagram.

by Valerie Brusamarello | 12/2/2016