Reduce Recession-Related Stress Naturally With Yoga
Several recent studies show that yoga helps alleviate stress, anxiety, depression, and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Safe, affordable, and accessible, yoga is a natural solution to the stress response.
Herndon, VA (PRWEB) May 21, 2009 -- The impact of the current economic recession on our mental well-being is clear: we're stressed out. Here are just a few examples:
| | - Nearly one in five women said their work hours have increased during the recession, and half feel more stress because of the economy. (Adecco Group North America, April 22-24 2009)
|
| | - In one poll of more than 1,000 Americans, 25% said they were more likely to eat high-calorie food because of the economic downturn. In one example, a nurse who couldn't find a job found her way to her refrigerator more often instead, gaining 30 pounds in two months, she told the magazine. (Forbes Woman, Feb 20 2009)
|
| | - In a recent poll, 80 percent of the population surveyed reported the economy is causing them significant stress, up from 66 percent last April. The National Sleep Foundation said 27 percent of people surveyed last fall had sleeplessness because of economic anxiety. (American Psychological Association, September 2008)
|
| | - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline calls jumped to 50,158 in January 2009 from 39,465 a month in January 2008, and economic stress more frequently "played a central role," said Richard McKeon, the group's federal project officer. (New York Times, April 8 2009)
|
While there are many approaches to handling stress, one method that has withstood the test of time is yoga. Julia Kalish, owner of Double Dog Yoga in Herndon, VA says, "Yoga has long been used as a treatment for stress relief, and recent scientific studies now support this claim."
A study in Germany published in 2005 determined that women who took two 90-minute yoga classes a week for three months reported improvements in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, energy, fatigue, and well-being. Their headaches, back pain, and poor sleep quality also improved when compared the control group.
The Department of Defense has added yoga to its system of care for soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A recent study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences revealed that subjects with PTSD exhibited a substantial improvement in symptoms such as "the frequency of intrusive thoughts and the severity of jangled nerves" when compared to the control."
According to the Harvard Mental Health Letter (April 2009):
"…for many patients dealing with depression, anxiety, or stress, yoga may be a very appealing way to better manage symptoms. Indeed, the scientific study of yoga demonstrates that mental and physical health are not just closely allied, but are essentially equivalent. The evidence is growing that yoga practice is a relatively low-risk, high-yield approach to improving overall health."
What's really wonderful about yoga, according to Kalish, is that it is accessible to everyone. "Anyone can practice yoga. You just need to be able to breathe.So yoga is a natural approach to stress relief," Kalish said. "While there are many resources available in bookstores and online for learning how to practice yoga, Kalish recommends practicing with a certified registered yoga teacher. "A certified yoga teacher will be able to help a new practitioner with alignment. This is important because even though everyone can do yoga, people can injure themselves if they are not practicing the correctly. A DVD or a book just isn't going to be able to give you the kind of feedback that a live teacher will."
"I've seen it over and over again, how yoga completely transforms people's ability relax and handle stress," Kalish says. "And it's not just while they are in the yoga class. The techniques that students learn on their yoga mats can be used off the mat as well. As a result yoga practitioners are well prepared to handle the stresses that come up in their everyday lives."
Double Dog Yoga specializes in Absolute Beginner yoga classes for the beginner-level, adult student. Recognizing that beginners have different needs from experienced yoga practitioners, Double Dog Yoga offers students a safe non-intimidating environment to practice with other beginner-level students. Classes are small, and students get individualized attention and the opportunity to ask questions both during and outside of class. Visit www.doubledogyoga.com to learn more about our two levels of classes: Absolute Beginner, for people who have never before taken a yoga class, and Experienced for people who have some yoga experience or have taken Double Dog's Absolute Beginner class and want to continue.
Contact Double Dog Yoga by phone at 703.283.7810, by email at Julia @ doubledogyoga.com or online www.doubledogyoga.com.
###
Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/SW5zZS1TdW1tLUluc2UtUGlnZy1IYWxmLUNvdXAtWmVybw==
Bookmark -
Del.icio.us |
Furl It |
Technorati |
Ask |
MyWeb |
Propeller |
Live Bookmarks |
Newsvine |
TailRank |
Reddit |
Slashdot |
Digg |
Stumbleupon |
Google Bookmarks |
Sphere |
Blink It |
Spurl
|
