Going through a slump in life is something every human experiences at least once in their life. Everybody has their struggles, and sometimes you’re just trying to find something to make those stressful times a little bit easier.
Introduction
What if I told you that yoga has a plethora of positive effects on your mind, from making you feel high, to helping you sleep better
In this article, we will discuss the 5 reasons you should be doing yoga for your mental health.
Reason #1: Yoga Helps you feel “High”
It has been shown that doing yoga may help release powerful chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
Dopamine is known as the reward chemical, and it essentially does what it implies. It makes you feel good for accomplishing a task.
Serotonin plays a vital role such as mediating satisfaction and optimism.
And lastly, Norepinephrine has been shown to help mediate aggression.
It’s the combination of these naturally produced chemicals in your brain that helps you achieve that mental state of feeling “high” and relaxed after a yoga session.
Reason #2: Yoga helps mitigate symptoms of depression
Did you know that yoga is considered an effective treatment for major depressive disorder?
There was a meta-analysis published in 2017 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry that showed a significant decrease in depressive disorder symptoms. The analysis was conducted with 1,312 participants and included various types of yoga practices.
Reason #3: Yoga eases symptoms of Anxiety
Yoga eases anxiety by helping calm an over-active nervous system, which will inevitably relax the mind and body.
Yoga also stimulates the Vagus Nervous system, which is directly responsible for the fight or flight response.
Reason #4: Yoga helps increase Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being grounded in the moment. Yoga achieves this by increasing awareness of your breath, body, and mind, with a heavy emphasis on breathwork.
How does mindfulness help my mental health?
Picking up an activity that promotes mindfulness has been shown to ease stress happening inside your mind. Picking up yoga once, or twice a week is a great way to implement a mindfulness routine into your life.
Reason #5: Yoga will help you sleep better
It’s no surprise that sleep is one of the key building blocks to good mental health. And for some, it may be no surprise that yoga helps improve sleep.
Yoga achieves this by mediating anxiety and depression.
There is also a specific type of yoga known as Yoga Nidra which promotes a calm mind through guided meditation and has been shown to be an effective form of sleep aid.
For more information on how to sleep better, check out this previous article on sleep.
Conclusion: Try Yoga
There is no set path for optimal mental health, your journey may differ from the rest. That being said, if you are struggling with mental health issues, I would consider giving yoga a try. It seems like a great place to meet individuals who are on a similar path as you. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out for help! Whether it be help from a physician or help from a friend. A great support system can also be vital for improving your mental health.
Stay Tribal, Angel Montes
