Several stress reduction techniques including yoga and meditation are considered to be the possible treatments for treating anxiety and depression since the 1970s. Although yoga did not receive much attention in the medical world earlier, it has become widely popular in the recent decade. A survey done recently has shown that nearly 7.5% of the US population practiced yoga at least once. Effects of yoga in teens have a considerable effect as it reduces the impacts of intense stress and helps in minimizing both depression and teen anxiety.
It has been proven that yoga functions like any other self-soothing means like hanging out with friends, exercise, meditation, or relaxation. By lowering down the perceived anxiety and stress, yoga modulates the stress response system. This in turn reduces the physiological arousal like lowering the blood pressure, reducing heart rate, and easing respiration. Yoga practicing is also proven to increase the variability of heart rate that makes the body more flexible to respond to anxiety.
Understanding the importance of yoga
The teenage years are the most delicate years in the whole human life and several deterrent factors like peers and academics play an important role in shaping their future. While the teens are not able to grapple with all the rapid changes around them, they start to feel depressed and stressed out. Through various yoga postures, exercises, diet, meditation, and breathing exercises, teenagers can overcome teen anxiety. They should also try to make yoga their mantra for distressing themselves while being happier and healthier.
The transformative age of a teens’ life undergoes hormonal changes that often lead to low self-esteem and a high level of anxiety. Practicing yoga on a regular basis leads to the production of ‘endorphins’ or ‘happy hormones’ in the teens’ body which ultimately leads to happiness and confidence in them. A confident teenager is more likely to shine in academics, sports, and other outdoor extracurricular activities. The endorphins help to lay down an enduring foundation for a bright future. Music, when paired with the yoga postures, brings in tremendous effects in the teens’ body and helps in healing their mind. Yoga involves controlled breathing that help to lower teen anxiety. The cyclic breathing pattern involves slow to rapid breathing.
Relation of yoga with body and mind
There are various forms of yoga practices and all of them are safe. However, some are extremely strenuous and are not always appropriate for everyone. Teens facing irritation, anxiety, and depression will find yoga a very appealing method to get rid of all their problems. In fact, scientific studies have proved that yoga is not just related to the physical well being but is closely allied to it.
Being in any yoga pose makes one unite with their body, mind and soul at the same time. Taking yoga classes weekly or following a yoga DVD will greatly help teenagers learn simple yoga poses. Teen anxiety can be subsequently reduced if they try to include mini bits of yoga in their everyday lives like early in the morning or before going to sleep.