Yoga and Mental Health

Have you even engaged in any type of yoga practices? If so, how did you feel afterwards? The positive benefits that yoga provides has been seen through growing research. Yoga moves you from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system. This means yoga helps your body go from the “fight or flight” anxiety response to the relaxation response. Yoga practice also helps a person become more aware of their body, helps to alleviate stress, reduces muscle tension, strain and inflammation, and can even sharpen attention and concentration.

Children can benefit a great deal from yoga practices. Children are growing up with influences that may be stressful to them.  Pressures from school, family conflicts, competitive sports and social issues can all lead to increased stress. Yoga can help balance these stressors. When a child learns yoga, it encourages self-esteem and body awareness in a noncompetitive way. It helps the child to foster cooperation and compassion for themselves and others. Physically, yoga helps by enhancing their strength and flexibility, as well as coordination. Emotionally, their concentration and sense of calm, and relaxation improves. 

This video is geared towards children but anyone can benefit from it!