YOGA - A CURE FOR MODERN DAY STRESS
As we walk the tightrope between modern life and our animal instincts, the human race strives to find balance - in our bodies, minds, environment and lives. With our brains over-stimulated and our bodies more sedentary than ever, many of us suffer from the fatigue and imbalance that comes from chronic stress without sufficient recovery. A yoga practice is an excellent way to soothe nerves that are in a constant state of overdrive. Yoga can help give us the ability to live healthy amidst hectic schedules and bustling environments. Why does it seem that as technology evolves at such epic pace we have less and less time at our disposal? Now more than ever we need to slow down, quiet our minds, take a deep breath.
In city living the constant noise, electricity, radio waves, radiation, infra-red and electromagnetic rays which surround us, create an ever-present stimuli that drains the central nervous system. We do not yet know long term effects of this "white noise". We may not consciously be aware of it, but our bodies register all that is going on around us. In our jobs and lifestyles we are often engaged in many tasks at once and feeling that we are constantly on the go, and that even when we do have a moment to spare we can't seem to truly relax.
Stress has become a chronic aspect of life for many of us. The nervous system senses continued pressure and remains slightly activated, producing extra stress hormones over an extended period of time. This can wear out the body's reserves leaving us feeling depleted or overwhelmed. Over time the immune system weakens causing fatigue and illness, lack of focus, mood swings and irritability. Stress is implicated in many health problems from migraines and insomnia to lupus, eczema, weight gain, poor digestion, high blood pressure, MS, and heart attacks. In milder situations a little stress can keep us on our toes and help us to rise to a challenge. However, in today's world chronic, unreleased stress has become prevalent and is taking a tremendous toll on our bodies as it diminishes our enjoyment of life.
What is Stress?
In a challenging situation the human brain responds to stressors by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. The hypothalamus (located in the center of the brain) signals the adrenal glands to produce more of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, and release them into the bloodstream. Pupils dilate to improve vision. Heart rate, blood pressure and metabolism increase. Blood vessels open wider to allow more blood flow into large muscle groups, making our muscles tense and putting the brain on high alert. The liver releases stored glucose to increase the body's energy. Sweat is produced to cool the body. This chain reaction of physical effects happens to prepare the body to react quickly and effectively. Cortisol is a natural steroid that raises your blood sugar level (so the muscles have plenty of fuel) and suppresses inflammation, but it also suppresses the immune system. The adrenal hormones are catabolic, which means they foster biological processes that burn energy and break down cellular structures. If you activate the adrenal glands over and over again without sufficient recovery in between, your body becomes depleted and exhausted.
Stress is necessary for us to remain self-sufficient, to survive. Ancient man conjured stress hormones when needed to fight a bear or a tiger, or to survive extreme weather conditions. With a concrete defensive action stress hormones in the blood get used up, reducing stress effects and symptoms of anxiety. However, what we need now is to learn to adapt to our new world, to handle the increase in milder but consistent stress in a better way and to learn to release before it affects us in a negative manner. When we fail to counter a stress situation these chemicals and hormones remain unreleased in the body and bloodstream for a long period of time. This leads to a long list of symptoms such as tense muscles, unfocused anxiety, dizziness and rapid heartbeat, and compels the mind-body to an almost constant alarm state in preparation to fight or run away (known as the fight or flight response).
Accumulated stress can increase the risk of both acute and chronic psychosomatic illnesses, and cause everything from headaches, frequent cold and fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, to diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, heart ailments and even cancer. Many medical doctors and psychologists go as far as to say that 70 - 90% of visits by adults to primary care physicians are for stress related problems.
How Yoga Affects Stress
Enhance the body's natural functions:
To recover from the exhaustion associated with chronic stress we need to do things that turn off the adrenal hormones and promote secretion of anabolic hormones.
Yoga's smooth, deep, symmetrical breathing, twists, stretches and balancing postures help to enhance the body's natural functions, keeping the spine supple (house of the nervous system), enhancing flow of fluids in the spine and stimulating glands and circulation of blood and lymph throughout the rest of the body. Muscles are lengthened and toxins are released. Pranayama (breath exercises) and poses such as cat (Marjariasana) where we roll along the spine with breath can help to flush and clear the lung tissue.
Yoga ultimately helps us to create balance, to know our bodies and to recognize when we are not balanced. On a purely physical level hatha yoga creates strength, flexibility, grace. Part of Yoga's philosophy is to take the approach of strengthening and healing the body in the process of healing and cleansing the mind. Yoga views the body as having many layers. Hatha yoga practice creates unobstructed energy flow. Certain yoga poses such as inversions, help to stimulate glands in the brain (Pituitary, Pineal), in the throat (Thyroid), as well as in the lower back (Adrenal glands).
Moving into the ALPHA state is also very important. The alpha state is considered the ideal waking state, where we reach the pinnacle of our creative thought process while the body is in a healing cycle. Alpha state is often attained during savasana - final resting pose.
Release Tension:
Stressed out individuals tend to carry a great deal of physical tension in their bodies. Yoga helps to recognize and unlock these tensions before they can accumulate over time and become chronic physical and psychological conditions. As we release physical blockages, toxins, and limitations from the body we also do so in mind, emotions, and spirit. The benefits of yoga postures (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana) include increased body awareness, release of muscular tension and increased coordination between mind and body which leads to better management of stress and cultivates an overall feeling of well being.
During the resting poses in yoga such as child's pose, abdominal tension is released. This allows internal organs to unwind promoting deep breathing and enhancing digestive and reproductive functions. This deep rest affords the central nervous system much needed time in "para-sympathetic" mode (relaxed calm state, free of the "flight or flight" stress response). Creating focus through a series of specific poses also helps us to truly take our mind off of work and other stressors.
The Breath:
In normal conditions the body follows a natural breath pattern that is slow and fairly regulated. Under stress when the body shows symptoms such as tightening of muscles, anxiety, distractions, hyperactivity and angry reactions, breathing becomes quick and shallow. One tends to hold one's breath. With restricted breathing, inflow of oxygen is diminished, the lungs are unable to exhale the stale air and residual toxins build up inside the body. Stiff muscles also restrict the circulation of blood so even less oxygen comes in and fewer toxins are removed. This in turn affects the healthy regeneration of cells and can accelerate aging and disease. Medical studies show that the oxygen-starved cells are the major contributing factors in immunity deficiency, cancer, heart disease and strokes. Breathing also affects our state of mind and consequently makes our thinking either confused or clear. Lengthening and deepening breath in yoga creates a more balanced state of being. A change in breath pattern creates a change in the metabolic process, endorphins, emotions, internal chemical reactions, and the release of specific hormones. Mind affects body and body affects mind.