Yoga exercise for Anxiety & Memory related Problems

Exercises for Anxiety

There are several different benefits of yoga that affect both physical and mental health. Yoga has been popular as a holistic technique for promoting health for a long time. Mental problems like tension, stress, anxiety, depression, and memory loss can be treated with the regular and effective use of yoga. Yoga poses are considered one of the best exercises for anxiety. The different techniques employed in the practice of yoga encourage a healthy lifestyle, which in turn promotes mental health.

A person’s social, spiritual, physical, and emotional aspects of life can be brought together to strike a harmonious balance with the regular practice of yoga. In today’s fast paced world, the mental state of well being is severely compromised. The practice of yoga can however help establish a strong sense of purpose, positivity in relationships, self acceptance, and a positive self image. All these factors are influenced by our environment as well.

Anxiety and Yoga

Anxiety and memory are interrelated. Anxiety and yoga also go a long way back. Essentially, practicing yoga on a regular basis can help you get rid of anxiety. When you are not anxious and your mind is not always preoccupied, you will see vast improvements in your short term memory as well as in your long term memory.

The various yoga kriyas help cleanse your system and flush out toxins from the body. The breathing techniques of yoga help recharge the life force inside you. ‘Prana’ or the life force is all around us and when we take in more of the prana using the pranayama technique, not only does it affect our physical well being, it also improves our emotional and mental well being.

Yoga for Anxiety

It has been proved that yoga can help treat anxiety and memory problems. The breathing exercises for anxiety can help you get rid of stress. Yoga for memory stresses on the practice of meditation and other techniques that help improve concentration. Chanting of the omkara is another way to improve concentration and focus. When you are emotionally healthy, you do not experience as much mental fatigue as you otherwise would. When your concentration levels increase, you are also able to sleep better.

With the help of yoga, you can also help treat long term depression and dysthymia. Other mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can also be improved using yoga in your daily life. Adopting yoga into your daily routine can help improve mental and emotional health on many levels. A lifestyle following yoga can indeed help promote and maintain mental health.

Resources:

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• www.lisapowell.co.uk

Yoga for Anxiety | Meditation for Anxiety

Stress is a common word these days, and is caused by chronic anxiety. It is natural for everyone to experience mild anxiety occasionally. But constant anxiety which leads to stress can be hazardous for our health, since it drains our body of energy. The harmony and balance of our mental and psychological state is lost, leading to an imbalance in the body’s functioning. On a long term basis, it can even lead to serious problems like a stroke, migraines, eczema, heart attack and other diseases.

Anxiety and stress can also play havoc on the endocrine system leading to a string of other physical, emotional and mental problems.

Symptoms of Extreme Anxiety

The symptoms of stress or chronic anxiety would be:

• Worrying constantly about the past, present or future.
• Always working, eating or walking in a rushed way.
• Frequent tension or a ‘knotted feeling’ in the neck, shoulders, abdomen, back and chest.
• Chronic fatigue throughout the day.
• Constant need for outside stimulation, such as coffee, alcohol, sweeteners, sex, TV, accomplishments, money, etc.
• Becoming angry easily – ‘Feeling on edge’ all the time.

Exercises for Anxiety

It is therefore essential that constant anxiety be tackled right as soon as possible. Physical exercise for anxiety has a beneficial effect, and among them, yoga for anxiety is the best. Meditation for anxiety is also beneficial as it helps to calm the mind.

Yoga for Anxiety and Memory Problems

Yoga is a blend of physical postures (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranayama).

The postures help to relax and stretch the muscles, thus releasing negative toxins in the blood. Yoga’s added benefit is that it brings about deep muscle relaxation. The gentle movements of yoga are soothing and bring about a sense of well-being and calmness, thus reducing anxiety levels.

Pranayama’s deep-breathing techniques are also helpful in expelling deep-rooted anxieties. Prana is the vital energy of the universe. The deep breathing of pranayama aids intake of more oxygen into the blood and thus restores the balance of prana in the body. Most of us do not realize the importance of proper deep breathing in our everyday lives. Caught up in our hectic schedules we generally tend to take short, shallow breaths, which not only lead to various ailments from heart attacks to fatigue, but also causes rise in anxiety levels.

Deep breathing is a wonderful stress-buster and works like magic for general good health. Pranayama encourages you to inhale deeply through your nose. As you inhale, you also simultaneously push down the diaphragm. Once the lung is full of air, you exhale slowly. You can practice this anywhere, anytime – while waiting for a bus or during a boring lecture or just while waiting for your computer to boot.

The following yoga postures are also effective for reducing anxiety and stress:

• Sun Salutation - Surya Namaskara
• Shoulder Stand - Sarvanga Asana
• Fish Pose - Matsya Asana
• Plough Pose - Hala Asana
• Thunder Pose - Vajra Asana
• Camel Pose - Ushtra Asana
• Cool Breath - Shitali Pranayama
• Corpse Pose - Shava Asana
• Deep Yogic Sleep – Yoganidra

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Some References: Meditation Info Guide - A complete guide on meditation with information on meditation techniques, meditation methods, meditation music and meditation furniture.