Can Yoga cure depression
September 15, 2008
In an age when competition rules our lives and stress is our daily companion how can depression not be far behind? As it usually happens in most of the cases, what we do is just grab that anti-depressant pill and carry on. But, does it serve its purpose? Most of the time, ‘no.’ You might get a temporary respite but the problem pops up again. Yoga as an alternative mode of treatment for depression is quite effective considering the innumerable depression cases that have benefited from it. Let’s see how.
While yoga makes your body fit and firm, it also gives relief to your stressed and low spirits. While certain yoga postures provide proper circulation of blood to various parts of the body and flushes out toxins, it also stimulates hormones to increase happy emotions within you. Yoga postures keep the life force, prana or ‘chi’ alive and kicking in your body. It helps in releasing all negative, destructive and sad emotions out of your system bringing with it peace. Pranayama or breathing exercises energize the body, get rid of pain, and stress resulting in a state of happiness and well-being.
For those starting yoga for the first time, a more relaxed yoga class with simple exercises will help you deal with depression well. Instead of concentrating on the body with strenuous exercises like in power yoga or ashtanga yoga, kundalini yoga is more effective as it involves repetitive asanas of breath to allow the energy to boost your depressed spirits. A yoga class that includes meditation will help better as it concentrates more on your mind and that is where the problem actually lies. This could incorporate breathing exercises, chanting and some other poses for over all well-being. Of course, yoga is not a miracle treatment. You need to take care of your body too by eating and sleeping well, not abusing your body by using alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. Yoga done first thing in the morning is very energizing and prevents you from concentrating on negative thoughts. The advantage of yoga therapy in treating depression is that it can be done anywhere – at home or in your office. Of course, taking the guidance of a yoga teacher helps greatly.
Depression can catch hold of anyone considering the present stressful scenario. Instead of taking that over the counter anti-depressant medicine, try treating your blues with yoga. It works.
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