How Does Exercise Like Yoga Affect The Nervous System & Stress On The Body?

Yoga, meaning "yoking together," offers a method of aligning your body and your mind to help you conquer stress with a peaceful, positive attitude. More than just a series of poses, yoga includes ancient Indian philosophy, meditation and breathing techniques that studies show reduce stress, tone your body and may alleviate a variety of health conditions, such as anxiety, insomnia, depression, infertility, hormonal difficulties, respiratory issues, inflammation and fatigue.

Enhanced Mood

When you're feeling down and stressed out, physical activity provides a lift by activating your endorphins. Yoga asanas, the physical postures, add the element of connected breath and movement to sharpen your focus, calm your nervous system and develop mind-body awareness. A study published in the journal "Psychosomatic Medicine" compared the effects of asanas, walking on a treadmill, and watching a video between yoga novices and regular yoga practitioners. The results showed that yoga uplifted the moods of all practitioners but that the "expert" practitioners were better able to deal with stress.

Relaxation Response

In yoga parlance, prana is the life energy flowing within your body. Various breathing techniques, called pranayama, help you regulate your breath in ways that help you deal with stress. Deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which stimulates a relaxation response rather than a fight-or-flight response, which is activated by your sympathetic nervous system. This fight-or-flight response uses more energy, requires more oxygen and can raise your blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar levels. On the other hand, the relaxation response, initiated by an asana practice followed by deep breathing and meditation, can lower blood pressure, slow your heart rate and improve your circulation.

Meditation

Meditation is a sustained focus on a specific object or word. According to a study conducted by Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D, at the University of Wisconsin, a regular practice of meditation significantly alters the activity in the left side of the brain's frontal cortex, which relates to positive feelings of joy, happiness and compassion and to lower levels of anxiety and other negativity.

The Company You Keep

Sangha, the company you keep, is another benefit of yoga. By practicing in a community, you meet like minds. Even if you practice at home, you can savor your own company as you do your yoga. And by remaining focused on what you value most via your relaxation response, positive qualities supplant the tendency toward stress.