What Is Stress? And How Can Yoga Help You Cope?

We realize that sometimes we need to think outside the realms of the norm when dealing with stress and relaxation. If there were a safe long-term prescription to tackle stress – then everyone would take it. Unfortunately, there is not – and part of our bespoke patient diagnosis often includes taking up yoga. This is a practice that refers to loosening ourselves of bodily and mental tension while learning to consciously disengage our stress and muscles systems when they are not needed.

 

One of the most basic organic response systems is famously called the “fight or flight response”. It symbolically refers to the wild, cliched scenario in which the burly caveman, equipped with nothing more than a spear is being confronted by the sabretooth tiger. The body’s system engages – the heart accelerates, and he begins to perspire. The body has entered into a state where it is ready for a physical challenge.

 

There aren’t many sabre tooth tigers in rural, suburban, or city centres. So, what happens? Our bodies still have the fight or flight response when challenged by an obstacle (think of it as a mini sabre tooth) but we do not get the opportunity to fight or run. This means that our stress levels remain at a state of anxiety. We don’t have short term problems like the cave man, we have long term problems. If our bodies do not learn how to switch off, then our bodies remain in a state of preparation for something which never comes. This is why stress “runs us down” and we are more prone to illness and fatigue. Your body wants to run, but it can’t due to the environment we live in.

 

Yoga Can Teach You to Switch Off

 

Yoga is an interesting practice as it locates a space between effort and non-effort. You consciously engage in an activity that requires you to not engage in anything. Once we pass this somewhat paradoxical conundrum – you’ll find that yoga is simply switching off in an organized and methodological manner. Yoga is the practice of conscious relaxation. It is a way in which you can turn off your fight or flight response which will in turn increase your overall health. Conscious relaxation encourages you to release the grip of your muscles when you don’t need them – and allows you to switch off your high corticosteroid level.

 

Click here to read about how you can practice yoga and follow our series on stress related issues.

 

If you are considering yoga classes Mount Sinai offers classes with certified yoga teachers (CYTs). Please contact us on (212) 241-6321) to see if we can further help.