Life is stressful and menopause can be stressful as well.
We are all seeking ways to manage stress and handle fear and anxiety during this time of life.
Many women have turned to Yoga in their search for something to alleviate that stress and achieve serenity.
Even after only a short time of attending Yoga classes, you’ll notice the stress reduction benefits.
Because Yoga is non-competitive and the focus is on yourself, it appeals to many women.
In Yoga you do what you can in each asana (yoga posture) using your breath and awareness to stay focused in the present moment.
The health and fitness benefits of Yoga are now being confirmed by scientific research, even though for centuries anecdotal evidence was abundant.
Stress and pain relief are two of the benefits of Yoga.
Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body by encouraging relaxation and lowering the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Other related benefits are the lowering of blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system, along with easing symptoms of anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.
According to Yoga Alliance, studies have shown that practicing Yoga postures also reduces pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and auto-immune diseases, as well as arthritis, back and neck pain and other chronic conditions.
Here’s what else the Alliance says about Yoga:
– Yoga can lead to better breathing and flexibility, teaching people to take slower, deeper breaths, helping to improve lung function and triggering the body’s relaxation response.
–Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains.
– Yoga increases strength. Yoga asanas use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength from head to toe. Yoga also relieves muscular tension.
– Yoga can aid weight control efforts by reducing cortisol levels and by burning excess calories and reducing stress. It also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of well-being and self-esteem.
– Yoga helps to improve circulation and more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body’s cells.
– Even a gentle Yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.
– Yoga helps to improve body alignment, resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems.
– Yoga helps individuals to focus on the present, to become more aware and to help create better health. It opens the way to improved coordination, reaction time and memory.
Many of the benefits mentioned here will also serve to ease your menopausal symptoms and optimize your health for the rest of your life.
I’ve been teaching Yoga for 10 years now, and while it’s not for everyone, it has much to offer.
Find a class and teacher that you feel comfortable with and give it a try.
If you already have included Yoga in your self-care program, I’d enjoy hearing from you and learning about the benefits you’re receiving!
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