How Yoga Can Help Reduce Your Anxiety and Depression

The world that we live in is an incredibly stress inducing world, one where we are constantly bombarded with new stimuli, constantly moving at top speed, and working hard, pushing ourselves to the limit. This can lead just about anyone into anxiety, depression, burnout, and an overall decrease in personal health and wellness. To combat these forces pushing us towards anxiety and depression, we must act. Yoga is one of the best things we can do to support mindfulness and reduce stress and anxiety. Here are three ways that yoga can reduce your anxiety and depression and help you lead a better life.

Gives You a Community

The first way that yoga can help reduce your anxiety and depression is by giving you a new supportive and productive community. One of the largest forces that can impact stress and depression is having a supporting community of friends and family around you. Yoga can be a great community building activity, helping you center yourself in the presence of others, and meet like-minded individuals who are also seeking the peace and freedom that a yoga practice can bring. Try joining a yoga class or two to get the most from your yoga community.

Releases Endorphins

Another way that yoga can help to reduce your anxiety and depression is by releasing endorphins in your brain. Endorphins are sometimes called “feel-good” chemicals because they make you feel good! Endorphins are released naturally by your body when you perform exercise, like yoga. Anxiety can be tamed by more endorphins. More than 30% struggle with anxiety during their lives. Simply doing yoga to release your endorphins can help you find new ways to set that anxiety aside and enjoy life in calmness and centered focus.

Decreasing Tension

The final way that yoga can help reduce your anxiety and depression is by decreasing the tension you carry in your body. Anxiety can cause you to feel tense, but what you may not know is that it can physically tighten your muscles. Anxiety can manifest itself through a tight neck, shoulders, or jaw. Through yoga, you learn how to let go and stretch and relax your muscles, which allows you to release this built-up tension and forget your anxieties.

Yoga is one of the most powerful wellness tools available to us to fight off anxiety and depression. And there is real science behind it too. If you want to experience these three anxiety and depression reducing effects of yoga, then you should start your practice today.

Check out this article on activities that will help you feel like yourself again!