October 10th is World Mental Health Day, an awareness campaign promoted by the World Health Organization. But for 59 million people in the U.S., myself included, focusing on mental and emotional health happens every day. If this is true for you, too, than you know that some days are better than others.
Fortunately, yoga is a helpful coping mechanism for a variety of disorders. For example: Harvard Health reports that while all types of exercise lower stress hormones and increase endorphins, "yoga can affect mood by elevating levels of a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is associated with better mood and decreased anxiety." The American Psychiatric Association indicates that, in addition to helping with many physical ailments, "research has found benefits of practicing yoga particularly for addressing symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health cites numerous studies that support using yoga "to help improve general wellness by relieving stress, supporting good health habits, and improving mental/emotional health, sleep, and balance."
However, there are a few cautions:
Yoga is not a replacement for proper mental and emotional health care. It's one of many symptom management tools, not a cure.
Certain styles of yoga, as well as particular postures, might not be accessible to individuals recovering from trauma. If you ever feel uncomfortable with a pose or breathing technique, please speak privately with your instructor and work with them to design more suitable alternatives for you. If necessary, they may also be able to recommend a certified trauma-informed instructor or class that you'd prefer instead.
Additionally, not all forms of meditation are beneficial to people managing some types of mental and emotional disorders. Again, please share this information with your instructor to explore different options.
Ultimately, the main message is this: while your journey is unique, you're not alone. Generating broader awareness about mental and emotional health means we can all tap into the extensive resources available that allow us to assume better control over symptom management, use necessary "warmlines" and hotlines to maintain positive connections, and pursue various therapeutic methods that make the "good" days happen more often.
In the meantime, here are six quick tips from One Commune to help create more of those better days:
Move your body 30 minutes daily.
Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep each night.
Seek out sunlight right after you wake up.
Consider journaling your thoughts.
Practice mindfulness or a suitable form of meditation.
Hydrate efficiently—most people need at least 80 oz. of water every day.
And if you ever need someone to listen, please reach out.
(Photo by Matthew Ball on Unsplash)
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