Yoga For Holiday Stress Relief

Yoga is a powerful tool for stress relief of any kind. As the holiday season rapidly approaches, stress often follows. Yoga is one of my favorite tools for holiday stress relief.

If your stomach is already in knots thinking of facing family members at Thanksgiving, or if your heart is racing imagining all the Christmas gifts you “have” to buy, take a pause.

Ongoing research continues to study the links between physical and mental health, as we know they are deeply interconnected. For example, chronic stress and anxiety can lead to disruptive physical symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, IBS and body pains.

However, we also know that interventions used with the body, such as breath work, mindfulness, and yoga can lessen physical and mental issues!

What is Yoga Beyond A Physical Practice?

While most people may envision the physical practice when they think of yoga, yoga is actually a physical, mental, and spiritual practice. It takes place both on the mat and throughout daily life.

Yoga has been used in healing for hundreds of years, originating in ancient India. Neuroscientists have more recently been studying the connection between yoga and meditation with health benefits. They have consistently found significant results.

Practicing yoga for just 30-90 minutes per week can increase body flexibility. Practicing daily for about a month can begin to decrease feelings of anxiety and depression. A regular yoga practice has also been shown to increase the diversity of microbiome in the gut to improve gut health.

Even more astounding, regularly practicing meditation can literally restructure your brain to build resiliency and make you feel calmer and happier!

With all that said, yoga is a beneficial tool for creating a sense of grounding within yourself. The best part is, you don’t need anything except yourself (and sometimes a mat) to practice.

Erika specializes in anxiety and depression, eating disorders, ADHD, and grief & loss. To learn more about Erika, read her bio here.