Stress is inevitably a part of our lives. It’s a natural human response to address challenges or changes in life. Stress doesn’t have to be a negative. We can use stress as a motivator to complete our to-do list; it lets us know what is important to us, boosts our performance, and even helps increase our ability to remember and store memories. However, it can also negatively impact our daily functioning if left untreated.

Yoga is a powerful tool for stress relief. As the holiday season rapidly approaches, stress often follows.

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.