How Yoga Can Impact Mental Health
There is more and more research showing that yoga can have real mental health benefits. For those struggling with anything from addiction, to depression, to bipolar, to schizoaffective disorders, yoga can provide relief from stress, tension, muscle pain, and strain, and it can calm and quiet the central nervous system to help hone and strengthen focus and concentration. All of these benefits can provide a lot of help to those dealing with mental health symptoms, and yoga is a practice that can cross over from therapy programs into the real world quite easily.
Yoga isn’t familiar to everyone, though, as many have grown up in cultures that did not include it. Because of that, one might feel nervous to try it or feel as though they will make a fool of themselves. However, there is absolutely no need to feel embarrassed or nervous as everyone starts somewhere. At Alina Lodge, our caring and compassionate professionals are eager to help new students learn in our yoga therapy program. Take the time today to send us a message online or call us at 833.685.1700.
Yoga and Mental Health
Regardless of one’s personal strengths and weaknesses, yoga teaches us to tap into our own body’s natural resources of strength and comfort. Those who participate in yoga learn that using one’s own body to experience the world around us is a gift, and we can tap into that gift to process our own lives. The connection between yoga and mental health has been shown to have powerful positive effects for those with mental health symptoms, including:
- Decreased anxiety and depression, more stability in moods
- Improved sleep and reduced insomnia
- Yoga and mental health gives a better sense of one’s own abilities
- Enhanced focus on the body’s needs
- Opportunities for social connection with others who have a common interest
Although exercise is often touted as something that can help fight depression and other mental health diagnoses, it is crucial to remember that yoga is just one component of a larger plan for wellness and recovery. It takes time to practice it and learn how to use yoga regularly as a tool for health, and self-care ideas should involve components that serve social, emotional, and physical needs. Yoga is just one such tool.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy at Alina Lodge
Alina Lodge is proud to offer our students mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) therapy to give students practice with engaging their minds in meditation. This type of therapy also focuses on sensory experiences in the present and breathing exercises to keep the body calm and stable.
Mindfulness-based therapy can help students:
- Focus on what they are able to do rather than on what is out of their control
- Stay aware and in-tune with the body and its needs, as well as the needs of others
- Maintain awareness of triggers and avoid high-risk situations
- Strengthen self-esteem through acceptance of one’s own strengths and weaknesses
- Trust in themselves more easily while also trusting others and keeping healthy boundaries
Mindfulness-based therapy at Alina Lodge also includes Hatha Yoga, which gives students structured breath practices that can help students center themselves in their bodies and self-soothe. These skills can be instrumental in the prevention of relapse and finding recovery for both addiction and mental health diagnoses.
Reach for Inner Peace with Alina Lodge Today
While there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for addiction, there are many people, skills, and tools that can help form a path to recovery. Alina Lodge’s long-term approach to recovery and wellness prioritizes the highest levels of care for each student, allowing each individual to find what works for them at their own pace. There is no need to suffer in isolation if you or a loved one is dealing with a substance use disorder or a co-occurring mental health problem. Our warm and compassionate team has got you covered. Contact us by completing our online form or calling us at 833.685.1700 today.
