How Can Yoga Therapy Help in Managing Anxiety?

In

my Yoga Therapy practice and daily life, I notice an increased number of people who suffer from anxiety. Most of us are indeed anxious to a certain level, and we can live and function with it. The problem starts when the condition becomes chronic and interferes with living our life. Anxiety can affect our sleep, eating habits, social and professional life, and even our immune system.

There are many ways to treat anxiety. A more mainstream approach usually consists of some mix of medication and therapy.

Yoga Therapy is different from most Western systems because it doesn't have any adverse side effects. Quite the opposite, it improves our overall wellbeing.

Yoga Therapy won't replace Western medicine in acute situations. When we experience a panic attack or are in a state of severe anxiety, we need to seek the help of a medical doctor or a therapist if we have one.

Yoga Therapy gives us more agency over our mental and physical health but takes some time and practice. It can be an excellent adjunct to the mainstream therapies or sometimes even replace them with time.

A Yoga Therapist will teach you how to lower your anxiety level with breath, movement, and mindfulness.

They will teach you specific breathing techniques, meditations, and sequences of yoga postures.

Depending on your personality, life situation, physical abilities, and history, they will also recommend doable tweaks in your lifestyle habits and help you implement them.

Still, you are the one who does the work. This way, you have agency over your mental wellbeing, you rewire the brain to respond healthily to the outside stressors, and learn how to use the tools that are always available to you. It may take some time, definitely some effort, but you are not alone on your journey.