In recent years, yoga has become a popular form of self-care. However, many people aren’t aware of all the mental health benefits that yoga and mindfulness has. In an article from the American Psychological Association, the author, Amy Novotney, includes a study that was conducted in 2007 at Boston University School of Medicine. According to the article, researchers used, “magnetic resonance imaging to compare levels of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) before and after two types of activities: an hour of yoga and an hour of reading a book.” After conducting this experiment, they discovered the following: “the yoga group showed a 27 percent increase in GABA levels, which evidence suggests may counteract anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. GABA levels of the reading group remained unchanged.” This study provides direct evidence that yoga does indeed have an effect on the brain and a positive effect on mental health. In another study at the Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts, “women with PTSD who took part in eight sessions of a 75-minute Hatha yoga class experienced significantly reduced PTSD symptoms compared with those participating in a dialectical behavior therapy group.” This study provides additional evidence supporting my prediction: yoga and mindfulness can help people suffering from anxiety and PTSD. Additionally, another article from osteopathic.org states, “Yoga’s incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person’s mental well-being. ‘Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns; relaxes the mind; centers attention; and sharpens concentration,’ says Dr. Nevins.” The evidence stated in all of these resources proves that yoga and mindfulness can be used as a tool to help people suffering from mental health issues and stress.
As a certified yoga instructor and as someone who suffers from anxiety, I can say that in my own experience, yoga has had such a positive impact on my mental health. Just by taking a few deep breaths, and allowing my mind to rest, I feel so much more calm, relaxed, and less anxious. The purpose of yoga and meditation is to clear your mind. When I teach my yoga and meditation classes, I tell my students to “let go of your to-do list.” I encourage them to observe every thought or worry that enters their mind, and then simply let it go. I also tell them to “inhale your worries, and exhale, letting them all go.” Practicing this technique provides an incredible amount of stress relief. It allows students to focus on and prioritize their health, and also helps them de-stress and relax. However, this strategy is not just meant to be used during yoga classes- it can and should be practiced regularly at your own time. Whenever you are facing a conflict or going through a loss or change, it’s important to address the stress caused by that situation. Deep breathing and mindfulness is such an important part of yoga and a great positive coping strategy. I use this strategy during my yoga classes, and also just anytime I am overwhelmed or anxious. This helps me refocus as well as let go of any stress and negative energy. As a certified yoga instructor, I was taught this strategy during my yoga teacher training course. But to provide additional evidence, an article published by the University of Michigan states that, “deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. Those things that happen when you are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax.”
I chose to focus my gold award project on this topic because it is something that I am very passionate about. As a yoga instructor, I love practicing and teaching yoga and meditation. I also love learning more about self-care and mental health awareness. Additionally, I was curious about research and studies that prove yoga and meditation’s benefits. I was taught about all of these benefits in my yoga teacher training program, however we never did any research or tried to find supporting evidence that proved it. It was fascinating to learn more about the medical and scientific approach to this topic, especially because I also have a passion for science, healthcare, and medicine. I was surprised to learn just how many studies and research has been done on this topic. I used the knowledge I gained from this research to help me become a better yoga instructor. I also shared this information with my students, classmates, friends, family and community so that anyone struggling with a mental illness or overwhelming stress is aware of this positive coping strategy.