By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Will practicing Yoga for improved mood work? Yes, however, the exact cause of mood swings is different in each case. For example, mental health conditions, hormonal conditions, and substance abuse are causes of rapid mood swings. In fact, the variety of mental health conditions makes it a situation where medical or psychological consultation is required. Notably, a consultation will make professional guidance effective because treatment is designed to address the exact source of the problem.
Reactions and Triggers
Indeed, people with mood swings often feel intolerant of the world and frustrated at the changes they experience in their lives. However, Yoga is a solution from our own minds. Additionally, Yoga lowers stress levels as well as keeps us grounded in a moment-to-moment state. Truly, steady practice is healthy for our minds, emotional flow, and physical health.
Stress as a Trigger
Stress levels can trigger our hormones and our reactions. Sometimes, we wake up in a specific mindset. Additionally, there are times when our moods are a reaction to circumstances around us. Therefore, stress levels can fluctuate throughout the day and moods can come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties. Yoga for improved mood is one of the most important parts of developing a positive attitude toward your life. In general, people are looking for ways to keep themselves cheerful to start each new day.
Daily Yoga
There are many good reasons why people decide to incorporate Yoga into their lifestyle. For instance, this has often then prompted questions such as “How does Yoga actually help mood improvement?” When mood swings are a concern, practicing Yoga is a coping mechanism for mood improvement and mental health. Above all, Yoga helps people relax and reduce stress, but more importantly, promotes overall wellbeing.
Inner Balance
Yoga for mood improvement is a practice designed to embrace complete wellness. It enhances your endocrine system by optimizing functions, which also includes the perfect physical postures to maintain balance. Additionally, practicing Yoga will help you breathe more deeply and make sound choices with your concentration so that you might achieve intact health.
Natural Mindset
Some of us wake up with optimistic thoughts, while others wake with negative thoughts. Of course, it’s wise to be positive and enjoy life. Yoga can improve mood in different ways. It helps to reduce stress and anxiety, and some people also report that it has helped them with depression. There are many scientific studies that show the benefits of Yoga. Since the practice of Yoga promotes a healthy body and mind, it has become an accepted adjunct therapy. One way it can improve mood is by supporting the natural mindset.
What About Hormones?
While the body and mind react to outside triggers, hormones come into play. Hormones are the part of the endocrine system that controls metabolism (weight regulation), tissue function, and growth, among other things. Scientific experiments have proven the connection between our moods and hormonally-sensitive external stimuli. Yoga has calming effects, which regulate and balance hormones, causing benefits related to mood, judgment, and reactions.
Music for Mood Enhancement
Depression and anxiety stem from stress in different ways. When people feel stressed it often results in the release of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These specific hormones mobilize energy toward physical functioning while simultaneously inhibiting key brain chemicals. Music therapy can correct the disconnect in these chemicals and help individuals cope with difficult mental states. Therefore, music, mantra, and Japa can be added to help students.
A Mix of Techniques
When you practice breathing (pranayama) and train the mind with meditation, you relax your glandular system, which promotes a sense of emotional stability. Another technique for starting a Yoga practice for mood improvement is practicing poses that are restful. Depending on a student’s energy level, you may add this to the beginning, end, or duration of a Yoga session.
More Ideas
In reality, Yoga may boost mood on account of exercising your thyroid. When overactive or underactive, your thyroid results in feelings of anxiety, irritability, and various other bodily changes. Nevertheless, inverted Yoga postures, as well as Breath of Fire in Kundalini Yoga, have been known to increase blood flow. These techniques are added to practice in order to target the thyroid gland, resulting in enhanced functions.
Effects of Stress
Sometimes, stress affects the function of many different areas in the body. Subsequently, including your immune system by restricting the reactivity of your thymus gland and causing an overactive state of `fight or flight.’ When you deal with stress through movement rather than succumbing to these symptoms, your health improves. Therefore, you can stay healthy and perform better in your day-to-day life. With this intention, Yoga includes poses that encourage improved blood flow in the suprarenal glands.
Complete Wellness Package
Yoga for improved mood is a holistic activity. Tailored for every individual, to suit their schedule and wellness needs are the invaluable benefits a person will experience by practicing Yoga. Due to their alone time with themselves, with each other, and with the world around us can benefit anyone in all conditions. No matter what their situation tends to be, there is one thing you can be certain of – Yoga leads the way to unprecedented well-being.
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Research
Li, A. W., & Goldsmith, C. A. (2012). The effects of yoga on anxiety and stress. Alternative Medicine Review: A Journal of Clinical Therapeutic, 17, 21–35.
Sharma, M. (2014). Yoga as an alternative and complementary approach for stress management: a systematic review. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, 19, 59–67.
Weinstein, S. M., & Mermelstein, R. J. (2013). Influences of mood variability, negative moods, and depression on adolescent cigarette smoking. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 27, 1068–1078.
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