Yoga for Mental Health

Yoga positions, known as asanas, may help tame anxiety by reducing the heart rate, slowing breathing and lowering blood pressure. Yoga can also increase heart beat strength — allowing the body to respond to stress more flexibly. By transferring focus and attention to the body and breathing, yoga can help to ease anxiety and release physical tension. Researchers from the Council for Complementary Medicine in London, UK, found that participants, who were suffering from anxiety or had a diagnosed anxiety disorder, showed a 50 percent positive opinion in favor of yoga — after three to six months of practice. Yoga alone should not be considered as the only treatment option for anxiety. Yoga should complement medication and/or treatments prescribed by a doctor or specialist.