Yoga and Meditation for stress managment in daily life among students..

Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation or relaxation. Yoga may help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and lower your heart rate. And almost anyone can do it.

The practice of yoga involves stretching the body and forming different poses, while keeping breathing slow and controlled. The body becomes relaxed and energized at the same time. There are various styles of yoga, some moving through the poses more quickly, almost like an aerobic workout, and other styles relaxing deeply into each pose. Some have a more spiritual angle, while others are used purely as a form of exercise.

Benefits

Virtually everyone can see physical benefits from yoga, and its practice can also give psychological benefits, such as stress reduction and a sense of well-being, and spiritual benefits, such as a feeling of connectedness with God or Spirit, or a feeling of transcendence. Certain poses can be done just about anywhere and a yoga program can go for hours or minutes, depending on one’s schedule.

There are several mechanisms in yoga that have an effect on stress levels, meaning there are multiple ways that yoga can minimize your stress levels.  Studies show that the most effective ways in which yoga targets stress are by lifting your mood (or positive affect), by allowing for increased mindfulness, and by increasing self-compassion.  By simultaneously getting us into better moods, enabling us to be more focused on the present moment, and by encouraging us to give ourselves a break, yoga is a very effective stress reliever.  

• Shithilikarana vyayama (loosening exercises) - 5 min
• Suryanamaskara (sun salutation) - 5 min
• Asana (physical postures) - 15 min.
• Ardhakatichakrasana (lateral be
• nd pose)
• Ardhachakrasana (backward bend pose)
• Padahastasana (standing forward bend pose)
• Sarvangasana (shoulder stand pose)
• Matsyasana (fish pose)
• Bhujangasana (serpent pose)
• Padmasana (lotus pose)
• Savasana (corpse pose).
• Pranayama (breathing practices) – 10 min
• Kapalabhati (illuminating forehead breath)
• Nadisuddhi (alternate nostril breath)
• Ujjayi (the psychic breath)
• Bhramari (humming bee breath)
• Meditation/relaxation – 10 min
• Mindfulness-based relaxation/yoga nidra (psychic sleep)

Effects on the Body

The following is only a partial list of yoga’s benefits:

• reduced stress
• sound sleep
• reduced cortisol levels
• improvement of many medical conditions
• allergy and asthma symptom relief
• lower blood pressure
• smoking cessation help
• lower heart rate
• spiritual growth
• sense of well-being
• reduced anxiety and muscle tension
• increased strength and flexibility
• slowed aging process

Yoga’s benefits are so numerous, it gives a high payoff for the amount of effort involved.

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