08 Dec How a yoga retreat can help beat anxiety and depression
Yoga, especially intensively on a yoga retreat, produces many benefits to both health and wellbeing; yoga is scientifically proven to greatly reduce stress. The benefits of yoga are also scientifically proven to improve the immune system as well as improve general fitness and increase energy.
Attending one of our digital detox yoga retreats will allow you to practice yoga daily, and the benefits that come from yoga will ensue.
A variety of studies highlight the importance of practising yoga if suffering from depression or anxiety. So here is how a yoga retreat with digital detox can help beat anxiety and depression.
Yoga as daily exercise on a yoga retreat helps depression
Exercise has shown very positive results for helping with depression. One study examined patients suffering from major depression swapping their medication for daily exercise for four weeks.
After the four week trial patients experienced 95-100% of the improvements prescription drugs produced in their non-exercising counterparts. This trial highlighted that those suffering with depression could gain the same effects from daily exercise as they could with medication.
Doctor Shailla Vaidya compared the effects of eight weeks of yoga classes to a standard form of counselling therapy. The study showed that yoga boosted mood, energy and reduced depressive symptoms.
As the studies available highlight, daily exercise and yoga practice is very important. On our digital detox retreats we incorporate a mix of daily yoga and other forms of exercise, which will help to reduce depression.
Relaxing the mind helps fight anxiety
Research shows that yoga appears to reduce anxiety, when compared to other forms of low impact physical activity such as walking.
A team of researchers from Harvard compared MRI scans of mediators to non-mediators, before and after an eight-week course of mindfulness-based stress reduction. The group who meditated showed a significant decrease in grey matter in the amyadala which is directly associated with a reduction of both anxiety and stress.
A study published by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information showed a significant reduction in blood pressure after following 10 minutes of controlled alternate nostril breathing. The study showed that breathing is associated with improved focus and attention, whilst also keeping anxiety levels low.
On our yoga retreats combined with digital detox, we incorporate daily meditation with our yoga practice. We also practice pranayama (yoga breathing including alternate nostril breathing) to soothe and revitalise a tired body, which can help with symptoms of anxiety.
Attending our yoga retreat with digital detox can help to relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as allowing you to experience all of the other great benefits yoga has to offer.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.