Yoga and Mental Health

What is your primary reason for practicing yoga?

For many people yoga is a way to work-out, after all yoga is known for its ability to build strength, endurance and flexibility, and because there are so many styles of yoga, it’s available to almost everyone regardless of their current fitness level.

But many people don’t realise until after they begin taking yoga classes, that the mental benefits are just as profound as the physical benefits, transforming yoga from a work-out to a work-in.

We as a nation are experiencing an epidemic of varying mental health issues with stress, anxiety and depression being amongst the most common, and with the stigma that still surrounds these issues, many suffer in silence.

There is mounting evidence that credits yoga and meditation as a transformational practice for those working with mental health issues, and we at The Life Centre North agree.

Since January 2017 we have been hosting a six week course tackling anxiety with yoga, led by senior teacher Mick Timpson. The course explores how a yoga practice, as self -directed change could offer a low cost, high impact solution to anxiety and stress management.

During the course, Mick introduces four key ways of using yoga to help disrupt, reduce and manage anxiety via yogic techniques focusing on breath, body, mind and awareness.

The six week Yoga for Anxiety course runs regularly throughout the year.

Do you know someone who could benefit from either of these courses? Let them know about these resources and help break the silence around mental health.