The Science Behind How Yoga Nidra Affects Your Mental Health

{"slug":"yoga-nidra-science","recentPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for Pregnancy is excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor. Read more to understand the benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n⁠\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n⁠\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\nBeen sitting too long? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\n⁠⁠A prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery.  \\nTake a bath :\n⁠\n⁠Taking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n⁠\n⁠This week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"cl8ka13l4ionz0ck2fe0pme7l","slug":"chronic-neck-pain-relief-yoga-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:11:15.683866+00:00","coverUrl":"rbh6duxy7hy3y207sg1c.jpg","content":{"text":"Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. \\nNeck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:\\nhave long commutes or sit at a desk all day\\nwho have issues with posture \\nwho have chronic sleep issues\\nOur neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! \\nDaily changes you can make to avoid neck pain\\nStay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? \\nWe can help here at MyYogaTeacher! \\n\\nStay active! It’s important to stay mobilized.  If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday. \\nCheck your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free. \\nIf you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try! \\n10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :\\n1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch\\nThis pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.\\nStart by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. \\n\\n\\n\\n2. Child’s Pose\\nReleases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.\\nBring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. \\n\\n\\n\\n3. Downward facing dog\\nHelps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. \\nStart by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. \\n\\n\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\nReleases chest, neck, spine and hips.\\nLay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. \\n\\n\\n\\n5. Wide Leg forward fold\\nReleases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. \\nBring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. \\n\\n\\n\\n6. Cow face pose\\nStrengthens core and spine.\\nSit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. \\n\\n\\n\\n7. Sphinx pose\\nThis pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. \\nLie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. \\n\\n\\n\\n8. Thread the Needle \\nIncreases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. \\nCome on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. \\n\\n\\n\\n9. Legs up the wall\\nReleases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. \\nFind a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. \\n\\n\\n\\n10. Savasana\\nSavasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. \\nCome onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. \\n\\n\\n\\nClasses to help relieve neck pain \\n\\nYoga fusion for joints \\n- This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. \\n\\nYoga for Back Pain\\n - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! \\n\\nYoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain\\n - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. \\n\nSo if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! \\nGet started on your yoga journey now!\\n"},"category":["yoga_poses"]},{"id":"cl8cuq5nnh5860biyek2vhu2w","slug":"reproductive-rights-for-women-yoga-workshop","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop - Supporting Women Through Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-22T09:28:27.679552+00:00","coverUrl":"dkjwcigamkavxe0yziwq.jpg","content":{"text":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s first ever Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we believe in the wisdom of women to make their own choices about their health. \\n\\nThat’s why we’re excited to offer the\\n Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop on October 2 from 9 AM - 11 AM PST (12 PM - 2 PM EST) for only $10!\\nIn the past, our community events have been free. So why are we charging a nominal fee for this one?\\nBecause ALL proceeds from the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop go to support the \\nCenter for Reproductive Rights\\n charity, a nonprofit organization, the \\nonly\\n global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights.\\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and on the day before the new term of the Supreme Court begins, we think this workshop is a perfect way to silently protest this new ruling through self-care and donations to an organization like the Center for Reproductive Rights.\\nThis will also be a time of healing and processing with a couple of awesome expert yoga instructors!\\nHow to join the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop\\nWhether you’re a member or not, \\nJust click this link and register \\nas you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nIntroducing a very special guest yoga instructor coming just for this event!\n\\nMeet Harpinder Mann, RYT-500!\\n\\n\n\\nHarpinder is a yoga, meditation, mindfulness teacher, and decolonizing activist based in Los Angeles. She works with women of color who want to reclaim their power and intuition through the lens of a spiritual, joyful, and sustainable path. Her studies have spanned from reading the Japji Sahib since she was 3, to over 700 hours of yogic training within the traditions of Raja, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Prenatal Yoga. \\nWe’re super excited to have her lead the beginning of the workshop. Afterwards, MyYogaTeacher yoga instructor, \\nTrupti Parikh\\n, will lead us in asanas, and a discussion session will follow.\\nAre you ready to experience a workshop where we solely focus on supporting and advocating for women’s health \\nwhile\\n improving our mental, emotional, and physical health?\\n\\nJoin us for the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\n\\nTogether, we make a difference."},"category":["workshops"]},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Adopting an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Read now to learn more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can  build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\n⁠Prefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything  that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"},"category":["fitness","yoga"]},{"id":"cl81n0o6wh1g80ajz2gpco553","slug":"yoga-at-home","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"How to Start Doing Yoga at Home","subTitle":"Everything you need to know for an at-home yoga routine","seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Get a beginner’s guide to starting yoga at home with tips and suggestions for setting up your own practice, including online yoga classes and private lessons.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to perform yoga at home with this quick and easy guide","tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-14T13:07:13.39269+00:00","coverUrl":"cqivxw3vkrcihpumlny7.jpg","content":{"text":"There are lots of reasons for doing yoga at home instead of a yoga studio, some of which include distance, busy schedules, kids, financial concerns, and health issues. The good news is you can set up your own yoga practice at home, and still get all the benefits of a regular yoga routine — without the studio. It can also be a great way to integrate yoga into your life on a regular basis, and it’s easy to do in your own home.\\nCan Anyone do Yoga at Home?\\nAnyone can perform yoga at home, and you don’t have to be an advanced yogi to try. Even beginners can practice yoga in a home environment, all you need is adequate floor space, a few (optional) pieces of equipment, and guidelines for practicing the primary yoga poses. \\nIf you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to first learn from a certified yoga instructor, so you can progress with the proper technique and alignment to avoid injury. Thanks to online learning platforms like\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, you can still practice yoga at home with the help of a qualified teacher.\\n11 Tips on How to Perform Yoga At Home\\nThe idea of starting a yoga practice in your very own living room can seem daunting or intimidating at first, especially if you’re accustomed to attending classes in a yoga studio. But with a little bit of preparation and creativity, you can set up your own yoga space and develop a mindful yoga routine that can benefit your life.\\nHere are some suggestions to help get you started:\\n1. Make Space in Your Home for Yoga\\nIt’s easy (and fun) to make your own yoga space, and you can design it as a temporary space or a dedicated one, depending on your needs. All you need is enough floor space to move around and stretch out the full length of your body — a little more than the length and width of your yoga mat. This can be your living or bedroom floor, your kitchen, or your backyard. Just make sure there isn’t any furniture or objects lying around that could get in your way or cause injury.\\n2. Decorate With Calming Accessories\\nYou can also create a comfortable and inviting space for yoga by hanging calming or inspiring artwork on the wall, lighting a candle or incense, and keeping a few house plants nearby for a pleasing atmosphere. The more you can tailor and dedicate your space for yoga, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to keep up a steady routine. Hanging a mirror in front of your practice space is also helpful in maintaining the correct alignment while performing postures.\\n3. Be Prepared With the Right Equipment\\n\\nYou’ll want to invest in a yoga mat, and it’s wise to also keep modifying props on hand — like blocks, bolsters, blankets, and a strap. If you’re just starting out and you’d like to improvise for props, you can use pillows, blankets, and other items around the house to suit your needs. Just make sure your props are sturdy, supportive, and nearby for when you need them.\\n4. Practice Regularly\\nThe best part about practicing yoga at home is it can be done any time you want. The challenge lies in your dedication and commitment to the practice even when your couch appears more inviting.\\n \\nAccording to this study\\n, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create a new habit. It’s important to be patient with yourself and identify guidelines for your practice that you can realistically follow through with. \\n5. Schedule Your Yoga Session\\nSet yourself up for success by committing to your yoga practice at a certain time of day, and for a specified number of days per week. It’s best to start out easy with goals that are achievable and progress as you gain momentum. For instance, if you’ve never been an early riser, don’t expect yourself to suddenly start practicing yoga at dawn. If that’s the case, try scheduling your yoga session for late morning, afternoon or evening, and keep your existing schedule in mind when planning a time that works for you.\\n6. Keep it Simple\\nRegardless of your experience or ability level, practicing yoga at home means watching out for your own safety. Make sure you have props handy for when you need them, and avoid overdoing it with strenuous poses. When it doubt, keep your routine simple. Even if you’re an advanced yogi, those basic, primary yoga poses are still an important part of a holistic yoga practice, and may be less likely to cause injury.\\n7. Listen to Your Body\\nThe best way to avoid getting hurt while practicing yoga at home is to listen to your body. If any posture causes you discomfort or pain, stop practicing it immediately — no matter how easy or difficult the pose. Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to focus on your alignment. If you are unsure of how to execute a specific pose, try learning it from a certified instructor before performing it on your own at home.\\n8. Take an Online Yoga Class\\n\\nBy far the best way to practice yoga at home is with an online class. This way, you get all the benefits of doing yoga at home in your own time, with the added help of an instructor who can make sure you’re performing poses safely and effectively. You can find\\n \\nonline group classes\\n for every type of yoga at\\n \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n, with over 42 classes offered throughout the day. Private, 1-on-1 instructors are also available for at-home yoga, giving you plenty of options to get the right kind of training while still practicing in the comfort of your own home.\\n9. Squeeze in a Short Practice\\nThe beauty of an at-home yoga practice means you can squeeze in a quick session when you just have 20-30 minutes of time. Even short yoga routines are beneficial for your body and mind, and performing a few of the primary yoga poses on a daily basis will change your life for the better. Try incorporating the Sun Salutation flow series into your morning routine when you first get out of bed in the morning, or practicing some relaxing poses like Legs-Up-The-Wall or Savasana in the evening. \\n10. Switch it Up and Make it Fun\\nYoga doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can make your home yoga practice fun and spontaneous for you and your family. Practicing with your kids is a great way to help them learn mindfulness and self-awareness, while stretching and strengthening their growing bodies. You can also take your practice to the backyard to enjoy sunshine and good weather, or invite friends over to share in the experience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!\\n11. End Every Practice With Savasana\\nWhen practicing yoga at home, it can be tempting to skip important parts of the journey due to time constraints, distractions, or disinterest. If there is one element of yoga you should never skip, it’s Savasana, or otherwise known as Corpse pose. Always end your practice with 5 minutes of relaxation to help your body integrate the routine. Keep a blanket nearby to warm your body after it has cooled down, and consider an eye pillow to help you relax. Your body and mind will thank you as you move on to the rest of your day, having given yourself the gift of healthy movement to better your life."},"category":["yoga","therapy"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"ckr7tf4oolv3u0c25s8cz6qrj","slug":"what-are-sun-salutations","author":{"name":"Priyanka","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"What Are Sun Salutations? Start Your Day Right With These Moves","createdAt":"2021-07-17T13:38:03.578839+00:00","coverUrl":"ljd9egtasslviqhw4lqm.jpg","content":{"text":"It’s a simple question that we get asked a lot as yoga instructors.\\nWhat is a Sun Salutation and why is it important? After all, this simple series of asanas is included in almost every single yoga practice from beginner to advanced.\\nObviously, there’s something important about it, right?\\nThe answer is yes.\\nIn my yoga class on myYogaTeacher, \\nBeginner’s Guide to Sun Salutations\\n, yogis learn all about this wonderful series of yoga poses and how impactful they are to a regular yoga practice and your day!\\nNot an MYT member yet? You should definitely check it out! \\nSign up for your free 2-week trial\\n and get access to 35+ different group yoga classes every single day, at all times of day!\\nIn the meantime, let’s talk about this traditional series of poses and how they help you start your day – and yoga practice – right!\\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\nWhat are Sun Salutations?\\nThe Sun Salutation is a practice involving a flow of 8 different yoga poses linked together in a graceful sequence.\\nBecause the sequence moves the body in all different directions, sun salutations help clear the energy centers of the body and heat it up so all the muscles and joints are ready for deeper poses. \\nSun salutations are also invigorating as a stand alone sequence! If you don’t have a lot of time for a full yoga practice, 5 minutes of sun salutations is a surefire way to rev up your body, boost immunity, and stretch out tight muscles.\\nThe 8 basic poses of a Sun Salutation sequence\\nTadasana (Mountain Pose)\\n\\n\\n Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)\\n\\n\\nUttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)\\n\\n\\n Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) \\n\\n\\nPlank Pose\\n\\n\\nChaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)\\n\\n\\n Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)\\n\\n\\nAdho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)\\n\\n\\n\\n\\nThe movement from posture to posture is accompanied by an inhale or exhale. You’ll experience this in my Beginner’s Guide to Sun Salutations class. It’s really fairly simple, and there are plenty of ways to modify the poses to meet your fitness level!\\nBenefits of Sun Salutations\\nI briefly discussed some of the reasons we incorporate these poses into a yoga practice, but here’s a more in depth explanation of the benefits of sun salutations!\\nBody and mind preparation\\nFirst, I want to talk about how the sun salutation sequence can be a stand alone practice to start your day. Many people (even avid yogis) don’t want to wake up before the crack of dawn and spend thirty minutes to an hour doing yoga.\\nIf yoga feels like a burden, then you won’t do it. And we definitely don’t want you to feel this way about your yoga practice!\\nYou don’t need to practice yoga for a long time to prepare your mind and body for the day. The sun salutation flow is an excellent way to get in even 5-10 minutes of yoga in the mornings. And the best part is, once you memorize this easy sequence you:\\nDon’t need a computer, phone, or tv\\nDon’t need any voice guidance\\nCan do it almost anywhere\\nDon’t necessarily need a yoga mat or props\\nYou can still reap the benefits of yoga with this flow. It awakens your mind, your muscles. It gets your breath going and revives you mentally, physically, and emotionally. And you can perform these moves throughout your day if you need a little pep in your step during that afternoon slump.\\nIf you’re starting this flow in the morning, you might want to modify the first couple of rounds to allow your body time to loosen up!\\nSun salutations build internal heat\\nSo another great benefit of sun salutations is their ability to quickly warm up your muscles, ligaments, and tendons in preparation for bigger, deeper yoga poses.\\nJumping straight into deep, engaged postures is not beneficial.\\nSun salutations give our body time to rev up, kind of like a car before a big race! These poses allow for the release of synovial fluid, which lubricates your joints. They also require you to engage your core, which is an important aspect of almost all yoga poses. \\nJust as importantly as releasing lubricating fluid for your joints and warming up your core, sun salutations gently stretch out tight or sore muscles. This prevents injury when practicing those deeper poses I mentioned.\\nSun salutations clear energy pathways\\nMaybe this is a little woo for you, but the energy centers in your body are a real thing!\\nIf you’re not familiar with your chakras, here’s a brief description of all of them:\\nRoot chakra - responsible for your sense of security and stability, located at the base of your spine\\nSacral chakra - located just below your belly button, responsible for sexual and creative energy and your emotions\\nSolar plexus chakra - located in your stomach region, responsible for confidence, self-esteem, and helps you feel in control of your life\\nHeart chakra - all about your ability to love and show compassion and empathy\\nThroat chakra - helps you communicate verbally, express yourself\\nThird eye chakra - located on the forehead between the eyes, linked to your intuition and imagination\\nCrown chakra - located on the top of your head and represents your connection to self, others, and the universe/divine\\nEvery asana from the sun salutation flow touches on one of these energy centers! And clear chakras promote stress relief, clear mind, increased focus, more creativity, more feelings of security and safety, and being more in touch with your emotions, feeling more compassionate.\\nWho wouldn’t want to feel this way?!\\nCombined with your breath, the sun salutation sequence will bring so much life to your...well, life!\\nIf you haven’t taken the jump into the wonderful world that is myYogaTeacher yet, I’d love to have you check out one of the several yoga classes I teach, \\nBeginner’s Guide to Sun Salutations!\\n\\nNot sure yet? That’s ok! \\nMyYogaTeacher offers a free 2-week trial! You can sign up for it here, completely risk free!\\n\\nI’d love to see you on the mat!"}},{"id":"ckjx66uag0lta0a27bdpmwn9b","slug":"recovery-yoga-for-lower-back-and-muscle-pain","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Recovery Yoga: How to Use Yoga for Lower Back and Muscle Pain","createdAt":"2021-01-14T18:12:07.744284+00:00","coverUrl":"yoga-for-back-pain.jpg","content":{"text":"If you suffer with lower back pain or muscle pain, recovery yoga is exactly what you need. Yoga is a mind-body practice that's often recommended to treat both stress and body pain, using specific poses to strengthen and relax the body. When you practice yoga, you become more attuned to what's going on in your body and will be better equipped to notice where your body holds onto stress and tension, or where you're experiencing pain and discomfort. Then, you can use yoga to treat those issues.\\n\\nUsing yoga for lower back pain or yoga for muscle pain is nothing new, but still many believe that yoga is only about \\nflexibility\\n. Specifically, many believe that in order to practice yoga effectively you have to already be flexible and capable of bending yourself into knots.\\n\\nFortunately, we're here to let you know that \\nyoga is for every body\\n (not just the bendy ones) and if you're experiencing lower back pain or muscle pain, yoga may be just what you need for recovery. And, you don't have to just take our word for it—we have the research to back it up.\\n\\nDoes Yoga for Lower Back Pain Really Work?\\nYoga has been practiced for thousands of years as meditation, moving meditation, and, more recently, strictly for exercise. Among the many mental and physical benefits of yoga, certain yoga poses have been found to improve moderate to severe back pain.\\n\\nIn a small study from 2017, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers looked at the effects of a yoga practice or physical therapy in participants with chronic back pain over the course of a year. Both groups showed improvements in pain and activity and both groups were less likely to continue using paid medications after three months.\\n\\nAnother study from 2017, published in the same journal, found that yoga practitioners showed small to moderate decreases in pain intensity over the short term. Not only that, but those who practiced yoga also enjoyed a slight increase in both short- and long-term function.\\n\\nThe American College of Physicians also released clinical guidelines recommending yoga as a non-drug option to treat chronic low back pain. Other non-drug options included tai chi, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, and other \\nrelaxation and stress-reduction techniques\\n.\\n\\nYet another study published by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that Hatha yoga helped relieve back pain.\\n\\nIn addition to the benefits yoga has for sufferers of low back pain, you can also use yoga for muscle pain recovery.\\n\\nYoga for Muscle Pain\\nMuscle pain can be caused by just about anything: nerves and joints, excessive stretching, certain medicines, and even dehydration can send you crawling for an ice pack. Before freezing those sore muscles, though, we recommend trying yoga.\\n\\nCertain yoga poses help stretch the superficial muscle tissues in your hamstrings and connective tissues. This means that doing yoga can not only help with \\nrecovery\\n but can also get your body ready for your workout (and minimize the likelihood of getting injured from that workout).\\n\\nFor weightlifters, yoga can be one of the best things to add to your regimen. Practicing yoga will help relax the shortening of your muscles that happens naturally during weightlifting, helping you stretch your muscle to its normal state without losing the impact of your weightlifting.\\n\\nRecovery Yoga: Poses to Try for Easing Low Back Pain and Muscle Pain\\nHere are four of our favorite yoga poses to ease low back and muscle pain. Hold the poses for at least 90 seconds each, unless noted. It generally takes about that long for your muscle to relax into a stretch. These four recovery yoga poses will help you find relief from low back and muscle pain.\\n\\n1. Mountain Pose\\n\\nMountain pose (Tadasana) is a great pose to alleviate chronic low back pain, reduce rotator cuff discomfort, and decrease headaches or migraines. Standing or sitting in a hyper-erect posture all day is not only unrealistic, but can also exacerbate existing back and muscle issues. Performing mountain poses a few times over the course of the day, though, can help you slowly and naturally create the muscular structure and mental awareness needed to shift your regular posture to something a bit more upright.\\n\\nTo do mountain pose, stand tall on your yoga mat or the floor with your feet either together or hip-distance apart with your arms at your sides. Keep your legs straight without locking out your knees and distribute your body weight evenly across your feet. Keep your thigh muscles tight and tuck your tailbone in.\\n\\nTake a deep breath in while lifting through your body from the waist, pushing the top of your head toward the ceiling. You'll feel your spine straighten and lengthen and may even get a few gratifying \"pops\" from your back for your efforts.\\n\\nOn the exhale, drop your shoulders downward and reaching your hands towards the floor. On the next inhale, raise your arms out to the side and over your head with your palms facing one another. Hold this position for a few breaths before exhaling your arms down by your sides.\\n\\nReady to kiss back pain goodbye? Sign up for a two-week free trial of our \\nYoga for Back Pain program\\n where you’ll get three free one-on-one sessions as well as group classes that focus on yoga for back pain and core strengthening. Plus, access to 30+ other daily yoga classes!\\n\\n2. Bridge Pose\\n\\nBridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) is a backbend and inversion that stretches the spine and can relieve both backaches and headaches. This pose can be either restorative or stimulation and works the hamstrings, erector spinae, rectus and transverse abdominis, and gluteus muscles. You'll do three rounds of this pose, holding for at least 30 seconds each time.\\n\\nFrom a supine position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart. Place your arms down along your sides, pressing your palms into the mat. On the inhale, lift your hips off the floor and up into the ceiling, tucking your sacrum and relaxing your glutes. Keep your weight distributed evenly across both feet.\\n\\nHold the pose for 30 seconds, finding space in your upper chest before slowly lowering your hips to the floor. On the way down, roll through each vertebra. Repeat twice more.\\n\\n3. Cat-Cow Pose\\n\\nCat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana) is a brilliant recovery yoga pose for those of us who sit at a desk much of the day. This pose can lengthen the spine and neck to reduce compression of the vertebrae, alleviate chronic low back problems, headaches, and shoulder tension, improve organ function, and even help with chest congestion. You go through cat-cow for five rounds.\\n\\nStart from a tabletop position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. On the inhale, drop your stomach and lift your chest, pushing your heart forward and looking up for cow pose. On the exhale, round your spine while pulling your stomach in and stretching across your back, gazing towards your knees for cat pose. Continue for four more rounds, inhaling for cow and exhaling for cat.\\n\\n4. Child's Pose\\n\\nChild's pose (Balasana) is a gentle pose that will help you relax and release any tension you're holding in your neck and back. In this pose, your spine will stretch and lengthen along with your ankles, hips, and thighs. Child's pose works your hamstrings, rotator cuff muscles, gluteus maximus, and spinal extensors.\\n\\nTo go into child's pose, kneel on your mat, sitting on your heels. Spread your knees apart to hip distance while keeping your big toes touching each other. Your arms will rest by your sides. On the inhale, lengthen your spine. On the exhale, bend forward and extend both arms forward, resting your torso on your thighs and resting your palms on the floor.\\n\\nModifications and Poses to Avoid\\nWhen you're dealing with low back pain and muscle pain, listen to your body. If a pose doesn't feel good, modify it or just don't do it at all. Your yoga practice is yours and should make you feel great, not cause you pain or stress.\\n\\nWe recommend skipping poses that combine bending and twisting movements or backward bends if you have back pain. This would be poses like triangle, any spinal twists, camel, and cobra, among others. For corpse pose, try keeping your knees bent and feet on the floor or put a bolster under your knees to avoid causing low back pain (or making it worse).\\n\\nWrapping Up\\nWhile yoga for low back pain and yoga for muscle pain are supported by research, it's important to remember that your body is unique to you. Listen to it. Start easy if you're experiencing pain, just 10 minutes (or even less) per day can make a huge difference.\\n\\nAs always, we at \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n are here for you. We offer one-on-one instruction and \\ngroup classes\\n that you can use to start a powerful \\nyoga practice in the comfort of your own home\\n while still getting important feedback on your form and developing the community relationships that draws many yogis to group yoga classes.\\n\\nAnd don’t forget about our \\nYoga for Back Pain program\\n! Sign up for a two-week free trial and you’ll get three free one-on-one sessions and unlimited access to group classes like Yoga for Core Strengthening, Gentle Yoga, Yoga for Back Pain, Chair Yoga, and a whole lot more!"}},{"id":"ckkwz0fk868550a8072dv7vcv","slug":"hiit-high-intensity-interval-training-workout","author":{"name":"Shivayogi","teacherMytSlug":"shivayogi-1","pictureUrl":"Shiva-1.jpg"},"title":"HIIT: A 40-Minute High Intensity Interval Training Workout You'll Love","createdAt":"2021-02-08T19:30:53.440707+00:00","coverUrl":"high_intensity_interval_training.png","content":{"text":"What does high-intensity interval training (HIIT) have to do with yoga?\\n\\nEverything!\\n\\nWhen you combine yoga and \\nHIIT\\n you give your body everything it needs to build muscle, strengthen your stabilizing muscles, and reap cardiovascular benefits. Plus, HIIT exercises are tough, so you're sure to bring in lots of that ever-important oxygen your body can use to increase prana.\\n\\nHere, we're going to share a 40-minute high-intensity interval training workout that you can add to your workout schedule a couple of times each week. But first...\\n\\nWhat Is High-Intensity Interval Training HIIT?\\nHIIT is a training method in which you push to your limits, giving 100% effort for short bursts, followed by a short recovery period. HIIT keeps your heart rate up and helps you burn more fat in less time. It increases your body's need for oxygen, creating a shortage of oxygen during the working portions of the workout. This, in turn, means that your body needs more oxygen during the recovery portions of the workout.\\n\\nThe result is a bigger calorie and fat burn than you get from \"steady-state\" workouts in which your effort is relatively steady over a period of time.\\n\\nNow, let's get into our workout!\\n\\n40-Minute HIIT Workout\\nHere's how it works: You're going to have a four-minute block of work consisting of eight smaller blocks of 30 seconds each, with 20 seconds at 100% effort and a 10-second recovery. For each four-minute block, you will alternate between two different exercises.\\n\\nSo each 4-minute block looks like this:\\nExercise 1: 20 seconds\\nRest: 10 seconds\\nExercise 2: 20 seconds\\nRest: 10 seconds\\nRepeat three more times\\nThen, you'll have a longer break (1 minute) between each four-minute block before moving onto the next set of two exercises.\\n\\nDon't worry, it's much less complicated than it looks on paper.\\n\\nThe Warmup\\nStart by standing with your feet hip-distance apart. Roll your shoulders up, back, and down for at least 10 counts. Reverse for 10 counts.\\n\\nNext, lift your hands up to the ceiling and bend forward to touch the ground (or as far as you can go). Repeat briskly for 10 counts, reaching to the sky and to the ground.\\n\\nNow, turn your torso from side to side, warming up your back and spine, for 10 counts.\\n\\nWe're going to make the side to side movement bigger, engaging the legs to turn your entire body side to side, adding in your arms by bringing them up to the ceiling on each side and back down as you switch sides. Continue this movement for 10 counts.\\n\\nAdd in the lower body. Starting with your right knee, alternate lifting your knees to your chest and circling your leg out from the hip to warm up your hip flexors. Repeat, alternating sides for 10 counts.\\n\\nNow, give the legs a little break and place your hands on your shoulders, circling your elbows in towards one another, up, then out and down. Repeat for 10 counts.\\n\\nBack to the lower body, alternate stepping one foot forward while raising your arms up into the air. Bring your arms down and switch legs, once again raising your arms to the sky. Repeat, alternating sides for 10 counts.\\n\\nFinally, standing center, lift one leg out to the side and sweep the leg in and out, crossing the centerline of your body. Repeat for 10 counts on one side before repeating on the other side.\\n\\n[CTA-GC]\\n\\nThe Exercises\\nNow it's time for the exercises! We're going to share descriptions of each exercise here and finish out this article with a list of how this all fits together.\\n\\n1. Sport Running:\\n⁠Run in place quickly, on your toes and swinging your arms. No jumping and no high knees—just run in place. Go at a speed that is right for your fitness level and comfort.\\n\\n2. Uppercut:\\nStand with your feet hip-distance apart with knees and hips straight but relaxed and \"bouncy.\" Your hands should be in fists and your arms lifted with your hands facing your body at chin height. Elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle. Lower your body into a slight squat position, rotating your torso and lowering your right hand down to chest height. Begin to scoop your arm under and up to the left as you rotate your body to the left. Stop when your fist is at chin height of your imaginary opponent. Repeat the scooping motion with the other arm and continue to repeat, alternating arms.\\n\\nImage: Verywell / Ben Goldstein\\n\\n3. Squat Jack:\\nStart with a squat, and jump your feet together between each squat. You always have a low-impact option in which you squat and tap your feet in (no jumping) before returning to the squat.\\n\\n4. Hook and Front Kick:\\n Start in the same position as the uppercut. Keeping a 90-degree bend in your right arm, swing as if you're punching someone on the side of their jaw. Pivot on your feet so your knee and hips face to the right. Repeat with the other arm. Return to center and alternate two kicks to the front of your body.\\n5. Burpees:\\n Jump up with your arms in the air, lower your hands to the ground and jump your feet back to a pushup position before letting your body go all the way to the floor. Press back up into a push-up position and jump your feet forward to meet your hands. Stand up and jump again, arms in the air. For a low-impact option, don't jump.\\n\\nReal talk: burpees are brutal but they make you strong.\\n\\n6. Run the Room:\\n Using whatever space you have, run. Feel free to walk or jog, depending on your level of fitness or comfort.\\n\\n7. Interrupted Burpees:\\n Do a standard burpee, but instead of going down onto your stomach, stay in a push-up position and do two mountain climbers (alternating feet) and two jacks (jump out and in with your feet), before coming back up and completing the burpee.\\n\\n8. Elbow Plank:\\n Get into a plank position on your elbows and hold.\\n\\n9. Around the World Plank:\\nPlace a \\nyoga\\n block or something else sturdy and square on your lower back while in a high plank position. Keep your hips level and remove the item from your back with your left hand, transfer the item to your right hand (sliding it along the floor under you), then place the item back on your lower back with your right hand. Stay in the plank and move the item around.\\n\\n10. Jackknife:\\nLie on your back and pass the block from your hands to your feet, bringing your arms and legs together in a crunch motion. Then, pass the block from your feet to your hands.\\n\\n\\n11. DANCE PARTY:\\nJust dance! During the breaks, freeze and hold your position, whatever that position is, for the entire 10-second break. Then, dance again! Not a dancer? Run in place or do jumping jacks.\\n\\nThe Cooldown\\nLie down on your back in savasana and close your eyes. Put your right hand on your stomach and feel yourself breathe.\\nWhen you're ready, come into a seated position, with your eyes still closed. Rub your hands together to generate some warmth and place your hands over your eyes and face. Remove your hands and open your eyes.\\n\\nThe Workout\\nWarmup (5 minutes)\\nBlock 1\\n (5 minutes): Alternate between Exercise 1 and Exercise 2, completing each exercise 4 times. Rest 1 minute.\\nBlock 2\\n (5 minutes): Alternate between Exercise 3 and Exercise 4, completing each exercise 4 times. Rest 1 minute.\\nBlock 3\\n (5 minutes): Alternate between Exercise 5 and Exercise 6, completing each exercise 4 times. Rest 1 minute.\\nBlock 4\\n (5 minutes): Alternate between Exercise 7 and Exercise 8, completing each exercise 4 times. Rest 1 minute.\\nBlock 5\\n (5 minutes): Alternate between Exercise 9 and Exercise 10, completing each exercise 4 times. Rest 1 minute.\\nBlock 6\\n (5 minutes): Alternate between Exercise 11 and Exercise 12, completing each exercise 4 times. Rest 1 minute.\\nCooldown (5 minutes)"}}],"relatedPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n⁠\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n⁠\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\nBeen sitting too long? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\n⁠⁠A prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery.  \\nTake a bath :\n⁠\n⁠Taking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n⁠\n⁠This week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"}},{"id":"cknfz1b6ocvjy0a81nie3aq02","slug":"yoga-for-stress-and-anxiety","author":{"name":"Rohan","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Practice Yoga for Stress and Anxiety Relief","createdAt":"2021-04-13T11:58:36.28949+00:00","coverUrl":"yoga_for_stress_and_anxiety.jpg","content":{"text":"We've all experienced stress and anxiety at some point. It's a natural, human response to stressful situations and can even save us from danger. Sometimes, it can go deeper than that and become a full-blown anxiety disorder that disrupts our lives.\\n\\nMy class, \\nYoga for Stress and Anxiety\\n can help!\\n\\nYoga for Stress and Anxiety: The Research\\nSince the 1970s, researchers have been looking into stress-reduction techniques and tools. Meditation is one such technique that you hear a lot about, but yoga as a whole practice hasn't gotten the same level of attention until recent decades.\\n\\nAccording to researchers at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, a new study from August 2020 found that yoga was significantly more effective for generalized anxiety disorder than simple education on stress management.\\n\\nAnother study from the Ilam University of Medical Sciences (February 2018) found that yoga plays an effective part in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. The study went on to conclude that yoga can be used as complementary medicine for these conditions.\\n\\nYet another study from The Center for Health Behavior Research at the University of Mississippi (2011) found that yoga offers a host of benefits: enhanced muscular strength and body flexibility, improved respiratory and cardiovascular function, recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduction in stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improved sleep patterns, and enhanced overall well-being and quality of life.\\n\\nIf you're not using yoga for stress and anxiety management, now's a great time to start. \\nSign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and get access to my class as well as more than 35 other live, online yoga courses every single day.\\n\\nWhat Do Stress and Anxiety Look Like?\\n\\nStress and anxiety can look and feel different for different people. For some, it might be a feeling like waiting for the other shoe to drop. For others, it might be all-consuming. Here are some of the symptoms that typically signal stress and anxiety:\\nPersistent feelings of uneasiness, panic, and fear\\nMuscle tension\\nHeart palpitations or a rapid heartbeat\\nDifficulty sleeping\\nIrritability\\nConstricted breathing\\nCold, sweaty palms\\nRumination on unhelpful, negative thoughts\\nIf your feelings of stress and anxiety are keeping you from living your life, we recommend talking to your doctor about treatment options. But don't forget to practice your yoga!\\n\\nAlleviating Stress and Anxiety Through Yoga\\nOur bodies are pretty miraculous, especially with the body's ability to heal itself. Of course, stress and anxiety can drastically reduce that healing. Fortunately, yoga can help us bring calm, peace, and stillness back into our lives.\\n\\nYoga helps to modulate stress response systems, reducing the stress and anxiety we feel. And, yoga can even help us respond to stress more easily.\\n\\nWe recommend a complete yoga practice that includes more than just asanas. In addition to poses and movement (asanas), you'll want to incorporate \\npranayamas (breathing techniques)\\n, meditation, and yoga philosophy.\\n\\nYoga Practices to Alleviate Stress and Anxiety\\n\\nIn this section, we're going to talk about specific asanas, pranayamas, meditations, and mudras that will help you ease stress and anxiety with yoga. While you can absolutely practice this on your own, I would love to have you join my Yoga for Stress and Anxiety class on myYogaTeacher. You can \\nsign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and not only get access to my class but access to 35+ other live, online group classes every single day.\\n\\nYoga Poses\\nThere are several yoga poses that can help alleviate stress and anxiety. Here's a short sequence that you can practice at any time. Start seated in a comfortable position and move through the poses as feels comfortable and soothing for you.\\nSeated neck rolls\\nMarjariasana (cat pose)\\nBalasana (child's pose)\\nAdho Mukha Shvanasana (downward-facing dog pose)\\nUttanasana (standing forward bend)\\nVrikshasana (tree pose)\\nJanu Shirasasana (one-legged seated forward bend)\\nPaschimottanasana (two-legged seated forward bend)\\nSetu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose)\\nSarvangasana (shoulder stand)\\nMatsyasana (fish pose)\\nDhanurasana (bow pose)\\nSavasana (corpse pose)\\nPranayama (Breathing)\\nBreathing is a powerful tool for combating stress and anxiety. Here are a few different breathing exercises you can try when you feel stress or anxiety creeping up:\\nDeep breathing\\nNadi Shodhan Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing)\\nBhastrika Pranayama (bellows breathing)\\nUjjayi Pranayama (ocean breathing)\\nBhramari Pranayama (bee breathing)\\nMeditation\\nMeditation helps you calm yourself, grounding you and producing feelings of stability. There are several different types of meditation to choose from, but research has shown that mindful meditations are great for reducing stress and anxiety. Here's a mindful meditation that walks you through progressive relaxation:\\nFind a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and make yourself comfortable. Close your eyes.\\nStarting with your head, tense the muscles in your face and scalp. Hold this as you inhale for a count of eight.\\nOn the exhale, relax your face completely. Unclench your jaw, relax your forehead and eyes, let everything just fall away. Repeat this clenching and relaxing until your face feels completely relaxed.\\nRepeat this process down your entire body: neck, shoulders, chest, abdomen, right arm, right forearm, right hand, left arm, left forearm, left hand, buttocks, right leg, lower right leg, right foot, left leg, left foot.\\nIf you're short on time, you can focus on just your four main muscle groups.\\n\\nMudras\\nMudras can also help you combat stress and anxiety.\\n\\nA mudra is a symbolic or ritual gesture done with the hands and used in combination with Pranayama. They activate our body's potential for healing and growth, stimulating different parts of the body to improve the flow of energy.\\n\\nHere are five mudras I recommend for stress and anxiety:\\nGyan Mudra: Join the tips of your index fingers and thumbs with the other fingers outstretched and together in a relaxed position.\\nAgni Shakti Mudra: Touch all four fingers on each hand to the palms of the same hand (almost in a fist shape). Then, join the tips of the thumbs together.\\nKalesvara Mudra: Bring the tips of the middle fingers together and the first and middle joints of the index fingers together. Then, bring the thumbs together, creating a heart shape, and gently curl the rest of the fingers in. Connect the thumbs to the sternum and reach your elbows out to the side.\\nApan Vayu Mudra: Fold the index fingers to touch the tip to the base of the thumb. Then, bring the tips of the middle and ring fingers to the tips of the thumbs. The pinky finger stays straight and points outward.\\nUttarabodhi Mudra: Interlock the fingers of both hands together and keep the thumbs and index fingers extended and touching. Point the tips of extended index fingers up and the thumbs down.\\nWrapping Up\\nThere's a lot of research that indicates yoga is a wonderful way to reduce stress and anxiety. But we're all different. If you have stress or anxiety that is debilitating, please be sure to reach out to your doctor.\\n\\nIt's also possible that yoga can reveal strong feelings and emotions that you've been suppressing. Practice yoga in a place that makes you feel safe and secure. And don't forget to \\nsign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n so you can join my next class!"}},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can  build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\n⁠Prefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything  that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"}}],"blogContent":{"id":"cl283l1fmgb3i0cj0wdpae11m","slug":"yoga-nidra-science","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"The Science Behind How Yoga Nidra Affects Your Mental Health ","createdAt":"2022-04-20T21:39:20.573665+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-04-21T22:33:40.49096+00:00","coverUrl":"jxarku7prcghfy5mtcey.jpg","seoDescription":null,"content":{"text":"As the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders continue to rise, worldwide, it’s becoming more and more obvious that many (if not most) adults experience some form of mental health issue at some point during their adult life.\\nFor many adults, the occurrence of depression and anxiety is consistent with family, work, and life stressors.\\nYoga nidra is a specific form of meditation that addresses stress and anxiety, the key components of mental health disorders. While there are traditional medical interventions available to people who suffer with mental health issues, they are often not sought out or continued by patients. \\nPrescription medications, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and similar interventions are costly, time consuming, and sometimes are only a temporary solution to the side effects of mental health disorders. \\nResearch shows that not only is yoga nidra safe and effective for treating anxiety and depression symptoms, it’s one of the few holistic complementary forms of therapy supported by conventional medical practitioners.\\nThis is why a good understanding of what yog nidra is and how a yoga nidra practice affects your mental health is important. So you can practice it knowing it’s backed by science!\\n\\nWhat is yoga nidra?\\nWe’ve covered this topic in other articles on the MyYogaTeacher blog as well, but in case you haven’t seen them, here’s a brief explanation!\\nYoga nidra is a form of meditation, usually guided. It’s also often known as “yogic sleep” and is, in fact, practiced lying down (great start, right?!). This ancient form of meditation is where the practitioner – that’s you – enters deep states of relaxation and transfers awareness from the outer world to their inner one.\\nYoga nidra is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia, burnout, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.\\nThis form of yoga is very different from other forms of meditation. It isn’t just about guided visualizations, affirmations, and yoga nidra is certainly not about daydreaming…or dreaming at all.\\nIn yoga nidra, the conscious mind remains active while the brain and body themselves reach a deep relaxation state. Most importantly, unlike in hypnosis, \\nyou\\n are always in control.\\n\\n\\nThe science behind benefits of yoga nidra\\nNow that you have a better understanding of what it is, we can discuss how yoga nidra works to improve your mental health!\\nYoga nidra and the autonomic nervous system\\nThe autonomic nervous system is the part of our body that regulates functions that don’t require conscious thought. Your heart beating, breathing, eyes blinking, digestion, and blood flow are a few examples.\\nThis system also includes our flight-or-fight response (sympathetic nervous system).\\nThe practice of yoga nidra meditation activates the \\npara\\nsympathetic nervous system – the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system. This is a part of your autonomic nervous system that controls our body’s ability to relax. When we relax deeply (such as when we’re in a dreamless sleep), our body is able to heal.\\nThis is why people who suffer from anxiety and depression often want to use sleep as a coping mechanism. Besides the fact that negative mental health states make you tired, sleeping is recovery.\\nHow does yoga nidra affect mental health?\\nA yoga nidra meditation practice allows your body to enter a sleep-like state while also maintaining control of your consciousness. This allows you to not only deeply relax but also rewire your mind (with the help of a yoga nidra instructor) to think and even behave differently.\\nSo your body gets to heal while you’re addressing the root cause of your mental health issues. No drugs. No pills. No nasty side effects from those types of medications. No costly visits to therapists unless you want to.\\nJust a reduction or elimination of anxiety, depression, and stress responses, which contribute to better mental \\nand\\n physical health.\\n\\nPhysiological side effects of better mental health\\nYour physiological body responds to your mental health. When you’re stressed, it releases cortisol, a hormone that causes inflammation. When you’re anxious, your blood pressure rises. When you’re experiencing post traumatic stress responses, your digestive system may almost completely stop working (temporarily anyway).\\nProlonged exposure to mental health issues is responsible for numerous health problems!\\nHeart attacks, strokes, hypertension, eating disorders, addiction to medications, chronic pain, headaches and migraines. So many things that lead to a shorter life span and impact your current quality of life.\\nYoga nidra meditation benefits include:\\n\\nBetter immune function\\nDecreased blood pressure\\nDecreased cortisol levels\\nImproved sleep\\nEnhanced memory and cognitive performance\\nReduction of chronic pain\\nDiminished symptoms of anxiety and depression\\nMore positive thought patterns\\nReduced or elimination of headaches\\nImproved digestion\\nPlus a whole host of others! \\nWho wouldn’t want to live a happier, healthier life with less stress, more mental clarity, and more optimism?\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we’re passionate about whole body health. That includes mental and emotional health. And we feel very strongly that yoga is for everyone. Our expert and experienced yoga teachers are well-versed in many forms of meditation, and group classes dedicated to them are available to all of our members!\\nWe have 70+ expert yoga instructors, many who specialize in yoga therapy, meditation, or even have masters degrees in those same areas. They are experienced, kind, and truly care about your well being!\\nWe’d love to have you join our community and discover how meditation and mindfulness positively impacts your life!\\nNot a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!\\nWhen you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:\\n\\n102 expert\\n, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from\\nThe ability to switch instructors\\n or take classes with only your child’s faves\\nAccess to unlimited group classes\\n, taught \\nlive\\nPersonalized instruction\\n and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans\\nTo be a member of a HUGE community\\n of happy yogis from around the world\\nYoga teachers who become friends\\n, who truly care about your chIf you haven’t checked us out already, \\ngrab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here\\n!\\n\n\n\n\n\\n","html":"<p>As the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders continue to rise, worldwide, it’s becoming more and more obvious that many (if not most) adults experience some form of mental health issue at some point during their adult life.</p><p>For many adults, the occurrence of depression and anxiety is consistent with family, work, and life stressors.</p><p>Yoga nidra is a specific form of meditation that addresses stress and anxiety, the key components of mental health disorders. While there are traditional medical interventions available to people who suffer with mental health issues, they are often not sought out or continued by patients. </p><p>Prescription medications, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and similar interventions are costly, time consuming, and sometimes are only a temporary solution to the side effects of mental health disorders. </p><p>Research shows that not only is yoga nidra safe and effective for treating anxiety and depression symptoms, it’s one of the few holistic complementary forms of therapy supported by conventional medical practitioners.</p><p>This is why a good understanding of what yog nidra is and how a yoga nidra practice affects your mental health is important. So you can practice it knowing it’s backed by science!</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/vPQxjg9RuOm6OcJssL38\" alt=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\" title=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" /><h2>What is yoga nidra?</h2><p>We’ve covered this topic in other articles on the MyYogaTeacher blog as well, but in case you haven’t seen them, here’s a brief explanation!</p><p>Yoga nidra is a form of meditation, usually guided. It’s also often known as “yogic sleep” and is, in fact, practiced lying down (great start, right?!). This ancient form of meditation is where the practitioner – that’s you – enters deep states of relaxation and transfers awareness from the outer world to their inner one.</p><p>Yoga nidra is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia, burnout, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.</p><p>This form of yoga is very different from other forms of meditation. It isn’t just about guided visualizations, affirmations, and yoga nidra is certainly not about daydreaming…or dreaming at all.</p><p>In yoga nidra, the conscious mind remains active while the brain and body themselves reach a deep relaxation state. Most importantly, unlike in hypnosis, <em>you</em> are always in control.</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/NEsJnhENQvOwjD9rbmZp\" alt=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\" title=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1605\" /><h2>The science behind benefits of yoga nidra</h2><p>Now that you have a better understanding of what it is, we can discuss how yoga nidra works to improve your mental health!</p><h3>Yoga nidra and the autonomic nervous system</h3><p>The autonomic nervous system is the part of our body that regulates functions that don’t require conscious thought. Your heart beating, breathing, eyes blinking, digestion, and blood flow are a few examples.</p><p>This system also includes our flight-or-fight response (sympathetic nervous system).</p><p>The practice of yoga nidra meditation activates the <em>para</em>sympathetic nervous system – the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system. This is a part of your autonomic nervous system that controls our body’s ability to relax. When we relax deeply (such as when we’re in a dreamless sleep), our body is able to heal.</p><p>This is why people who suffer from anxiety and depression often want to use sleep as a coping mechanism. Besides the fact that negative mental health states make you tired, sleeping is recovery.</p><h3>How does yoga nidra affect mental health?</h3><p>A yoga nidra meditation practice allows your body to enter a sleep-like state while also maintaining control of your consciousness. This allows you to not only deeply relax but also rewire your mind (with the help of a yoga nidra instructor) to think and even behave differently.</p><p>So your body gets to heal while you’re addressing the root cause of your mental health issues. No drugs. No pills. No nasty side effects from those types of medications. No costly visits to therapists unless you want to.</p><p>Just a reduction or elimination of anxiety, depression, and stress responses, which contribute to better mental <em>and</em> physical health.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/OpEBtAzSRmChWanf8JFF\" alt=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\" title=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" /><h3>Physiological side effects of better mental health</h3><p>Your physiological body responds to your mental health. When you’re stressed, it releases cortisol, a hormone that causes inflammation. When you’re anxious, your blood pressure rises. When you’re experiencing post traumatic stress responses, your digestive system may almost completely stop working (temporarily anyway).</p><p>Prolonged exposure to mental health issues is responsible for numerous health problems!</p><p>Heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, eating disorders, addiction to medications, chronic pain, headaches and migraines. So many things that lead to a shorter life span and impact your current quality of life.</p><p><strong>Yoga nidra meditation benefits include:</strong></p><p></p><ul><li><div><p>Better immune function</p></div></li><li><div><p>Decreased blood pressure</p></div></li><li><div><p>Decreased cortisol levels</p></div></li><li><div><p>Improved sleep</p></div></li><li><div><p>Enhanced memory and cognitive performance</p></div></li><li><div><p>Reduction of chronic pain</p></div></li><li><div><p>Diminished symptoms of anxiety and depression</p></div></li><li><div><p>More positive thought patterns</p></div></li><li><div><p>Reduced or elimination of headaches</p></div></li><li><div><p>Improved digestion</p></div></li></ul><p>Plus a whole host of others! </p><p>Who wouldn’t want to live a happier, healthier life with less stress, more mental clarity, and more optimism?</p><p>Here at MyYogaTeacher, we’re passionate about whole body health. That includes mental and emotional health. And we feel very strongly that yoga is for everyone. Our expert and experienced yoga teachers are well-versed in many forms of meditation, and group classes dedicated to them are available to all of our members!</p><p>We have 70+ expert yoga instructors, many who specialize in yoga therapy, meditation, or even have masters degrees in those same areas. They are experienced, kind, and truly care about your well being!</p><p>We’d love to have you join our community and discover how meditation and mindfulness positively impacts your life!</p><p>Not a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!</p><p>When you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:</p><p></p><ul><li><div><p><strong>102 expert</strong>, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>The ability to switch instructors</strong> or take classes with only your child’s faves</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Access to unlimited group classes</strong>, taught <em><strong>live</strong></em></p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Personalized instruction</strong> and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>To be a member of a HUGE community</strong> of happy yogis from around the world</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Yoga teachers who become friends</strong>, who truly care about your chIf you haven’t checked us out already, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\"><u>grab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here</u></a>!</p></div></li></ul><p><br><br><br><br></p><p></p>"},"category":["anxiety"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>As the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders continue to rise, worldwide, it’s becoming more and more obvious that many (if not most) adults experience some form of mental health issue at some point during their adult life.</p><p>For many adults, the occurrence of depression and anxiety is consistent with family, work, and life stressors.</p><p>Yoga nidra is a specific form of meditation that addresses stress and anxiety, the key components of mental health disorders. While there are traditional medical interventions available to people who suffer with mental health issues, they are often not sought out or continued by patients. </p><p>Prescription medications, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and similar interventions are costly, time consuming, and sometimes are only a temporary solution to the side effects of mental health disorders. </p><p>Research shows that not only is yoga nidra safe and effective for treating anxiety and depression symptoms, it’s one of the few holistic complementary forms of therapy supported by conventional medical practitioners.</p><p>This is why a good understanding of what yog nidra is and how a yoga nidra practice affects your mental health is important. So you can practice it knowing it’s backed by science!</p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/vPQxjg9RuOm6OcJssL38\" \n                alt=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\"\n                title=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/vPQxjg9RuOm6OcJssL38\"\n                alt=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\"\n                title=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/vPQxjg9RuOm6OcJssL38\"\n                alt=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\"\n                title=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <h2>What is yoga nidra?</h2><p>We’ve covered this topic in other articles on the MyYogaTeacher blog as well, but in case you haven’t seen them, here’s a brief explanation!</p><p>Yoga nidra is a form of meditation, usually guided. It’s also often known as “yogic sleep” and is, in fact, practiced lying down (great start, right?!). This ancient form of meditation is where the practitioner – that’s you – enters deep states of relaxation and transfers awareness from the outer world to their inner one.</p><p>Yoga nidra is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia, burnout, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.</p><p>This form of yoga is very different from other forms of meditation. It isn’t just about guided visualizations, affirmations, and yoga nidra is certainly not about daydreaming…or dreaming at all.</p><p>In yoga nidra, the conscious mind remains active while the brain and body themselves reach a deep relaxation state. Most importantly, unlike in hypnosis, <em>you</em> are always in control.</p><p></p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/NEsJnhENQvOwjD9rbmZp\" \n                alt=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\"\n                title=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/NEsJnhENQvOwjD9rbmZp\"\n                alt=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\"\n                title=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/NEsJnhENQvOwjD9rbmZp\"\n                alt=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\"\n                title=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <h2>The science behind benefits of yoga nidra</h2><p>Now that you have a better understanding of what it is, we can discuss how yoga nidra works to improve your mental health!</p><h3>Yoga nidra and the autonomic nervous system</h3><p>The autonomic nervous system is the part of our body that regulates functions that don’t require conscious thought. Your heart beating, breathing, eyes blinking, digestion, and blood flow are a few examples.</p><p>This system also includes our flight-or-fight response (sympathetic nervous system).</p><p>The practice of yoga nidra meditation activates the <em>para</em>sympathetic nervous system – the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system. This is a part of your autonomic nervous system that controls our body’s ability to relax. When we relax deeply (such as when we’re in a dreamless sleep), our body is able to heal.</p><p>This is why people who suffer from anxiety and depression often want to use sleep as a coping mechanism. Besides the fact that negative mental health states make you tired, sleeping is recovery.</p><h3>How does yoga nidra affect mental health?</h3><p>A yoga nidra meditation practice allows your body to enter a sleep-like state while also maintaining control of your consciousness. This allows you to not only deeply relax but also rewire your mind (with the help of a yoga nidra instructor) to think and even behave differently.</p><p>So your body gets to heal while you’re addressing the root cause of your mental health issues. No drugs. No pills. No nasty side effects from those types of medications. No costly visits to therapists unless you want to.</p><p>Just a reduction or elimination of anxiety, depression, and stress responses, which contribute to better mental <em>and</em> physical health.</p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/OpEBtAzSRmChWanf8JFF\" \n                alt=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\"\n                title=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/OpEBtAzSRmChWanf8JFF\"\n                alt=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\"\n                title=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/OpEBtAzSRmChWanf8JFF\"\n                alt=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\"\n                title=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <h3>Physiological side effects of better mental health</h3><p>Your physiological body responds to your mental health. When you’re stressed, it releases cortisol, a hormone that causes inflammation. When you’re anxious, your blood pressure rises. When you’re experiencing post traumatic stress responses, your digestive system may almost completely stop working (temporarily anyway).</p><p>Prolonged exposure to mental health issues is responsible for numerous health problems!</p><p>Heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, eating disorders, addiction to medications, chronic pain, headaches and migraines. So many things that lead to a shorter life span and impact your current quality of life.</p><p><strong>Yoga nidra meditation benefits include:</strong></p><p></p><ul><li><div><p>Better immune function</p></div></li><li><div><p>Decreased blood pressure</p></div></li><li><div><p>Decreased cortisol levels</p></div></li><li><div><p>Improved sleep</p></div></li><li><div><p>Enhanced memory and cognitive performance</p></div></li><li><div><p>Reduction of chronic pain</p></div></li><li><div><p>Diminished symptoms of anxiety and depression</p></div></li><li><div><p>More positive thought patterns</p></div></li><li><div><p>Reduced or elimination of headaches</p></div></li><li><div><p>Improved digestion</p></div></li></ul><p>Plus a whole host of others! </p><p>Who wouldn’t want to live a happier, healthier life with less stress, more mental clarity, and more optimism?</p><p>Here at MyYogaTeacher, we’re passionate about whole body health. That includes mental and emotional health. And we feel very strongly that yoga is for everyone. Our expert and experienced yoga teachers are well-versed in many forms of meditation, and group classes dedicated to them are available to all of our members!</p><p>We have 70+ expert yoga instructors, many who specialize in yoga therapy, meditation, or even have masters degrees in those same areas. They are experienced, kind, and truly care about your well being!</p><p>We’d love to have you join our community and discover how meditation and mindfulness positively impacts your life!</p><p>Not a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!</p><p>When you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:</p><p></p><ul><li><div><p><strong>102 expert</strong>, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>The ability to switch instructors</strong> or take classes with only your child’s faves</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Access to unlimited group classes</strong>, taught <em><strong>live</strong></em></p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Personalized instruction</strong> and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>To be a member of a HUGE community</strong> of happy yogis from around the world</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Yoga teachers who become friends</strong>, who truly care about your chIf you haven’t checked us out already, <a\n            class=\"inline-cta\"\n            id=169e533c-2bf4-4f45-b286-ea1979cbe028\n            href=\"/free-trial-o?utm_source=MYT__article&utm_medium=cl283l1fmgb3i0cj0wdpae11m&utm_campaign=inline_cta&utm_content=CTA-INLINE&entity_name=The Science Behind How Yoga Nidra Affects Your Mental Health &entity_slug=yoga-nidra-science&page_or_popup=/articles/yoga-nidra-science&entity_location=hyperlink_midst_of_article&article_cta=CTA-INLINE&from_article_page=true\"\n            onclick=trigger_mixpanel_sign_up_cta(\"169e533c-2bf4-4f45-b286-ea1979cbe028\")\n            title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" \n            data-title=\"The Science Behind How Yoga Nidra Affects Your Mental Health \"\n            data-slug=\"yoga-nidra-science\"\n            <u><u>grab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here</u></u>        \n            </a>!</p></div></li></ul><p><br><br><br><br></p><p></p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"yoga-nidra-science","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"free-trial-o","redirectURL":"#","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice with Authentic Indian Yoga Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz6nq0tqdr0c258titvagg","name":"[CTA-REVIEWS]","description":{"html":"<p>Find out what all the hype is about! <strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Hatha Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>with Authentic Indian Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cky90p88g3zgc0d23yz6taont","name":"[CTA-NASAL]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>to relieve post nasal drip and clear out your sinus. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic Indian yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Post Nasal Drip &amp; Clear Your Sinus Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyirvl8g25ce0c70cldmca2g","name":"[CTA-TRATAKA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>with experienced Trataka teachers. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Candle Gazing Meditation) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Learn Trataka (Candle Gazing) Meditation Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyisqh482ck60b79rp1r1jcg","name":"[CTA-YIN]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong>, work with an experienced yoga therapist to reduce (and even eliminate) your back pain. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Yoga for Back Pain’) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Therapy – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Back Pain Safely &amp; Effectively Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitki4w2liz0b30tqpzhy4i","name":"[CTA-KRIYA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for Kriya Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation <strong>and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation Today!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitxgyg2pot0b79lu1fcpp1","name":"[CTA-BREATH]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for yogic breathing techniques (pranayama) and <strong>2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>, like ‘Stretch and Breathe’, ‘Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation’, and many others. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong> Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pranayama!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckykb6i2o1o7f0b368s1m7qow","name":"[CTA-LYMPHATIC]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong> for lymphatic drainage &amp; immunity enhancement. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group yoga classes</strong> (including daily yin-yoga) when you sign up today! No credit card required to sign up.</p><p></p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions –  </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>for Lymphatic Drainage &amp; Boosting Your Immune System!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl2vqlpyfe3yh0biohgxyx2hg","name":"[CTA-LEAD]","description":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl4gnwnrlga640ck37gutx7sn","name":"[CTA-GC]","description":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"}],"post":{"id":"cl283l1fmgb3i0cj0wdpae11m","slug":"yoga-nidra-science","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"The Science Behind How Yoga Nidra Affects Your Mental Health ","createdAt":"2022-04-20T21:39:20.573665+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-04-21T22:33:40.49096+00:00","coverUrl":"jxarku7prcghfy5mtcey.jpg","seoDescription":null,"content":{"text":"As the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders continue to rise, worldwide, it’s becoming more and more obvious that many (if not most) adults experience some form of mental health issue at some point during their adult life.\\nFor many adults, the occurrence of depression and anxiety is consistent with family, work, and life stressors.\\nYoga nidra is a specific form of meditation that addresses stress and anxiety, the key components of mental health disorders. While there are traditional medical interventions available to people who suffer with mental health issues, they are often not sought out or continued by patients. \\nPrescription medications, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and similar interventions are costly, time consuming, and sometimes are only a temporary solution to the side effects of mental health disorders. \\nResearch shows that not only is yoga nidra safe and effective for treating anxiety and depression symptoms, it’s one of the few holistic complementary forms of therapy supported by conventional medical practitioners.\\nThis is why a good understanding of what yog nidra is and how a yoga nidra practice affects your mental health is important. So you can practice it knowing it’s backed by science!\\n\\nWhat is yoga nidra?\\nWe’ve covered this topic in other articles on the MyYogaTeacher blog as well, but in case you haven’t seen them, here’s a brief explanation!\\nYoga nidra is a form of meditation, usually guided. It’s also often known as “yogic sleep” and is, in fact, practiced lying down (great start, right?!). This ancient form of meditation is where the practitioner – that’s you – enters deep states of relaxation and transfers awareness from the outer world to their inner one.\\nYoga nidra is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia, burnout, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.\\nThis form of yoga is very different from other forms of meditation. It isn’t just about guided visualizations, affirmations, and yoga nidra is certainly not about daydreaming…or dreaming at all.\\nIn yoga nidra, the conscious mind remains active while the brain and body themselves reach a deep relaxation state. Most importantly, unlike in hypnosis, \\nyou\\n are always in control.\\n\\n\\nThe science behind benefits of yoga nidra\\nNow that you have a better understanding of what it is, we can discuss how yoga nidra works to improve your mental health!\\nYoga nidra and the autonomic nervous system\\nThe autonomic nervous system is the part of our body that regulates functions that don’t require conscious thought. Your heart beating, breathing, eyes blinking, digestion, and blood flow are a few examples.\\nThis system also includes our flight-or-fight response (sympathetic nervous system).\\nThe practice of yoga nidra meditation activates the \\npara\\nsympathetic nervous system – the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system. This is a part of your autonomic nervous system that controls our body’s ability to relax. When we relax deeply (such as when we’re in a dreamless sleep), our body is able to heal.\\nThis is why people who suffer from anxiety and depression often want to use sleep as a coping mechanism. Besides the fact that negative mental health states make you tired, sleeping is recovery.\\nHow does yoga nidra affect mental health?\\nA yoga nidra meditation practice allows your body to enter a sleep-like state while also maintaining control of your consciousness. This allows you to not only deeply relax but also rewire your mind (with the help of a yoga nidra instructor) to think and even behave differently.\\nSo your body gets to heal while you’re addressing the root cause of your mental health issues. No drugs. No pills. No nasty side effects from those types of medications. No costly visits to therapists unless you want to.\\nJust a reduction or elimination of anxiety, depression, and stress responses, which contribute to better mental \\nand\\n physical health.\\n\\nPhysiological side effects of better mental health\\nYour physiological body responds to your mental health. When you’re stressed, it releases cortisol, a hormone that causes inflammation. When you’re anxious, your blood pressure rises. When you’re experiencing post traumatic stress responses, your digestive system may almost completely stop working (temporarily anyway).\\nProlonged exposure to mental health issues is responsible for numerous health problems!\\nHeart attacks, strokes, hypertension, eating disorders, addiction to medications, chronic pain, headaches and migraines. So many things that lead to a shorter life span and impact your current quality of life.\\nYoga nidra meditation benefits include:\\n\\nBetter immune function\\nDecreased blood pressure\\nDecreased cortisol levels\\nImproved sleep\\nEnhanced memory and cognitive performance\\nReduction of chronic pain\\nDiminished symptoms of anxiety and depression\\nMore positive thought patterns\\nReduced or elimination of headaches\\nImproved digestion\\nPlus a whole host of others! \\nWho wouldn’t want to live a happier, healthier life with less stress, more mental clarity, and more optimism?\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we’re passionate about whole body health. That includes mental and emotional health. And we feel very strongly that yoga is for everyone. Our expert and experienced yoga teachers are well-versed in many forms of meditation, and group classes dedicated to them are available to all of our members!\\nWe have 70+ expert yoga instructors, many who specialize in yoga therapy, meditation, or even have masters degrees in those same areas. They are experienced, kind, and truly care about your well being!\\nWe’d love to have you join our community and discover how meditation and mindfulness positively impacts your life!\\nNot a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!\\nWhen you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:\\n\\n102 expert\\n, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from\\nThe ability to switch instructors\\n or take classes with only your child’s faves\\nAccess to unlimited group classes\\n, taught \\nlive\\nPersonalized instruction\\n and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans\\nTo be a member of a HUGE community\\n of happy yogis from around the world\\nYoga teachers who become friends\\n, who truly care about your chIf you haven’t checked us out already, \\ngrab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here\\n!\\n\n\n\n\n\\n","html":"<p>As the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders continue to rise, worldwide, it’s becoming more and more obvious that many (if not most) adults experience some form of mental health issue at some point during their adult life.</p><p>For many adults, the occurrence of depression and anxiety is consistent with family, work, and life stressors.</p><p>Yoga nidra is a specific form of meditation that addresses stress and anxiety, the key components of mental health disorders. While there are traditional medical interventions available to people who suffer with mental health issues, they are often not sought out or continued by patients. </p><p>Prescription medications, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and similar interventions are costly, time consuming, and sometimes are only a temporary solution to the side effects of mental health disorders. </p><p>Research shows that not only is yoga nidra safe and effective for treating anxiety and depression symptoms, it’s one of the few holistic complementary forms of therapy supported by conventional medical practitioners.</p><p>This is why a good understanding of what yog nidra is and how a yoga nidra practice affects your mental health is important. So you can practice it knowing it’s backed by science!</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/vPQxjg9RuOm6OcJssL38\" alt=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\" title=\"Savasana_-_The_Corpse_Pose-07032020145736.jpg\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" /><h2>What is yoga nidra?</h2><p>We’ve covered this topic in other articles on the MyYogaTeacher blog as well, but in case you haven’t seen them, here’s a brief explanation!</p><p>Yoga nidra is a form of meditation, usually guided. It’s also often known as “yogic sleep” and is, in fact, practiced lying down (great start, right?!). This ancient form of meditation is where the practitioner – that’s you – enters deep states of relaxation and transfers awareness from the outer world to their inner one.</p><p>Yoga nidra is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia, burnout, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.</p><p>This form of yoga is very different from other forms of meditation. It isn’t just about guided visualizations, affirmations, and yoga nidra is certainly not about daydreaming…or dreaming at all.</p><p>In yoga nidra, the conscious mind remains active while the brain and body themselves reach a deep relaxation state. Most importantly, unlike in hypnosis, <em>you</em> are always in control.</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/NEsJnhENQvOwjD9rbmZp\" alt=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\" title=\"Yoga-Nidra-Alpharetta-scaled.jpg\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1605\" /><h2>The science behind benefits of yoga nidra</h2><p>Now that you have a better understanding of what it is, we can discuss how yoga nidra works to improve your mental health!</p><h3>Yoga nidra and the autonomic nervous system</h3><p>The autonomic nervous system is the part of our body that regulates functions that don’t require conscious thought. Your heart beating, breathing, eyes blinking, digestion, and blood flow are a few examples.</p><p>This system also includes our flight-or-fight response (sympathetic nervous system).</p><p>The practice of yoga nidra meditation activates the <em>para</em>sympathetic nervous system – the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system. This is a part of your autonomic nervous system that controls our body’s ability to relax. When we relax deeply (such as when we’re in a dreamless sleep), our body is able to heal.</p><p>This is why people who suffer from anxiety and depression often want to use sleep as a coping mechanism. Besides the fact that negative mental health states make you tired, sleeping is recovery.</p><h3>How does yoga nidra affect mental health?</h3><p>A yoga nidra meditation practice allows your body to enter a sleep-like state while also maintaining control of your consciousness. This allows you to not only deeply relax but also rewire your mind (with the help of a yoga nidra instructor) to think and even behave differently.</p><p>So your body gets to heal while you’re addressing the root cause of your mental health issues. No drugs. No pills. No nasty side effects from those types of medications. No costly visits to therapists unless you want to.</p><p>Just a reduction or elimination of anxiety, depression, and stress responses, which contribute to better mental <em>and</em> physical health.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/OpEBtAzSRmChWanf8JFF\" alt=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\" title=\"yoga-nidra-and-benefits.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" /><h3>Physiological side effects of better mental health</h3><p>Your physiological body responds to your mental health. When you’re stressed, it releases cortisol, a hormone that causes inflammation. When you’re anxious, your blood pressure rises. When you’re experiencing post traumatic stress responses, your digestive system may almost completely stop working (temporarily anyway).</p><p>Prolonged exposure to mental health issues is responsible for numerous health problems!</p><p>Heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, eating disorders, addiction to medications, chronic pain, headaches and migraines. So many things that lead to a shorter life span and impact your current quality of life.</p><p><strong>Yoga nidra meditation benefits include:</strong></p><p></p><ul><li><div><p>Better immune function</p></div></li><li><div><p>Decreased blood pressure</p></div></li><li><div><p>Decreased cortisol levels</p></div></li><li><div><p>Improved sleep</p></div></li><li><div><p>Enhanced memory and cognitive performance</p></div></li><li><div><p>Reduction of chronic pain</p></div></li><li><div><p>Diminished symptoms of anxiety and depression</p></div></li><li><div><p>More positive thought patterns</p></div></li><li><div><p>Reduced or elimination of headaches</p></div></li><li><div><p>Improved digestion</p></div></li></ul><p>Plus a whole host of others! </p><p>Who wouldn’t want to live a happier, healthier life with less stress, more mental clarity, and more optimism?</p><p>Here at MyYogaTeacher, we’re passionate about whole body health. That includes mental and emotional health. And we feel very strongly that yoga is for everyone. Our expert and experienced yoga teachers are well-versed in many forms of meditation, and group classes dedicated to them are available to all of our members!</p><p>We have 70+ expert yoga instructors, many who specialize in yoga therapy, meditation, or even have masters degrees in those same areas. They are experienced, kind, and truly care about your well being!</p><p>We’d love to have you join our community and discover how meditation and mindfulness positively impacts your life!</p><p>Not a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!</p><p>When you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:</p><p></p><ul><li><div><p><strong>102 expert</strong>, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>The ability to switch instructors</strong> or take classes with only your child’s faves</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Access to unlimited group classes</strong>, taught <em><strong>live</strong></em></p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Personalized instruction</strong> and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>To be a member of a HUGE community</strong> of happy yogis from around the world</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Yoga teachers who become friends</strong>, who truly care about your chIf you haven’t checked us out already, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\"><u>grab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here</u></a>!</p></div></li></ul><p><br><br><br><br></p><p></p>"},"category":["anxiety"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":[{"session_uuid":"05e15541-2d3f-4157-bf95-98964623a07e","student_uuid":"3975ccdb-a85e-4ad9-8540-13ca77c16690","teacher_uuid":"dee1c77a-34c8-4d1c-8a49-270adfce47a3","teacher_name":"Namrata Tiwari","teacher_first_name":"Namrata","teacher_slug":"namrata-1","teacher_photo":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dgerdfai4/image/upload/v1574071360/teacher/photos/wegr3wk4wpdufdig2vqd.jpg","group_session_name":"Gentle Yoga","group_session_description":"Gentle yoga is a slow and relaxing class. 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