YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF STRESS,ANXITY & DEPRESSION

     

  Depression, stress and Anxiety are very common problems. The exact reason behind the depression is unknown but it can be due to Biological, Psychological or social.The causes of depression can be:
* hectic and stressful lifestyle
* Cometition
* Breakup,divorce,death,job problem,etc.
Anxiety and depression have always gone hand in hand. A panic attack or prolonged periods of anxiety can trigger depression. Although no one knows why, most anxiety disorders—including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and phobias—are accompanied by depression.

According to the Harvard Mental Health Letter, recent studies suggest that yoga can:

• reduce the impact of stress                  
• help with anxiety and depression
• be a self-soothing technique similar to meditation, relaxation, and exercise
• improve energy

Yoga is a physical exercise that involves different body poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. Asana practice helps counteract anxiety-driven depression because it reduces stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, inducing what’s known as the relaxation response.

Dr. Mason Turner of the Kaiser Permanent Medical Group says yoga therapy “can be very powerful in the treatment of depression.” Even if yoga isn’t your forte, the combination of meditation and physical movement provide two important elements for relieving depression. Meditation helps bring a person into the present moment and allows them to clear their minds. Controlled, focused movements also help strengthen the body-mind connection.

yoga is a natural way to increase serotonin production. According to the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, serotonin production plays a role in the treatment of depression. Serotonin is believed to play a major role in happiness.One study also suggests people with depression have lower serotonin levels.Yoga is also especially helpful because of its gentle, calming, and fluid nature. Each pose is flexible, so people of all levels can practice. To reduce stress and anxity Yoga also increases your heart rate variability (HRV), or change in time between heart beats, by increasing the relaxation response over the stress response in the body. A high HRV means that your body is better at self-monitoring or adapting, particularly to stress.

Pranayama and Yoga brings stability, calms the mind, improve blood circulation and cure depression stress and anxiety. Some yoga poses like Veerasana, Bhujangasana, Shavasana are very important to cure depression stress and anxiety.  Pranayama is very important which are related to breathing exercise. It is helpful to remove bad toxin from our body and give positive energy.

USEFUL PRACTICES

	Preparatory Movements (warm up)
	Surya Namaskar(Sun Salutations) 12 rounds in 8 minutes
Asana
	*Bhujangasana (1 minute) *Shalabhasana (15 Secs) *Dhunurasana (30 sec) *Ardhamatsyendrasana (2 minutes on each side) *Paschimottasana (1 minute) * Akarna Dhanurasana (1 minute on each side) * Ushtrasana (2 min) * Trikonasana (1 minute on each side) * Veerasana (1 minute on each side) * Shavasana (when needed)

Cleansing Practices

		Agnisar 100 strokes total in 3 to 4 rounds
		Uddiyan Bandh 5 rounds (each round 30 seconds)
		Jalneti (Once a week) - Laghoo Shankhaprakashlana (once a week)

Pranayama

	*	Anulom Vilom Deep Breathing 15 minutes
	*	Ujjayi Pranayama without kumbhak for 10 minutes
		Right Nostrill Purak followed by Bhramari Rechak (21 rounds)