International Day of Yoga: From Chaos to Calm — How Practicing Yoga Asanas Daily Help Reset Your Mind And Soul

Yoga has been India’s ancient elixir that has provided unparalleled benefits that don’t just reside in one particular area but help the entire functioning of the body and check its well-being. The unabated benefits of yoga today have resulted in India’s ever-growing soft power over Western states, where people are seeking professional help to deal with the pressure and anxiety. Yoga has been their ultimate rescue from conditions like depression and anxiety.

The word “yoga” particularly originated  from the Sanskrit root word “yuj,” which translates to  “to yoke” or “to bind.” The word doesn’t connote one particular thing but has numerous meanings, from an astrological point of view to matrimony, with the concerned theme being a connection.

The practice of Yoga is endemic to India and originated in ancient times to help draw a balance between the heart, mind and the soul. This ultimate reliever doesn’t just stabilise the mind but promotes the production of a spiritual dimension in the body that helps it connect more effectively with the spirit.

How Does Yoga Help In Managing Mental Health?

But what actually defines yoga are asanas, which are an integral part of yoga; the word “asana” is Sanskrit for “seat” or “posture,” and is used in various yoga styles like Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Restorative, and Bikram.  Asanas are basically physical postures or poses in yoga that initially referred to seated meditation positions, but with time, the word has encompassed a wide range of positions, including standing, reclining, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses.

The yoga asanas provide unparalleled benefits to the body; they help in increasing metabolism rate, making the body more stretchable and promoting the well-functioning of the body mechanisms, but what makes them completely exemplary is the effect that they show when it comes to dealing with anxiety and stress

Yoga asanas or poses help calm your mind, soul and check the functions of the body. Several studies have shown that yoga practice is instrumental in reducing stress hormones, increasing feel-good hormones, and even in boosting the functioning of the brain. This well-equipped work leads to a more peaceful and stable state of mind.

Furthermore, focusing on the breath and body movements, yoga can also help to silence the mental noise, ending up promoting a sense of grounding and calmness.

Here’s a deep breakdown of how asanas or yoga poses can help calm your mind and filter stress from the body.

Reduces Stress And Anxiety

Yoga has been proven to inhibit the growth of cortisol, which is a stress hormone, and promote the levels of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps calm the nervous system. The twin benefits provide a well-established functioning of the mind with reduced risk of stress and depression, which leads to reduced feelings of anxiety that work to improve the mood.

Enhanced Focus And Concentration

Doing yoga is an act of mind, that seeks to draw attention and focus to the present moment in which the person is living, leaving any other parallel thoughts from the past or the future this helps retain the focus of mind for longer durations and through breath and calculated movement, yoga can help silence the mind leading an improvement in the attention span.

Helps Introspect And Creates Self-Awareness

Asanas are exception when it comes to helping you become more attuned to your body’s demands, sensations and the emotional state that you develop. The concentration helps look deep within us and creates a channel to think of who we are and what our purpose is, and this creates a link between our body and spirit, promoting a deeper connection between mind, body, and soul.

Relaxes The Brain And Promotes Better Sleep

Several yoga poses or asanas, like Balasana, which is known as the Child’s Pose, and Savasana, which is referred to as the Corpse Pose, are known to be extremely helpful in relaxing the brain by eliminating pressure through focus. This can be particularly resourceful in inducing relaxation that promotes improvement in the quality of sleep.

Mental Clarity And Emotional Well-Being

There are several asanas that are known to enhance the clarity of mental awareness, especially the ones that promote postures that include forward bending and deep breathing, as such movements help release tension and also promote emotional release,  which results in greater mental clarity that drives
the stability of mind.

At their core, yoga asanas are known to provide a complete, well-rounded and holistic approach to well-being. They address not just the physical aspects but also the mental aspects of stress and anxiety. The incorporation of continuous and regular yoga practice into your daily tasks and making it a habit can help you experience a deep and lasting sense of calm and mental stability that doesn’t just get restricted to the mind but transcends to the body.