Manage the COVID Chaos With Yoga & Meditation
The pandemic has been pretty hard on just about everyone. Whether it’s the hysteria or the medical crisis- the chaos sure is real. In fact, the CDC reported that every five Americans were affected by mental or behavioral health issues due to COVID-19- including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts. The youth and minority communities have been most affected in this case. However, these detrimental effects are natural considering the recent turn of events.
But the real question is how to deal with these emotions?
How Can Yoga & Meditation Help With Stress & Anxiety?
Yoga and meditation have always been helpful in reducing anxiety and depression. Both these techniques focus on mindfulness and self-awareness, which can help you become calmer overall. And in these times, we especially need to learn to be calm and rational. Plus, there are many physical and psychological benefits of practicing yoga and meditation. They will not only help you cope better but also feel better, and act more responsibly, as is the need of the hour. Nevertheless, while yoga and meditation can help control anxiety or depression, they are not a substitution for medication.
Why Should You Use Yoga & Meditation During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
During the pandemic, we have seen lots of supposed cures, panic buying, and mass sickness- and the common factor in all these cases is anxiety. And thus, there is a need to tackle the stress in the environment, and we can effectively do this with yoga and meditation!
But if you’re still not convinced, here are some reasons for you to try yoga and meditation to manage COVID-associated stress and anxiety:
#1 Reduce Stress & Anxiety
Yoga and meditation can greatly reduce stress and anxiety, thus also reducing the risk of other illnesses like heart problems and hypertension. We have had to accept a ‘new normal’ almost overnight during the COVID-scene, and it has left most of us drained and disconnected. After all, humans are social animals, so they’re not meant to live in isolation. Hence, the mood swings, anxiety, and depression that many of us experienced during the pandemic were quite natural. However, yoga and meditation can help reduce negative emotions and even replace them with positive vibes.
Many people turn to meditation to reduce stress, and it’s no surprise considering the potential benefits of mindful exercises. Even science claims that mindful meditation can reduce the levels of the hormone cortisol in the body so that such people are better equipped to deal with stressful scenarios. In addition to this, yoga and meditation can also improve the symptoms of stress-related illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, etc. Plus, individuals with generalized anxiety disorder have also shown significant improvements after yoga and meditation. Overall, yoga has both mental and physical benefits and can dramatically reduce anxiety levels. Also, meditation is useful for controlling stress, and thus, both of these mindful exercises can greatly benefit us during these tough times.
#2 Improve Your Immunity
Did you know that yoga can help strengthen your immunity?
Yes, really! And meditation also improves immunity manifolds. So, when everybody else is turning to unproven medication to protect themselves from the outbreak, you can use yoga and meditation to feel good and stay safe! In fact, this can be your biggest weapon against the disease since immunocompromised individuals are at a higher risk of contracting, or at least being affected, by the virus.
#3 Relive Your Sinuses
Breathing fresh air keeps you happy, healthy, and free of sinus congestion! Hence, if you want to give your lungs a treat, take some yoga or meditation sessions in the park. Not only will this boost your lungs, and help with congestion, but it will also give you a break during these difficult circumstances. So, be sure to check out the various yoga and meditation techniques that can help you relieve your sinuses.
#4 Meet New People
While COVID has left most of us feeling disconnected and isolated from the world, yoga and meditation classes can give us a chance to meet new people and make new friends. As we said, humans are social animals, and they need some form of support and interaction from other people. Thus, yoga and meditation classes present the perfect chance for you to meet and interact with different people in a positive space.
#5 Reinforce Positivity
COVID has seen a huge surge in negative emotions, but mindful exercises are an effective way to reinforce positivity. Guided meditation can help you think and feel more positive, and we could all definitely use a dose or two of optimism during these troubling times.
#6 Develop Better Coping Strategies
Meditation exercises help enhance self-awareness and also develop a sense of compassion. So, when we learn to understand ourselves and others around us, we can also cope much better. Furthermore, improved self-efficacy also means that you will be able to tackle challenges more efficiently. In fact, regular mindfulness practice can also reduce feelings of loneliness that most of us have developed during the lockdown. Therefore, overall, yoga and meditation can help us cope more positively during the pandemic.
#7 Take a Break
In addition to the potential benefits of incorporating yoga and meditation in your routine, these practices also allow you to take a break and just focus on yourself. And really, all of us could use a bit of a break right now. So, invest some time in yoga and meditation to feel better and also cope better.
What’s the Takeaway?
Yoga and meditation are mindful practices that help with self-awareness. They are proven to reduce fear, anxiety, and depression. Hence, they are the need of the hour during the COVID-19 pandemic when many feel isolated. Plus, incorporating these activities into our routine can help us think more positively amidst all the negative chaos.
So, what are you waiting for?
If you feel a little down because of the pandemic or otherwise, you should enroll in a yoga or meditation session to become the best version of yourself!
