Yoga: Natural way to beat anxiety
Yoga therapy can help people in this situation because they aren’t being asked to rationalize their way out of anxiety. Instead, they are given tools that help them recognize the thoughts, feelings, and actions that lead to heightened anxiety, and enact effective self-soothing methods. In a yoga class, they are also unconsciously learning to regulate their stress response and building resilience to stress. Someone who suffers from mild or subclinical experiences of anxiety may find support in a general yoga class. For those whose anxiety is more severe, however, a specialized course of yoga therapy (administered by highly-trained yoga professionals that understand the physical and psychological mechanisms of anxiety disorders) may be more appropriate.
Meditation and other stress-reduction techniques have been studied as possible treatments for depression and anxiety. One such practice, yoga, has received less attention in the medical literature, though it has become increasingly popular in recent decades. One national survey estimated, for example, that about 7.5% of U.S. adults had tried yoga at least once, and that nearly 4% practiced yoga in the previous year. Yoga classes can vary from gentle and accommodating to strenuous and challenging; the choice of style tends to be based on physical ability and personal preference. Hatha yoga, the most common type of yoga practiced in the United States, combines three elements: physical poses, called asanas; controlled breathing practiced in conjunction with asanas; and a short period of deep relaxation or meditation.