Yoga is more than just a form of physical activity that detoxes your body; this ascetic discipline has a meditative and spiritual core

Feeling sad from time to time is a normal part of life, but feeling crippled by your sadness daily could be a sign of something else. Depression is a mental health disorder characterized by profound feelings of sadness, isolation, hopelessness, or emptiness. It affects everyone differently, but it can interfere with your daily activities, work, and life in general. Usually, it prevents you from enjoying things you once had an interest in. But if left unchecked and untreated, depression can reach an overwhelming state that leads to suicidal thoughts. From Robin Williams to Chester Bennington, Uday Kiran, Preksha Mehta, Kushal Punjabi, Sushant Singh Rajput, and hundreds of other individuals, the tornado of depression has abruptly taken many lives in its wake. It is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in the age group of 15-35.

My dear readers, if you or someone you know is suffering from depression, then this post is for you all. Let me tell you that no matter how hard life seems, suicide is not the answer. I repeat, it might look like the solution to all your problems, but it isn’t. It’s eternal hell for the ones who love you the most. Their lives would be shattered with the sad news of your demise. The demon called depression can be warded off and vanquished. If you take the right steps, things can and do get better with time. All you need is a daily drink that includes a spoonful of patience, a tinge of self-love 2 cups of positive thinking, and the secret ingredient – a path towards a better lifestyle. Take one drink daily, and you’ll be better in no time.

On a more practical note, treating depression effectively means doing more than taking medications and going to therapy. Experts say the more you change your lifestyle to ensure a healthy mind and body, the more you’ll be able to cope with the challenges of depression. And what better way to improve your way of life and reinforce positive thinking than by doing something easy, comfortable & enjoyable? Like Yoga!

There are lots of good reasons to do Yoga, like toning those arms, the satisfaction of breaking a sweat or just actually using that Exercise Mat you got when you made that New Year resolution. But in this case, Yoga is necessary for your general health and wellness. It can get you out of the doldrums and make you happier. That’s because Yoga doesn’t just affect your body — it can also change the way you feel by boosting certain chemicals in your brain and buffering your response to the detrimental effects of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Over the past decades, many research studies have drawn a clear link between Yoga as exercise and positive feelings. The effects of Yoga can be so dramatic that many psychologists recommend doing it 15 to 20 minutes daily to help treat anxiety and depression. The mood-boosting effects of a single bout of yoga exercise can stick around for up to 24 hours, according to some studies. A great yoga workout ups your levels of serotonin – a neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of mood and emotion. The harder you workout, the more serotonin you produce. That’s worth noting here because low serotonin is linked to disorders like depression and anxiety. In fact, many antidepressant medications (https://www.dentavacation.com/diazepam/) for yoga work by directly or indirectly increasing levels of serotonin in your brain. And another chemical called a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (or BDNF) also goes up during exercise. In depression, neuroplasticity is disrupted, making it difficult for the brain to compensate if essential neural circuits become impaired. So elevating BDNF with intense yoga exercise might help reverse or prevent that. But even if you don’t consider the scientific evidence of Yoga’s effect on the brain, there’s still the fact that it strengthens the body. Which solves problems like lack of energy, changes in appetite and sleep, inability to concentrate, each of which is a sign of depression.

Yoga is more than just a form of physical activity that detoxes your body; this ascetic discipline has a meditative and spiritual core. Its name comes from the term “Yuj” which in Sanskrit means to yoke or to unite: harmony between body, mind, and spirit. It is the practice of engaging in a mental exercise, such as deep breathing or repeating a phrase or mantra, to achieve peace of mind and build mental resilience. It’s a great way to achieve relief and relaxation. If depression is disrupting your sleep habits, deep-breathing Yoga techniques can help calm your mind and sleep better. As human beings, we are multidimensional. We are not merely symptoms or thoughts, but the fruit of our actions & interactions. This discipline teaches us to harmonize our ideas, behaviours, moods, memory, and body systems. We can live in peace the moment these dimensions connect. So this organic balance is the junction point between Yoga and depression.

Although many forms of Yoga are safe, some are strenuous and may not be appropriate for everyone. Thankfully, we live in a time where yoga classes can vary from gentle and accommodating to strenuous and challenging; you can pick a class that suits your schedule, location, and personal preferences. And if you’re a complete introvert, you can use the Internet. There is a wealth of information available on the Web, including simple Yoga asanas on YouTube.

Today is the International Day of Yoga 2020. If you’re suffering from depression, then let this day spark a positive change in your life. Now would be a time to pick yourself up, stand tall and proud in front of the mirror, and promise yourself you’re not going to live miserably anymore. Time to dust off that mat lying in the corner, spread it out, and get sweatin’. Time to bid farewell to depression and welcome.

Disclaimer:- The author of this article understands that he is in no way an expert on the subject of depression. The author is well-aware that depression exists in various stages and forms, from mild to severe to clinical depression. The author has written this article in the hope that it will bring a drop (if not a wave) of mental wellness and positivity in the lives of those suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts.

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Jasmeet Singh June 20, 2020

784 4 minutes read