When you think about treatment for stress and anxiety, it usually includes various clinical practices and medications, but there are simple tactics that have shown great promise, as well–such as yoga.
This is typically when you start shaking your head and thinking, “Yoga can’t possibly be an effective treatment for stress.” While yoga may not be able to cure anxiety by itself, when paired with other therapies it can add to the overall effectiveness of the process in treatment for stress and anxiety disorders.
Studies show yoga combats stress
Yoga, meditation, and other practices have been increasing in popularity as exercise for some time now–but now they may be offering more than just physical benefits. Recent studies have found that mind-body interventions (MBIs)–like yoga–are able to combat changes that lead to stress.
The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology. It focused on trying to figure out how the underlying mechanisms that make yoga so relaxing work–because if we understand those, it may be easier to replicate and allow us to provide better treatment for stress and anxiety.
The researchers found that individuals who frequently use MBIs produce less of a molecule linked to regulating gene expression. When you go through something stressful, the nervous system responds, creating the “fight-or-flight” reaction, which spurs on the production of this molecule which then leads to cellular inflammation–which is connected to issues like depression and anxiety.
The study’s leader, Ivana Buric, explained why this matters:
“Millions of people around the world already enjoy the health benefits of mind-body interventions like yoga or meditation, but what they perhaps don’t realize is that these benefits begin at a molecular level and can change the way our genetic code goes about its business.”
AKA, it can improve your body’s responses to stress and how it processes it. Those who need treatment for stress and anxiety struggle with exactly that issue. They battle to stay in control of their emotions during moments when their stress is high–and their emotions often end up controlling them instead, leading to things like panic attacks.
Yoga isn’t a cure-all. It’s a practice that can be used to keep issues in check alongside other forms of treatment for stress. If you believe your daughter is struggling, it’s critical to seek out a professional for further guidance.
Solstice East is here for your family
Solstice East is a residential treatment center for girls, ages 14 to 18. We understand the specific needs of girls, which is why our program is centered solely on them. Our students often grapple with depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, and other emotional or behavioral problems when they come to us.
We have a strong emphasis on family therapy, nutrition, physical fitness. We also offer a supportive staff, cutting-edge academics, addiction therapy, equine therapy, and psychiatric services. At Solstice, we help set the stage for the infusion of light into the previously darkened lives of the families we serve.
For more information about treatment for stress at Solstice East, please contact us at 828-484-9946.