As Covid-19 continues to spread, we have all experienced
change and stress in our lives. Many of us had never heard of ‘social
distancing’, but are practicing the same multiple times a day. All our workout
options like gyms, fitness studios and group walks stand cancelled.
A lot many people are stressed and concerned about staying
healthy and maintaining a robust immune system. But there are things we can do
from the confines of our home to bust the stress and Yoga is one of them. In
addition to being a form of exercise that doesn’t consume much space or
equipment, there are specific poses and breathing exercises that can help
reduce stress in the mind and the body.
So far there is no vaccine against Covid-19. All we can do is
to keep our immune system, the mind and the body robust so as to give it the
best chance of fighting an infection.
This is where things like Yoga, balanced diet, regular
exercise and sleep come in. Studies show many viruses and bacteria quietly
reside within us until something within the body’s internal environment becomes
unbalanced. Then they come into action and attack.
People staying indoors due to coronavirus lockdown could
benefit from Yoga which helps boost immunity. Unfortunately, most people
believe Yoga is just postures, which is not true. In fact, a large part of Yoga
is meditation and breathing techniques that reduce stress and boost immunity.
Our mental/emotional state such as stress, anxiety, anger,
etc., changes our breathing pattern and further affects physical health
resulting in health issues like heart diseases, high blood pressure, metabolism
disorders etc. For example, when we are angry, we automatically breathe fast
and heavily and when we are sad, our breathe is shallow. By
controlling/managing the way we breath, we can also manage physical and mental
health.
With a simple breathing technique in Yoga, you can instantly
manage your emotions anytime anywhere. When mentally/emotionally disturbed,
just practice it for few minutes.
Step 1. Inhale gently and slowly, count to four, expand your
belly as you do so
Step 2. Hold your breath for a few seconds
Step 3. Very slowly exhale, up to the count of six to eight.
During these times of stress, it can be really easy to let
our anxiety take over. But setting aside just a few minutes to move your body
or meditate can make a world of difference. So, roll out your mat and enjoy a
little “me time.”
Stay healthy, Stay home!
(The author Neetu Wason is a Holistic Nutritionist, Wellness
expert and Yoga Instructor. She can be contacted at yogatrition83@gmail.com)
