Positions that take you out of your head and into your body can ease symptoms.
Treating depression can be
complicated, and may involve a whole lot of trial and error with
different medications, types of therapy and lifestyle changes. But one
relatively straightforward – and basically side effect-free – management option is yoga,
which recent research has shown can improve mood and anxiety measures
in people with depression such that they match those of non-depressed
individuals. If you have depression and you practice yoga consistently,
have faith the yoga will work and develop a home practice, it can work
for you too, either alone or in conjunction with other therapies.
But
not just any yoga may do. The study used a particular sequence of poses
developed by Patricia Walden, a world-renowned teacher of Iyengar yoga,
a method that focuses on alignment, safety and specific modifications
with clear steps to advance in a pose. According to Walden, some of the
best yoga poses for depression are:
- Down Dog,
- Heart Bench.
- Headstand.
- Camel.
- Wheel.
- Savasana.
Down Dog
Why:
Holding down dog is a great way to build strength while feeling stable.
Because it can be physically challenging, the pose demands that you
focus your mind – and not on your depressive thoughts.
How:
Start on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and
straight across your mat. Step back to a plank pose so that your wrists
are under your shoulders and your legs are straight. Without moving
your hands or feet, stretch your hips up and back to an upside down "V"
shape. Spread your fingers wide and flatten the entire perimeter of your
hands evenly. Press your hands down to straighten your arms, lengthen
your back and tilt your pelvis up. As much as you can keep a curve in
your low-back, stretch your legs as straight as they will go. Hold for 10 deep breaths and release.
Heart Bench
Why:
Like all passive backbends (or those supported by props), heart bench
can help to expand and open your rib cage, which is precisely the area
where depressed students tend to slouch. If you have low energy from depression, props allow you to hold the pose longer and focus on your breath.
How:
Lie on your back with your legs extended out flat on the floor and your
feet and knees pointing straight up. Prop yourself up onto your
forearms and lift your chest. Place a block
at its medium setting just under the bottom of your shoulder blades and
at the center of your back. Set another block at its medium height
underneath the back of your head at the base of your skull. Relax your
arms by your sides with your palms facing up so your shoulders open.
Walden recommends focusing on inhalation if you have depression and
exhalation if you have anxiety. Stay in this supported backbend anywhere
from 10 breathes and 10 minutes. Only hold it as long as you can
maintain good form and it feels comfortable.
Headstand
Why:
Inversions and arm balances are particularly good to empower students,
Walden says. The process of taking logical steps toward achieving the
pose helps develop confidence. Plus, headstands demand that you are
present because they don't let you have anything on your mind other than
your balance.
How:
Start on your hands and knees. Interlace your fingers and maintain a
little gap between your palms that's just big enough to hold a golf
ball. Place your forearms and wrists on the floor and lower your head
between your hands so the back of your head is pressed against your
hands. Align your head so that the crown of your head rests on the
floor. Keep your head and forearms heavy on the floor as you lift your
knees off the ground. Walk your feet in until your hips are over your
shoulders and both feet lift off the ground at the same time. Press your
feet and legs together to swing your legs overhead and stack your feet
and hips over your shoulders. Hold for up to 10 minutes and lower your
legs back down to the ground slowly. If you feel discomfort in your
neck, come down and work on an inversion that doesn't put that strain on
your neck.
Camel
Why:
Camel is an accessible pose that opens your shoulders and back. It
stabilizes your low-back and opens up your upper and mid-back where you
may tend to be tight.
If you have depression, Walden suggests focusing on your gaze. "Often
when you see someone depressed, their eyes are collapsed," she says.
"Open your eyes."
How:
Kneel at the top of your mat with your knees hips-width apart. Create a
lift from your hips all the way up to your shoulders as you inhale.
Maintain that lift as you open up your chest and reach back for your
heels. Broaden your chest and shift your hips forward. Make sure your
neck is a continuum of your backbend. Hold for five breaths and come up
to your knees by releasing both hands at the same time.
Wheel
Why:
Once you've achieved wheel pose, your practice opens up to a whole new
syllabus of poses. Working toward the position gives you a goal and
requires you go through a process to achieve it. Walden says that this
process inspires resilience and is particularly effective for people
with anxiety.
How:
Starting on your back, bend your knees and place your feet so that your
ankles are underneath your knees and hips-width apart. Press your feet
down to lift your hips up. Then, place your hands on the mat alongside
your ears. Lift up onto your head, roll more onto the top of your head
by your forehead and set your chest forward or away from your feet.
Press your arms straight and lift your head off the ground. As much as
your feet and knees don't turn out, lift your hips as high as they will
go and straighten your arms. Hold for five breaths, then lower onto your
back gently.
Savasana
Why: Lying on
your back in deep repose is calming and focuses your attention inward.
It works for those who are struggling to get grounded and wards off
minor bouts of anxiety. Walden warns, however, that students suffering
from depression should hold savasana with their eyes open since closing
your eyes and looking within can bring on negative thoughts. Instead,
keep a relaxed gaze with your eyes and mind focused on one spot.
How: Lie on your back with your arms extended at your side, palms facing up. Close your eyes, relax your jaw and let your whole body soften down against the floor effortlessly. Avoid any urge to move; remain still for 10 minutes. Bring your attention to your breath. Every inhale, notice your thoughts. Every exhale, let them go. If you tend to make a to-do list in your mind, try counting your breaths or saying "let" to yourself with every inhale and "go" with every exhale.
How: Lie on your back with your arms extended at your side, palms facing up. Close your eyes, relax your jaw and let your whole body soften down against the floor effortlessly. Avoid any urge to move; remain still for 10 minutes. Bring your attention to your breath. Every inhale, notice your thoughts. Every exhale, let them go. If you tend to make a to-do list in your mind, try counting your breaths or saying "let" to yourself with every inhale and "go" with every exhale.
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