In today's fast-paced world, stress is a common experience that most of us face on a daily basis. From work pressures to personal challenges, stress can be triggered by a variety of factors and can manifest itself in different ways. While a certain level of stress can motivate and energise us, chronic or excessive stress can have negative effects on our mental and physical health. For Stress Awareness Month, we are focusing on recognising the signs of stress and taking proactive steps to manage it —namely by practising yoga. 

How do you know that you’re stressed?

Stress can manifest itself in various ways, and the symptoms may differ from person to person. However, some common signs of stress to look out for include:

Physical Symptoms: Stress can cause physical changes in our bodies. Some of the physical symptoms of stress include headaches, muscle tension or pain, fatigue, stomach problems and changes in appetite or sleep patterns. The first step of fighting stress is listening to your body and taking the necessary measures accordingly.

Emotional Symptoms: Stress not only affects your physical well-being, but it also takes a toll on your emotional well-being. It may cause you to feel anxious, irritable, overwhelmed or moody. You may also experience feelings of sadness, depression or a sense of detachment, especially if you are under stress for prolonged periods of time.

Behavioral Symptoms: Stress can impact our behaviour, making us more easily agitated or prone to angry outbursts. We may also find ourselves withdrawing from social situations, neglecting our responsibilities or turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Cognitive Symptoms: When you are stressed, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay focused or make decisions and you start to forget important details you thought you never would. You may also experience racing thoughts or have difficulty completing tasks.

If you notice any of these signs in yourself or a loved one, it may be a good idea to implement stress management techniques like yoga to reduce the impact of stress.

How can yoga reduce stress?

For a long time, yoga has been recognised as an effective remedy for stress and a great way to encourage self care. It merges various well-known stress-reducing techniques, such as meditation, breathing techniques for stress reduction and gentle yoga poses for stress relief to quiet the mind, loosen the body and foster mindfulness.

Reducing Physical Tension

Yoga postures stretch and loosen the muscles, which helps release physical tension in the body. When we're stressed, our muscles tend to contract, leading to discomfort and pain. Practising yoga helps alleviate these symptoms, leading to a sense of relaxation and ease. Choose practices like Yin or Restorative yoga to make the most of the physical practice at a stressful time.

Regulating Breathing

Choosing Pranayama or breathing technique which involves slow, deep breaths and focuses on longer exhales that help to slow down our heart rate and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming the body and reducing stress.

Calming the Mind

Meditation and mindfulness practices are an integral part of yoga. These practices help us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings, allowing us to observe them without judgment. This non-judgmental awareness helps to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. If you are new to meditation, start with 5 minutes of simply observing your breath and enjoy the pleasure of doing nothing at all.

Increasing Mind-Body Awareness

Yoga emphasises the connection between the mind and the body. By practising yoga, we become more attuned to our physical and emotional sensations, allowing us to respond more effectively to stress and reduce its impact on our overall well-being.