Stress is now becoming an everyday occurrence in our lives – be it from not having enough hours in the day for personal responsibilities, long work hours or the effects of being constantly inundated with the sounds of notifications on our smart devices – all of which lead to mental fatigue long before day is done.
Chronic stress affects more than just your mood. It will have a marked impact on quality of sleep, digestion, and immunity as well as your ability to concentrate, maintain emotional balance, and have good physical health. If left untreated, chronic stress can cause development of anxiety, burnout, and many lifestyle-related illnesses.
What adds a level of urgency to this issue today is that many people have depicted normal stress as "part of life" and therefore have learned to ignore the early signs of stress (restlessness, shallow breathing, irritability, and constant fatigue). As a result, the human body remains in a continuous state of alertness, making true relaxation virtually impossible.
This is where yoga practices come into play as a valuable resource for managing your stress levels. Not only do they provide an excellent workout, but also they are based on sound scientific principles and have been proven to be effective for stress management.
How Yoga Combats Stress
1. Activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System
The activation of the parasympathetic nervous system is equally important in managing stress and is the opposite system to the sympathetic nervous system, which is activated during a "fight or flight" response. Yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest-and-digest" portion of the nervous system), thereby improving the body's ability to cope with stress and reducing stress levels. Practicing yoga, such as through deep-breathing exercises or pranayama meditations, activates the rest-and-digest system, which cancels out the "fight or flight" system. Yoga allows you to relax and reduce your stress through its meditative properties. Yoga increases the relaxation response and decreases anxiety by providing relaxation through deep breathing.
2. Regulating Stress Hormones
Yoga practice has shown to reduce the amount of stress hormone cortisol in people by increasing the production of cortisol during exercise. Several studies have quantified cortisol levels, with low cortisol levels being associated with increased yoga practice, indicating that establishing an effective yoga practice may counteract some of the effects of the anxiety- and stress-related hormones in the body and restore balance within the endocrine system, thereby maintaining a stable state and preventing excess stress produced by an unbalanced endocrine system.
3. Enhancing the Body and Mind Connection
Practicing yoga allows the individual to be conscious and aware of himself or herself regarding thoughts and emotions through meditation, concentration, and either one or both body parts. In other words, learning to stay present in the moment while observing one's thoughts and emotions without judgment leads to an improved understanding of oneself, or self-awareness. Additionally, these practices help one to become more aware of when stress levels rise as well as how to avoid or cope with stressors effectively.
4. Promoting Relaxation
Yoga promotes relaxation by using physical sensations such as stretching and movement to suppress the body's natural stress response. The combination of stretching and relaxation allows for a calm state of mind, which is beneficial for those experiencing high levels of stress.
6. Improving Quality of Sleep
Those experiencing high levels of stress typically do not enjoy a restful night's sleep, so it is common for those suffering from insomnia to also experience exhaustion and therefore suffer from a vicious cycle of stress and fatigue. Practicing restorative yoga during the evening will assist in providing an individual with a restful night's sleep, according to a recent study published in The Science of Yoga for Stress.
Learning Yoga Correctly with Tijus Academy
Understanding what yoga is and how to practice it in a proper and consistent manner are very different things. That is why using a structured system of learning is critical. At Tijus Academy, our teaching philosophy combines ancient wisdom with modern science and awareness. Our programmes deliver:
- Appropriate posture alignment while practising
- How to co-ordinate breath and movement
- Methods for managing stress that are evidence-based
- A safe, gradual journey into learning for beginners and professionals alike
As a result of structured teaching, many of our students have found that they are more emotionally centred, have better sleep, and respond more calmly to life's everyday challenges. Whether you want to manage your own stress or you want to develop a rewarding career in wellness, it's important to have the best information on how to learn yoga.
Learn More About Yoga Programmes at Tijus Academy
Schedule a Free Orientation Session
.jpeg?width=352&name=WhatsApp%20Image%202025-11-19%20at%2012.41.17%20PM%20(1).jpeg)
