Yin Yoga and Mental Health
There are lots of things in our daily life and the world around us that can impact our mental health – both in a positive way and a not so positive way. Things like work or family stress, financial stress, chronic health conditions, sudden losses or traumas, just to name a few.
Over time these things can build up and start to affect the different areas of your life, such as work, family, relationships, health and finances.
Some of the signs and symptoms that your mental health is starting to suffer may include:
Feeling sad and down
Crying a lot
Lack of interest in things that brought you joy previously
Fatigue or sleeping more than usual
Inability to cope with daily life or stress
Feeling disconnected from life
In Australia, 1 in 16, currently experience depression and 1 in 7 Australians experience an anxiety condition. So whilst you may feel that you are alone, it’s much more common than you think.
While it is always a good idea to seek professional help when you find yourself struggling with your mental health, there are also some things that you can do yourself to take care of your mental health.
Things like regular exercise, yoga, meditation, journaling, spending time in nature, socialising with friends, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet all play a role in mental health also.
In today’s blog I want to talk about how yoga, specifically yin yoga can help you look after your mental health.
There are many different styles of yoga, ranging from strong, energetic practices such as Power yoga, Ashtanga yoga and Vinyasa yoga to the slower, more mindful styles such as Hatha, Restorative and Yin.
While they differ in the way they are practised, each style shares the common goal of seeking to create balance and harmony within body and mind, which then ideally leads to feeling in harmony with the people and the world around us. Each style includes some form of physical postures, breathing practices, mindfulness, meditation and self-inquiry as ways to help create this balance and harmony.
There are many different styles of yoga, ranging from strong, energetic practices such as Power yoga, Ashtanga yoga and Vinyasa yoga to the slower, more mindful styles such as Hatha, Restorative and Yin.
While they differ in the way they are practised, each style shares the common goal of seeking to create balance and harmony within body and mind, which then ideally leads to feeling in harmony with the people and the world around us. Each style includes some form of physical postures, breathing practices, mindfulness, meditation and self-inquiry as ways to help create this balance and harmony.
More and more research studies on the benefits of Yin Yoga and the positive effect on mental health are being done. One research study on college students looked at the link between mental health & Yin Yoga. Participants completed pre and post questionnaires to determine perceived stress scores and then completed a 6 week Yin Yoga program. Results showed a reduction in stress and anxiety levels and an increase in mindfulness after a 6-week yin yoga program.
Another study looked at people who participated in Yoga practice weekly. Of the participants 85% had a reduction in stress.
There are many other beautiful benefits to Yin Yoga that can’t be necessarily measured during a clinical trial though….things like the trust you gain in your own body by regular Yin practice.
Here at the studio, I currently offer Yin Yoga classes. Yin yoga is a slower-paced style of yoga. Poses are commonly held for longer periods of time, usually around 3 to 5 minutes. Yin can also be a form of meditative yoga.
Because the poses are held for longer, there are usually only 4 to 6 poses done in a 60 minute class. You will also be offered time to rebound (rest and reset) between poses in a typical yin class.
* I also teach Hatha Yoga and Restorative Yoga, so keep an eye on the class schedule to see when these classes become available again.
What’s so great about Yin Yoga?
Is it “better” than other styles of yoga for looking after your mental health?
Before I answer those two questions, I would like to point out that it is my opinion that no one style of yoga is “better” than another. There are many different types of yoga. Each helps to create more balance, strength and flexibility in both your body and mind. Each one has their own unique style or area of focus. All styles offer a number of physical and mental health benefits.
It comes down to personal preference which style you choose to practise. A slower more mindful practice like yin yoga, can create some balance for someone who usually favours a strong energetic style of practice. Yin can also offer some quiet time for people who are juggling a lot of responsibilities or big to-do lists, such as busy working mums (or dads), or self-employed business owners.
Personally, I like to practice both ways. I am usually guided by what I feel I need on a particular day.
Benefits of Yin Yoga:
Overall, Yin Yoga has many benefits, particularly for mental health. Here are some of the many benefits of Yin Yoga practice:
Balances and calms the mind and body
Aids in stress reduction and anxiety reduction
Aids in circulation
Improves flexibility
Aids in releasing tension of the fascia and improves joint mobility.
Helps improve the flow of chi or prana in the body.
Helps aid in the practice of stillness and slowing down. This helps to regulate the nervous system.
Yin Yoga is often referred to as the stepping stone to meditation. During the poses you practice stillness and awareness, two key steps to meditation.
Why I love Yin Yoga:
Below are some of the things I personally love about yin and why I think it is a useful thing to have in your toolkit when it comes to looking after your mental health.
It helps me sit still and focus on one thing at a time
Staying in the poses for longer helps release physical and mental tension. Especially as I don’t feel like I have to go deep into a pose at the beginning, instead I can ease into where I am just starting to feel “something”, relax and allow my body to go deeper when (and if) it’s ready. How I feel in my practice is way more important that how it looks
Yin has taught me patience. To just sit still and be with whatever I am experiencing in that moment. Even if I am not enjoying the pose I am in, I know that it will end. Then I can just relax and enjoy the rebound once it’s over (regular yinsters will know what I mean!)
It has taught me to trust my body and its wisdom (I think we might even be becoming friends after all these years!) It helps me find mental stillness. Even if my thoughts are still present, they seem to drift into the background of my awareness somehow, giving me a break from overthinking or stressing.
I find that even when I am feeling completely drained, even 15 minutes of yin can help recharge my batteries and clear my head.
Two of my favourite poses for helping me de-stress and clear my head are Butterfly Pose and Child’s Pose.
As both of these are forward folding poses they typically have a calming effect on the mind, helping to reduce anxiety. They also help focus your attention inwards. Away from everything that is going on “out there” that may be stressing you out. I find they are great for helping me reset when I start to feel overwhelmed.
They also provide a gentle stretch along the back of your body and can be propped up or modified to suit how your body is feeling on the day.
Some of the specific benefits of each pose include:
Butterfly:
Stretches hips and groin
Eases tension in the neck, shoulders & back
Calms the mind
Improve digestion
Safe to do during pregnancy
Helps prepare the body for childbirth
Ease menstrual cramps
Stimulates the Kidney, Urinary Bladder, Liver and Gallbladder meridians*
Child’s Pose:
Mentally soothing when feeling strong emotions
Improves digestion
Stretches the spine and back of body
Can help ease headaches or neck pain if head is supported
Stretches thighs, knees and ankles
Stimulates Urinary Bladder meridian *
Can also stimulate the Stomach, Spleen and Kidney meridians depending on position of legs*
* In addition to working with the joints and connective tissues of the body, Yin Yoga also focuses on working with and balancing the invisible energy pathways known as meridians of Daoism and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The meridians are thought to correspond to the ten major organs in the body.
I have shared with you just some of the reasons I regularly include yin into my yoga practice, for you, the reasons may be different. If you already practice yin I would love to hear what you love about it in the comments below.
If you live in the Murray Bridge area and have yet to try Yin Yoga, I offer classes every Monday night at 6.45pm at the White Park Community Club Rooms on Mulgundawah Rd, Murray Bridge.
Click here to book
The beauty of Yoga is that it can be used as one strategy to help build positive mental health and wellbeing. With so many different styles and practices to choose from, it something to offer just about everyone.
Sam