Md Billal Hossen :
Few days before, our police department practiced yoga to boost their mental health as well as immune system. They think that practicing yoga amid this tough situation will reenergize them. From this story, it is crystal clear to us that we must need to practice yoga amid lockdown to keep our mental and physical health well. The word “Yoga” is derived from Sanskrit. It indicates “union”, symbolizing the union of body and mind. Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice which is originated from India. Amidst this difficult period, we can practice yoga at home with our family to enhance our physical activity and for the refreshment of our mind. Practicing yoga not only bring mindfulness but also bring a physical happiness in you. Due to staying home, our physical activity becomes lower other than the normal time which is one of the worst problems worldwide during this pandemic. Because a lack of physical activity is the leading cause of death worldwide and it leads to several types of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Diseased persons are more susceptible to Covid-19. Practicing yoga at home helps to increase physical activity and reduce stress. Yoga is not only a physical exercise but also a mental exercise that paves the pathway towards the soul.
How does yoga help to improve mental health?
There are several well-documented benefits of yoga has been published which especially find the association between depressive symptom and yoga. According to the latest study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, yoga can increase levels of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the short-term and completing one yoga class per week may maintain elevated GABA that could mitigate depressive symptoms. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is a neurotransmitter that regulates the activity of the nerve cell in the human brain. Individuals with lower GABA levels are more prone to depression and anxiety. Practicing yoga regularly will automatically increase the GABA level thus an individual can be active and healthy. Yoga also improves the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the most common neurobehavioral disorder in childhood and the most extensively studied childhood mental disorder. It is characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity and overactivity. According to a pilot study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics “Taking yoga classes with the physical education (PE) improves the mood, behavior and mindfulness among school children”. Researchers at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) published a study that practicing a certain form of chanting yogic meditation for just 12 minutes daily for eight weeks led to a reduction in the biological mechanisms responsible for an increase in the immune system’s inflammation response. Inflammation, if constantly activated, can contribute to a multitude of chronic health problem especially Alzheimer disease. Thus a simple meditation helps to reduce this neurodegenerative disease which occurs when the nerve cell of the brain die. A new studyfinds that the deep, physiological state of rest induced by such practices produces immediate positivechange in the expression of genes involved in immune function, energy metabolism and insulin secretion. In this way, yoga improves our mental health which is necessary for all people of all ages to cope with stress during this pandemic.
How does yoga promote physical health?
Routine physical activity is the root cause of life-long health and well-being. Adequate physical activity improves muscular activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, makes our bone stronger and helps to prevent depression and promote mental health. But most importantly it reduces the risk of life-threatening Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, stroke, heart attack and diabetes which causes at least 8.5 million death in South East Asia annually. Practicing yoga at home amid this pandemic enhances the physical activity and helps to protect us from different types of fatal disease. Children aged 5-17 which means at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity activity daily and adults also require at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly, recommended by WHO. For all people at all ages need to physically active and healthy especially during this quarantine period. To increase your physical activity choose yoga and practice yoga regularly.
As a whole, we can easily imagine the importance of practicing yoga amid lockdown period. Yoga is the best tool for keeping up our physical and mental health during this pandemic. It also helps us to maintain social distance and to avoid mass gatherings which is necessary for avoiding Covid-19 infection. To get triple (promoting physical activity, improving mental health and to avoid Covid-19 infection) benefit you can practice yoga at home with your family especially with children which will make you and your family active, healthy and happy as well. Let’s make yoga our everydays’s companion to defeat depression and anxiety.
Few days before, our police department practiced yoga to boost their mental health as well as immune system. They think that practicing yoga amid this tough situation will reenergize them. From this story, it is crystal clear to us that we must need to practice yoga amid lockdown to keep our mental and physical health well. The word “Yoga” is derived from Sanskrit. It indicates “union”, symbolizing the union of body and mind. Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice which is originated from India. Amidst this difficult period, we can practice yoga at home with our family to enhance our physical activity and for the refreshment of our mind. Practicing yoga not only bring mindfulness but also bring a physical happiness in you. Due to staying home, our physical activity becomes lower other than the normal time which is one of the worst problems worldwide during this pandemic. Because a lack of physical activity is the leading cause of death worldwide and it leads to several types of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Diseased persons are more susceptible to Covid-19. Practicing yoga at home helps to increase physical activity and reduce stress. Yoga is not only a physical exercise but also a mental exercise that paves the pathway towards the soul.
How does yoga help to improve mental health?
There are several well-documented benefits of yoga has been published which especially find the association between depressive symptom and yoga. According to the latest study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, yoga can increase levels of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the short-term and completing one yoga class per week may maintain elevated GABA that could mitigate depressive symptoms. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is a neurotransmitter that regulates the activity of the nerve cell in the human brain. Individuals with lower GABA levels are more prone to depression and anxiety. Practicing yoga regularly will automatically increase the GABA level thus an individual can be active and healthy. Yoga also improves the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the most common neurobehavioral disorder in childhood and the most extensively studied childhood mental disorder. It is characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity and overactivity. According to a pilot study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics “Taking yoga classes with the physical education (PE) improves the mood, behavior and mindfulness among school children”. Researchers at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) published a study that practicing a certain form of chanting yogic meditation for just 12 minutes daily for eight weeks led to a reduction in the biological mechanisms responsible for an increase in the immune system’s inflammation response. Inflammation, if constantly activated, can contribute to a multitude of chronic health problem especially Alzheimer disease. Thus a simple meditation helps to reduce this neurodegenerative disease which occurs when the nerve cell of the brain die. A new studyfinds that the deep, physiological state of rest induced by such practices produces immediate positivechange in the expression of genes involved in immune function, energy metabolism and insulin secretion. In this way, yoga improves our mental health which is necessary for all people of all ages to cope with stress during this pandemic.
How does yoga promote physical health?
Routine physical activity is the root cause of life-long health and well-being. Adequate physical activity improves muscular activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, makes our bone stronger and helps to prevent depression and promote mental health. But most importantly it reduces the risk of life-threatening Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, stroke, heart attack and diabetes which causes at least 8.5 million death in South East Asia annually. Practicing yoga at home amid this pandemic enhances the physical activity and helps to protect us from different types of fatal disease. Children aged 5-17 which means at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity activity daily and adults also require at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly, recommended by WHO. For all people at all ages need to physically active and healthy especially during this quarantine period. To increase your physical activity choose yoga and practice yoga regularly.
As a whole, we can easily imagine the importance of practicing yoga amid lockdown period. Yoga is the best tool for keeping up our physical and mental health during this pandemic. It also helps us to maintain social distance and to avoid mass gatherings which is necessary for avoiding Covid-19 infection. To get triple (promoting physical activity, improving mental health and to avoid Covid-19 infection) benefit you can practice yoga at home with your family especially with children which will make you and your family active, healthy and happy as well. Let’s make yoga our everydays’s companion to defeat depression and anxiety.
(Md Billal Hossen is a MS student, Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Technology Faculty of Biological Science, Islamic University, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected])
