If you’re feeling down in dumps don’t automatically head for an anti-depressant. Yoga could be the answer. If you head to the doctor’s you’re likely to be prescribed a drug which can have side effects and in some cases leads to dependency. On top of this it won’t help you to deal with the underlying causes of your depression. However yoga has been developed over centuries and physical exercises called asanas are used as a way of calming and soothing the mind and body.
Yoga dates back thousands of years and does not just encompass physical exercises but is a philosophy that is aimed at healing body, mind and spirit. Originally asanas otherwise known as postures were developed to prepare the body for meditation. In ancient yoga practice it was believed that it was hard for an individual to reach spiritual awareness when the body was ill or diseased. It was also required that the mind was still and this could be achieved through physical exercise.
These days there has been evidence to suggest that regular exercise can dramatically reduce depression and anxiety. It has also been found that yoga can increase GABA neurotransmitters which are thought to minimize the effects of depression. Yogis also claim that yoga not only increases physical well being but transcends beyond that to increase happiness levels.