Yoga and Nervous System
In today’s fast changing world everyone seems to be in a race, high adrenal activities and on constant alert. By the time one reaches forty years of age one feel burnt out.
We live in a sympathetic mode most of the time and our nervous system becomes overly stimulated. Prolonged stress responses result in suppression of our immune system and we become prone to infections and constipation. We suffer from asthma, allergies and hay fever. Our pH balance is affected so we live in a more acid state as our bodies cannot relax.
The sympathetic nervous system, commonly known as the “fight or flight” system, becomes more active when we are under constant stress, causing our breath rate to quicken, blood pressure to rise and stress hormones to flood into our body.
In order for our body to function optimally we need to have a balanced autonomic nervous system. That means we have to switch to our parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers our blood pressure and slows down our breath.
Our parasympathetic nervous system controls smooth muscle contraction, regulates cardiac muscle, or stimulates glandular secretion and is known as “rest and digest” system. When we are in a parasympathetic mode our blood can freely travel to the digestive, immune, glandular and reproductive systems to restore balance and to heal the damage done during our stressful time.
Through daily practice of yoga we can bring equilibrium into our body and mind i.e. balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and stress can be reduced. Slow and deep yogic breathing encourages the actions of the parasympathetic nervous system and allows relaxation and healing to occur.
While practicing yoga we need to respect our own body, learn how to deal with stress, incorporate deep breathing into our daily life and we become physically and mentally healthy.
The yoga system includes practice of yoga poses (asanas), controlled deep and slow breathing (pranayama), relaxation, concentration, meditation and healthy eating.
Remember: Yoga is an excellent way to bring balance in our nervous system and to stay healthy forever.
Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta Celebrity Yoga Instructor in Chelsea, Kensington London for those who are living a stressful life.
Subodh Gupta is a corporate wellness consultant and author of many books on yoga and weight loss. He has been interviewed by various TV channels and his views and articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers in India and the UK.
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