Use yoga to combat back-to-school stress
It’s normal for students to feel a bit nervous about going back to school.
After a long and lazy summer, the prospect of heading back to the classroom, new teachers and entering a higher grade can make any student feel more stressed, regardless of age.
Practising yoga can help combat the stress of going back to school.
Yoga is great for easing anxiety and building confidence in one’s ability, mentally and physically.
Yoga can help the nervous student
Students who practise yoga learn how to manage their stress through focused movement, breathing exercises and visualization techniques.
Yoga can also help with social situations, as it helps build selfesteem and can help students concentrate during the school day.
The physical benefits of yoga include improved flexibility and strength.
If you suffer from anxiety, panic attacks or similar disorders, it’s important that you also take care of your mind and thoughts.
By slowly breathing a deep breath in and out through your nose, you will calm your body and mind.
As you slow down your breathing, your heart rate decreases and your thoughts tend to slow down and your mind becomes clearer.
Breathing exercises help clear the mind and create a feeling of relaxation throughout the whole body.
Yoga may also help you get back in touch with your body. As you practise the poses, you may start to notice you are not as weak as you thought you were.
By realizing that you can hold a pose for a few extra breaths, or by going deeper into a pose, you will become more confident about yourself and your body.
This can help you to overcome fears and regain a peaceful state of mind.
See happy, be happy
I use visualization in my yoga teaching as a way to relax and refocus.
By focusing your mind on images that are serene and calming, you can calm the mind and body connection.
By doing so, there is no room for negative thoughts. If they do creep back into your head, then with each breath out, breathe them out.
Get rid of those negative thoughts; you don’t need them. Positive thoughts put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. They motivate us to move more and generally make us happier.
Getting students into yoga
If you try yoga with younger children, you may need to be a bit more creative to keep their attention, as usually they have a shorter attention span.
If practising at home, keep things fun and interesting. Try giving the poses funny names, playing music that they like or telling a story that goes along with each pose.
For example, use animal names for the poses, such as cat, dog, bird and mountain lion.
Another idea would be to use pictures of different animals throughout the room to represent different poses.
Pam A. Lowe is a certified kriplau yoga teacher living in Kentville. She is also a CPT-CSEP. Her hobbies include triathlons, painting and, of course, yoga.