Yoga and stress management What is Yoga n

Yoga and stress management

What is Yoga n n n n Yoga originated in India From sanskrit word “yuj” meaning union between mind , body and spirit. Include ethical discipline, physical postures, breathing control and meditation. Yoga is not only stretching. There are 8 limbs of yoga. Physical postures called “Asana” is just one of the eight limbs of yoga Majority of types more concerned with mental and spiritual well being.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga n n spirit mind Body n n n 1. Yama 2. Niyam 3. Asan 4. Pranayam 5. Pratyahar 6. Dharana 7. Dhyan 8. Samadhi

Yama n n n Five ethical guidelines regarding moral behavior towards others Ahimsa-Nonviolence Satya-Truthfulness Asteya-Nonstealing Brahmacharya-No lust or sexual activity within marriage. Aparigraha-don’t collect things that are not necessary.

Niyam Five ethical guidelines regarding moral behavior towards others Sauch-Clealiness Santosh-Contentment Tapas-Sustained Practice Svadyay-Self Study Ishvara Pranidhan-Surrender to God

The Eight Limbs Cont. n n n Asana-Practice of yoga postures Pranayam-Practice of breathing exercises Pratyahara-Withdrawl of the senses, meaning that the exterior world is not a distraction from the interior world within oneself.

The Eight Limbs Cont. n n n Dharana-Concentration, The ability to focus on something uninterrupted by external or internal distraction Dhyana-Meditation Samadhi-Bliss. Building upon Dhyana, the transcendence of the self through meditation. The merging of self with the universe.

What is Stress n n n The wear and tear our bodies experience The state of threatened homeostasis Stressors cause imbalance Body tries to balance Yoga can be a great help balance the imbalance!

Stressors n n n Can be positive and negative. Positive stressors-can help compel us to action, can result in a new perspective. eg: Birth of a new baby, a job promotion, getting married. Negative stressors-can result in feeling of distrust, rejection, anger etc. eg: death of a loved one, loosing a job, getting divorced.

Clinical Significance of yoga n n n n Reduced stress Spiritual growth Sense of well being Reduced anxiety and muscle tension Increased strength and flexibility Slowed aging Sound sleep n n n Improve many medical conditions: Lower heart rate Lower blood pressure Allergy and asthma symptom relief Smoking cessation help

Stress and Healthcare Providers n n Providing care to others is a rich and rewarding experience Often feel improved self esteem and confidence But…. They have the responsibility of another human being’s life. No wonder they live under tremendous stress!

Stress and Healthcare providers n n n Continuous exposure to suffering Psychological effects of death and dying patients Decreased sleep and food Long hours of work Constant worry about law suits CME – study , study!

How Yoga Can help n n Practicing yoga can be a best thing a provider can do for himself/herself Doing simple “Pranayam” (breathing technique) in breaks can calm their mind. Practicing yoga for ½ hr. a day can make their body fit to take care of others. Yogic thought process- will teach not to work only for money.

Most Research in India n n Study at LTC , Mumbai, India to determine if practice of yoga has any effect on anxiety status during routine activities and prior to exam done showed reduction in baseline anxiety as well as anxiety before exam. Study at Nehru hospital, Chandigarh, India The psychological tests after yoga therapy showed high sense of well-being in the nurses

Conclusion n n A body with a stressful mind can not be a healthy body HC providers are people who help others to keep their body healthy Off course, to do so, first they need a healthy body without a stressful mind Yoga helps the mind to become clear and pure and clear mind is not affected by stress. HCP with this kind of pure and clear mind can really work better for the well being of their patients.

References n n n 1) Pizer A, “The Eight Limbs of Yoga”, June 7 2006, Available at http: //yoga. about. com, Accessed on February 19, 2007. 2) Cooper C, Balamurali TB, Selwood A, Livingston G. “A systemic review of intervention studies about anxiety in caregivers of people with dementia”. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2006 Sep; (Epub ahead of print). 3) Scott E, “Stress Management”, May 10 2006, Available at http: //stress. about. com, Accessed on February 19, 2007. 3) Malathi A, Damodaran A. “Stress due to exams in medical students-role of yoga”. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 1999 Apr; 43(2): 218 -24. 4) Parshad O, “Role of yoga in stress management”. West Indian Medical Journal. 2004 Jun; 53(3): 191 -4.

References cont. n n n 5) Shapiro SL, Schwartz GE, Bonner G, “Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on medical and paramedical students”. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 1998 Dec; 21(6): 589 -99. 6) Waelde LC, Thompson L, Gallagher-Thompson D. “A pilot study of a yoga and meditation intervention for dementia caregiver stress”. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2004 Jun; 60(6): 677 -87. 7) Walia IJ, Mehra P, Grover P, Earnest C, Verma SK, Sanjeev, “ Health Status of nurses and yoga. 1. Baseline data”. The Nursing Journal of India. 1989 Sep; 80(9): 235 -7.