How Yoga Can Help in the Time of COVID-19

In the midst of a global pandemic, we’re all navigating through uncharted territory. COVID-19 has caused levels of stress and anxiety to skyrocket and it’s (understandably) taking a toll on people’s mental health. One thing that can help? Yoga. 

Yes, yoga. A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that “movement-based yoga,” defined as any form of yoga where participants are physically active at least 50% of the time (ie, flowing through poses), can positively impact how you feel.

“Our research shows that movement-based yoga improved symptoms of depression (or improved mental health) for people living with a range of mental health conditions including anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and major depression,” said lead researcher Jacinta Brisley, a PhD candidate from the University of South Australia. “So, it’s very good news for people struggling in times of uncertainty.”

Unlike some other forms of exercise, yoga can be done at home, with no equipment, making it an ideal fitness choice while social distancing or sheltering in place, whether you’re feeling ok mentally or not. “Exercise has always been a great strategy for people struggling with these feelings as it boosts both mood and health,” noted Brisley in her report. “People are looking for alternatives, and this is where yoga can help.”

While this Australian study focused on more vigorous forms of yoga, restorative, slower-paced and meditation classes can have similar effects. As mentioned by  Harvard Health Publishing, it appears that a range of yoga practices can reduce the impact of “exaggerated stress responses” and be helpful for both anxiety and depression, functioning as a self-soothing technique. By reducing perceived stress, yoga can help reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure and ease respiration—something many of us could use right now.

“What neurologists and physicians are finding out is that our body and mind are not as separate as was thought,” CorePower’s chief yoga officer, Heather Peterson, has said to Well + Good. “Addressing your mental health practices in conjunction with your physical health practices is the way to raise your baseline of wellbeing. 

She added, “In my 20-plus years of practicing yoga, I’ve found that yogic breathing has calmed my mind in the most stressful of times.”

Ready to get started doing yoga during COVID-19? Check out our free community classes at CorePower Live and Yoga on Demand.