Stress

That simple word that many of us have accepted as a normal part of daily life. Let's dive a little deeper. Stress responses can be normal and even valuable to mobilize us in acute situations that warrant a quick response. When we live in a chronic state of stress, however, we can start to see negative effects on our health. In children and teens with rapidly developing brains, these effects can be compounded. Increased levels of cortisol, one of the hormones found in the brain during stressful times, has been linked to many health issues including: lowered immune response, increased inflammation, increased blood sugar and weight gain. If you have noticed any of these symptoms or are worried about your child's stress level, you've come to the right place! Yoga is here to help. It's important to note that yoga is best thought of as a long term approach to holistic wellness. It's not a replacement for conventional medicine in an emergent situation. It is a path to lowering stress, improving mood, and improving mind/body connection. As the brains and bodies of our children and adolescents are developing, what a beautiful gift that we can give to them to feel confident, strong, and connected. Research has proven that emotions, stress, and trauma can be stored in the body and manifest into physical symptoms. Read more in The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk on this fascinating phenomena.

Yoga combines asanas (postures) with pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation in a perfect synergy to decrease anxiety, lower stress responses, improve posture, encourage abdominal breathing, increase feelings of gratitude and calm and decrease the desire to control. The effects of yoga are cumulative. The more we fire those neurons together, the more they wire together. The more we practice breathing techniques when we are calm, the more those strategies will naturally turn on in times of stress. All of these lead to less cortisol and more serotonin and a more zen you.