Get the Support You Need

Learn from thousands of users who have made their way through our courses. Need help getting started? Watch this short video.

today's top discussions:

logo

Social anxiety disorder

Ashley -> Health Educator

2024-05-29 1:50 PM

Anxiety Community

logo

Addiction

Ashley -> Health Educator

2024-05-20 2:48 PM

Managing Drinking Community

logo

Challenging Worry - Worry Time

Ashley -> Health Educator

2024-05-14 3:33 PM

Depression Community

This Month’s Leaders:

Most Supportive

Browse through 411.756 posts in 47.057 threads.

160,719 Members

Please welcome our newest members: Ktktindy1, Julesy, grames, rainyjade, AJ8142

Benefits of Yoga, Meditation, & Tai Chi


12 years ago 0 81 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I started Yoga January this year.  It has changed my life...okay maybe that's a bit dramatic but truly I found it to be very very helpful in supporting my lifestyle changes.  The class is only once per week at lunch at my work.  I have a very stressful job so taking an hour out of my workday to practice yoga has been amazing.  I have found it helps a lot with my stress, as well as my strength and flexibility.  i can touch my toes for the first time in about 30 years!
12 years ago 0 272 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Ashley,
 
I was fortunate enough to participate in an OHIP covered Mindfullness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program at North York General Hospital, this past spring.   It was amazing.  The program was pretty intense as we were required to meditate for a minimum of 45 minutes every day of the 8 week program.   The program's therapeutic premise is preventing major depression reoccurrance, but I found it really helpful with overall stress management and to an extent dealing with alcohol cravings.   I'm not quite perfect but I do still try to meditate for 45 min a day.   I use guided meditation CD's by Jon Kabat-Zin.
 
splitimage
12 years ago 0 11219 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Members,

Our focus in recent weeks has been on stress management. Yoga, meditation & Tai Chi are often recommended to relieve stress. Below you’ll find a list of potential benefits that you may gain as a result of engaging in such activities:

  • Yoga can help relieve asthma symptoms, respiratory problems, high blood pressure, pain, mental performance, mood, back problems, arthritis, libido, weight and anxiety.
  • Psychology Today reports that individual observed during and after meditation showed shifts of brain activity from right frontal cortex to the left frontal cortex. The right side of the frontal cortex is a part of the brain that becomes active when stress levels rise. The study also noted that after eight weeks of meditation the shift from right to left in the brains of participants became more permanent. In other words, participants moods were rated higher than at the beginning of the study. (Collin, A., Psychology Today, April 24, 2003.)
  • Tai Chi can help relieve osteoarthritis pain, joint pain & overall mobility, balance, muscle strength and mood.

Have any members here tried these relaxing activities? What was your experience?

 
Ashley, Health Educator

Reading this thread: