Meditation and yoga is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. It is believed around 28% of UK adults practice meditation at least once a week. In addition, the same survey found that 13% of UK adults practice yoga at least once a week, which is also an increase from previous years.
Meditation is widely practiced in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia where it has been part of many spiritual and religious practices for centuries. More recently, many celebrities and public figures have publicly endorsed the benefits of meditation, which has helped to increase its popularity.
The popularity of meditation and yoga has also been reflected in the growth of studios, classes, and retreats across the UK. Many workplaces and schools have also begun to incorporate mindfulness and yoga practices into their wellness programs.
But how can yoga help you? Overall, it seems that meditation and yoga is used as more people seek ways to manage stress and improve their overall well-being, both mental and physical.
Meditation can help reduce stress & improve mental focus and clarity by promoting relaxation and decreasing the production of stress hormones such as cortisol.
As previously mentioned, it’s not just the mental aspect of your life meditation and yoga can help. It is believed it also lowers blood pressure, improves sleep and boosts your immune system. This is due to the fact yoga can increase the production of antibodies, which are proteins that help the immune system fight off infections.
Improves overall well-being: Meditation can help promote an overall sense of well-being by reducing stress, improving emotional health, and promoting physical health.
Overall, the growing body of scientific evidence supporting the benefits of meditation has contributed to its popularity as more people seek ways to manage stress and improve their overall well-being.
Here are a few simple poses to get you started. Remember to maintain the previous position before moving on:
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana)- Stand at the top of the mat with your feet hip-distance apart, palms facing forward and arms at your sides. Take a deep breath and feel your feet grounding down into the earth.
- Forward Fold (Uttanasana)- Exhale and fold forward from the hips, reaching your fingertips towards the ground or your shins. Keep your knees slightly bent if you need to, and let your head and neck relax- only go as far as you can manage, do not over stretch.
- Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)- Plant your hands on the mat and step your feet back to come into Downward Facing Dog. Do do this, press your hands and feet firmly into the mat, lengthen through your spine, and let your head hang heavy.
- Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)- Step your right foot forward between your hands and come up into Warrior I. Bend your right knee and lift your arms overhead, keeping your shoulders relaxed. Square your hips toward the front of the mat and gaze forward.
- Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)- Bring your hands to your heart center and shift your weight onto your left foot. Lift your right foot and place the sole of your foot on your left inner thigh, pressing your foot into your thigh and your thigh into your foot. Bring your hands to your heart center and focus your gaze forward.
- Child’s Pose (Balasana)- Come back down to the mat and sit back on your heels, lowering your forehead to the mat. Reach your arms forward and rest them on the mat, or bring them back by your sides. Breathe deeply and relax into the pose.
- Corpse Pose (Savasana)- Slowly come up to a seated position and then lie down on your back. Close your eyes and let your body sink into the mat, releasing any tension or stress. Stay in this pose for as long as you like, taking deep breaths and letting your mind and body relax.
This is a simple yoga routine that you can do anytime, anywhere. Remember to move slowly and mindfully, breathing deeply and listening to your body. As you become more comfortable with these poses, you can start to explore more advanced variations and sequences.
A recent study has shown that anxiety can be used to help improve anxiety too!
