Slow, Mindful Yoga: Building Nervous System Resilience

By Betsy Paul

Just “B” Yoga with Betsy Paul

. https://www.justbyogawithbetsypaul.com/

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Slow, Mindful Yoga: Building Nervous System Resilience

Slow, mindful yoga for nervous system resilience is not the same as gentle yoga and so it is not about slowing down sun salutations. It has health benefits (in addition to the usual exercise benefits) that can help to build resilience in the nervous system. It helps train the nervous system to down regulate to a calming place. 

No pain: pain science has taught us that the more you reinforce pain signaling up to the brain, the more pain you feel. Slow movement sets the trajectory of the nervous system towards healing. 

Being comfortable rather than uncomfortable. This instead of opioids or other pain killers.

It is about slowing down and doing less. Less is more when looking for more range of motion. Micro movements train the nervous system to feel comfortable. This is particularly important for people who are hyper-mobile. Hyper-mobility is many times accompanied by anxiety, as well as less capacity to feel sensations in the body which can lead to serious injury.

Follow the breath, which is the gateway to the autonomic nervous system. This is about optimizing the function of the respiratory apparatus.

Interoceptive Awareness: knowing how you are feeling on the inside. This awareness drives behavior. Some researchers suggest that poor interoception lies at the foundation of all chronic disease. Feeling into sensations in our bodies is a skill that can be built with mindful movement. 

The psychological benefits of kindness. There is a lot of research to suggest that when you approach yourself from a place of kindness and self-compassion, the physiological benefits are extraordinary.

Chronic diseases absorb 90% of medical dollars – $3.6 trillion in 2012. So why isn’t slow, mindful practice mandated by public health? It includes low-cost, low-risk, non-invasive strategies to manage stress.