What is Yoga?•Yoga means “union” in Sanskrit

• It is a form of meditation

•Practiced for health & relaxation

•Involves specific bodily postures

•Used to increase breath control, flexibility & circulation

Who practices Yoga?

• 20.4 million Americans – 82.2% of those are

women– 62.8% ages 18-44

• Athletes• People undergoing

physical therapy• People seeking spiritual

enlightenment

Are you feeling

stressed or unmotivated?

What Causes Stress?

• Anything that forces you to adjust • External factors -ex. Financial issues, busy schedules, work or school

problems• Internal factors-ex. Negative self-talk, chronic worry, unrealistic

expectations/perfectionism

What causes stress (cont.)

There are two nervous systems in the human body:

• sympathetic & parasympathetic • The sympathetic, aka the "fight or flight"

system, causes:• blood pressure to rise• breath rate to speed up• stress hormones to flood into the body. This

causes stress

62% of Americans say that work has a significant impact on stress

levels.

More than 30% of college freshman feel overwhelmed a great deal of the time.

Yoga helps to Promote:• Inner peace, calm and authentic happiness • Increased Strength• Weight loss and weight management • Increased overall energy • Improved sleep • Heightened mental and intuitive awareness • Whole body detoxification

How yoga helps with internal stress

• Helps promote healthy organs, putting less physical stress on the body

• Calms the mind, reducing production of stress hormones

• Promotes circulation causing a euphoric “runners high”

Facts & Statistics • Nearly 18 million Americans

use Yoga to manage stress.• 76% of participants undergoing

large amounts of stress said that they felt better after only 3 weeks of three 90 minute sessions a week.

• Over the entire world, 3 out of 5 visits to physicians are for problems related to stress.

• In the United States, 43% of people have negative stress induced health problems.

Relieve AnxietyAccording to the December 2009 issue of "Perceptual Motor Skills," yoga reduces anxiety. Researchers S. Telles, V. Gaur and A. Balkrishna observed 300 persons who attended Pantanjali Yogpeeth, a yoga therapy center in North India. Those who participated in a two-hour yoga practice session showed a 14.7 percent decrease in anxiety levels.

Can you really count on yoga to help?The answer is YES! There are now studies and research to actually document the benefit of yoga on anything from arthritis to stroke to HIV.

A few health conditions benefited by Yoga:

• Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse• Anxiety• Asthma• Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder (ADHD)• Back Pain• Balance Problems• Cancer• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome• Congestive Heart Failure• Depression• Diabetes

Health Benefits WithinA few health benefits that can be discovered within the body:

Blood pressure. A consistent yoga practice decreases blood pressure through better circulation and oxygenation of the body.

Circulation. Yoga improves blood circulation. By transporting nutrients and oxygen throughout your body, yoga practice provides healthier organs, skin, and brain.

Immunity. Yoga practice has frequently been correlated with a stronger immune system.

Namaste’

Works cited• "Does Yoga Help Reduce Stress?" LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 13 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 May 2014.• Heiden, Sydney "How Does Yoga Reduce Your Stress?." How Does Yoga Reduce Your Stress?. 2 Jul. 2007

EzineArticles.com. 13 May. 2014 <http://ezinearticles.com/?How- Does- Yoga- Reduce- Your- Stress?&id=630100>.

• Weil, Richard, MED,CDE. "Yoga: Get Information About Health Benefits and Yoga Types." MedicineNet. William C. Shiel Jr. MD, FACP, FACR, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.medicinenet.com/yoga/article.htm>.

• Haaz, Steffanny, MFA, RYT. "Arthritis Information." Arthritis Information. N.p., 23 June 2009. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/patient-corner/disease-management/yoga-for-arthritis/>.

• http://in• 2wellness.weebly.com/internal-benefits-of-yoga.html• http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/24/77-surprising-health-benefits-of-yoga/• http://www.fitnesshealth101.com/fitness/yoga/styles/stress-relief