yoga therapy & chronic illness
Living with a chronic illness takes a toll on us physically, but also mentally and emotionally, affecting our ability to live life the way we want. Pain, poor sleep, inflammation, mental health challenges, loss of self and identity are some aspects to consider working with. Kundalini Yoga as a therapy offers tools and techniques to assist with the management of living with a chronic health condition.
According to the National Institutes of Health scientific evidence shows that Yoga as a therapy can support relaxation, mental health, pain management, mindfulness & quality sleep. Yoga encourages us to relax, steady out the rhythm of breath and focus on the present. This shifts the balance from sympathetic nervous system and the flight-or-fight response to parasympathetic system and the relaxation response. The parasympathetic state is calming and restorative, allowing us to lower breath and heart rate which helps to; decrease blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, increase blood flow to the intestines and vital organs.
Through the centuries Yoga has been taught and practiced as a way for healthy people to reach their excellence. Even though there are Yogic texts on the therapeutic applications of Yoga, it is not historically a therapeutic method or intervention. Dr Shanti Shanti K. Kalsa Ph.D. discusses how Yoga therapy developed, from her work in the 80s working with the HIV population, alongside other teachers in a similar position teaching Yoga to specific health populations.
“Over the past twenty years, Western medicine has influenced the delivery of our Yoga therapy programs and how we work with clients. In turn, we are influencing Western medicine. There is more widespread acknowledgement of the contribution the practice of Yoga brings to health, and the ability of the body/mind/spirit to restore health. In addition, popular books such as Yoga as Medicine by Timothy McCall, MD, and Meditation as Medicine by Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, have brought the practice of Yoga and the Yogic way of living as a therapy to a broader audience.”
Benefits and studies of Yoga as a Therapy for Chronic illness and associated symptoms:
· When practicing Yoga, the foundational emphasis is placed on accepting one's moment-to-moment experiences, creating mindfulness, and not forcing the body past its comfortable limits. Having this healthy sense of acceptance and mindfulness is important for individuals dealing with chronic illness as it decreases the stress one experiences from unpleasant symptomology.
· Practicing yoga and meditation consistently, as a means to manage and relieve both acute and chronic stress, helps individuals overcome other co-morbidities associated with diseases and leads to an increased quality of life.
· Numerous studies show that asana, meditation or a combination of the two can reduce pain and disability while improving flexibility and functional mobility in people with a number of conditions causing chronic pain.
· Results from another study showed patients experienced significantly lower levels of pain and fatigue, and higher levels of invigoration, acceptance and relaxation following participation in a yoga intervention.
· Yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation can reduce stress, promote healing, increase energy, decrease adverse treatment effects, and enhance quality-of-life for patients with cancer.
· Regular practice of yoga resulted in a significant decrease in the time taken to fall asleep, an increase in the total number of hours slept, and in the feeling of being rested in the morning.
Meeting the client where they are at is crucial in the form of Yoga therapy. That means titrating the given treatment, starting with a little and building upon that over time. The key is to foster a sense of vitality (Praana) slowly and surely, rather than overwhelm or create unrealistic expectation.
A Yoga Therapist is a highly trained health practitioner and a companion to walk side-by-side with on your healing journey, offering:
- an individualised health program tailored to personal needs
- a clear path forward with check-ins & measured results along the way
- ongoing support providing the momentum to continue & achieve health goals
In Yoga Therapy, the aim is to empower the individual that they have control over their health and their body, introducing tools and techniques that are suited to where the individual is at. A Yoga Therapist aims to provide support and highlight results so that the individual becomes aware of their progress and continues to improve.