What is Therapeutic Yoga?
Therapeutic yoga is an activity that can be adapted to all ages and needs. Yoga therapy works to bridge the gap between healthcare and yoga. This type of yoga uses the foundations of traditional yoga and combines them with common therapeutic techniques to create a more healing-centric environment.
The typical attributes of yoga therapy are the following:
- Small vinyasas: fluid movements in and out of poses
- Pranayama: breath regulation
- Guided meditations: meditation led by an instructor
The beauty of this style of yoga is completely adaptable. Each person has different goals and skill levels in each class, therefore all movements can be adapted and customized to allow each yogi to choose the level of restoration and challenge they feel throughout the class.
Yoga Therapy Benefits
Studies have shown there are a handful of benefits yoga provides. Traditional yoga and yoga therapy overlap in benefits, including increased flexibility from the yoga poses, known as asanas. Therapeutic yoga focuses more on relaxation and alleviating stubborn physical and mental pain, which allows for specific benefits from this style of yoga to emerge.
If you experience anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, or another physical or mental ailment and nothing else has worked, therapeutic yoga may be the right choice for you.
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Improving Your Sleep
A study published by the National Institute of Health (NIH) found older adults regularly engaging in yoga had better sleep quality overall. This included less sleep disruptions, less time needed to fall asleep, less use of sleep medications, and feeling more rested the following day. Even more interesting is this finding aligned with previous research as well.
The reasoning for this? One possible explanation is the combination of stretching and relaxation. Additionally, yoga can improve respiratory function, allowing for better breathing during the night and fewer sleep disturbances.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Yoga therapy’s relaxing nature has assisted in calmness and greater well-being. Some mental benefits include improved body image and self-confidence, increased attentiveness, and overall a more optimistic outlook on life.
Yoga can be a great addition to your health and wellness plan and, thanks to its holistic nature, can be added to existing routines.
Relieving Chronic Pain
If you are experiencing unresolved pain, consider yoga as an alternative treatment. This research is still being conducted to show a connection between yoga and reduced pain. So far, there have been a series of studies showing promising results for a variety of chronic pain, including:
- Lower Back Pain
- Headaches
- Arthritis
- Neck Pain
Start Your Wellness Journey
Yoga therapy has the potential to holistically improve your quality of life. Are you looking for classes for therapeutic yoga in Alameda, California? Our therapeutic yoga classes emphasize learning and creating an environment where the student can see how their body wants to evolve in these movements and expressions. Led by stellar yoga instructors in Alameda, these classes can help lead you to a more relaxed state.
Check out upcoming classes at Bespoke Wellness: yoga and fitness schedule. Online reservations encouraged!
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students:
