Okay, so you survived your midterms and for a brief moment, you had your small amount of freedom. Unfortunately, brief really does mean brief, and as we enter halfway into March, we are forced to start stressing about those pesky final papers and exams. Stress, although primarily a physical response, is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. When we start to stress, that is our body letting us know we are under attack and we enter into our ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing a complex mix of hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine to prepare the body for physical action. Here are a few examples in which stress affects your body:
- Stress hormones make your heart pump faster so that blood can reach vital organs and limbs quickly
- Chronic stress can cause additional anxiety and lead to depression
- Stress makes your muscles tense up. If you aren’t able to relax them, you may develop aches and pains all over your body
- Prolonged stress can interfere with sleep and cause insomni
- Your aching stomach may be a sign that you’re overstressed. You might even have diarrhea or develop constipation
Usually, what some of us like to do when we stress out is EAT (I know I do). But the problem with using eating as a mechanism to dealing with stress is that we tend to over-eat and manage to create a lifestyle that may not always be the healthiest in the long-run. So, what are some ways to deal with the overwhelming stress of university life that will also keep us healthy and active? Well, yoga of course! Practicing yoga has been shown to influence several motor functions. As well as, at Oxygen Yoga, we teach you how to reduce stress in the body, breath, and mind by building coping skills with a daily routine of exercise, breathing, and meditation. There was even a study done by the Harvard Health publications that expressed “By reducing perceived stress and anxiety, yoga appears to modulate stress response systems. This, in turn, decreases physiological arousal… reducing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and easing respiration. There is also evidence that yoga practices help increase heart rate variability, an indicator of the body’s ability to respond to stress more flexibly”
Here are a few classes that are great for students who want to stay in shape and kick their stress’s butt!
- Reduced Heat Beginners & Beyond
- Hot Yoga Rise and Shine
- Bar flow & Bar Fusion (New classes!)
In conclusion, we know how expensive and stressful school can be so we offer stutends a special rate of only $75 a month (based on a 12-month membership) or 15% off any other regular price membership! The great thing about practicing yoga is that they are lessons that you can take with you even when you leave the studio, so don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to take away with you!