Health Tips to Overcome a Bad Mood

Health Tips to Overcome a Bad Mood

Mood swings, depression and stress can often feel overwhelming and it isn't easy to just snap out of such bad moods. There are various strategies that can help to reduce levels of stress and improve your ability to cope with situations that would normally cause stress. From exercising, walking, swimming and singing to making changes in your routine to make time for friends, family and activities that give you pleasure, there are plenty of healthy ways to deal with depression. In addition to making such changes in your life it would be a good idea to take up yoga lessons at a yoga studio or to try out a few simple yoga activities in your living room at the very least. Here are some useful tips that will help you understand how to overcome depression and anxiety with yoga:

• Start your day by practicing some yoga pranayamas, which are popularly referred to as breathing exercises. Health care experts have affirmed the benefits of such breathing exercises as studies indicate that such controlled breathing exercises help to counter the effects of stress and anxiety by reducing the heart rate and regulating the flow of blood. Some pranayamas that you should try include, the Kapal Bhati or Skull-Shining Breathing Technique, the Bhastrika or Bellows Breath and Bhramari or Bee Breath. The Sudarshan Kriya is another yoga breathing technique that can be a tremendous help to anyone afflicted with stress and depression.
• Forget about transcendental meditation and reaching some higher level of awareness. The most basic yoga practices can help you to meditate and achieve inner peace. Studies on the efficacy of meditative practices as therapeutic tool for combatting stress and anxiety suggest that meditation helps to reduce and improves your ability to cope with stress by altering the brains neural pathways. Simple poses like the Padmasana or Lotus Pose can help set the right mood for meditation. The Siddhasana or Accomplished Pose and Sukhasana or Easy Pose are just as effective for meditation.
• Practice a few asanas that will help to relax both your body and your mind. Stress and anxiety can have an effect on your health both mentally and physically and it is important that your body feels relaxed as well. There are several yoga postures that are extremely gentle and non-strenuous and their practice will help to not just invigorate and optimize your bodily functions, but they will also help to reduce stress levels and prepare you for your day. Include postures like the Marjaryasana or Cat Pose, Suryanamaskar or Sun Salutation, Bitilasana or Cow Pose, Shishuasana or Child Pose and the Savasana or Corpse Pose.
• Yoga practices, including pranayamas and asanas don't just have to be penciled in to specific routines or timeslots. Anytime you start to feel the pressure of life get to you, take a deep breath and indulge in some yoga activities. A 5 minute respite from work to regenerate and compose yourself will not hurt productivity but will in fact boost your performance. If you are at the work place, simple chair yoga exercises can help significantly. If you're not comfortable doing physical exercises at work, you could simply practice a few yoga breathing exercises. You will notice a rapid reduction in stress levels and will be much better equipped to deal with the challenges at hand.

Above all, make it a point to make healthy changes in your lifestyle. Create time for yourself and learn to manage your time judiciously so that these healthy practices do not fall victim to your hectic schedule.

References:

1. Vorkapic CF, Rang� B. Reducing the symptomatology of panic disorder: the effects of a yoga program alone and in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Front Psychiatry. 2014 Dec 8;5:177. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00177. eCollection 2014. PubMed PMID: 25538634; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4259001.
2. Riley KE, Park CL. How does yoga reduce stress? A systematic review of mechanisms of change and guide to future inquiry. Health Psychol Rev. 2015 Jan 3:1-30. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 25559560.
3. Godse AS, Shejwal BR, Godse AA. Effects of suryanamaskar on relaxation among college students with high stress in Pune, India. Int J Yoga. 2015 Jan;8(1):15-21. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.146049. PubMed PMID: 25558129.
4. Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief - (http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/how-to-practice-yoga-and-tai-chi.htm)