our-yoga

A: After many, many years of practicing on my own, I do develop specific cravings for yoga poses, depending both on my emotional and physical state. In my case, stress affects me in a very distinctive way: I become hyper, a little manic, and I have a hard time sleeping. So what I really crave (and know from experience will work for me) during a stressful period is the calming superpowers of supported inverted poses (see All About Supported Inverted Poses and Why You Should Love Your Baroreceptors ). What I love about these poses is that they don’t take a lot of mental effort for me (I do breath practices as well but you have to focus on those). I just get myself into the poses, and the magic calming action just kicks in. 

by Nina 

Opening Peas by Melina Meza

"Stress can damage the brain. The hormones it releases can change the way nerves fire, and send circuits into a dangerous feedback loop, leaving us vulnerable to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.” — Geoffrey Mohan, LA Times

One of my new areas of interest is brain health. Yes, not too surprisingly, I’d like to keep my brain—along with my body—healthy as I age (as I’m sure you all do, too). And one thing I’ve been noticing lately in my research is that chronic stress is as bad for the brain as it is for the body. In a way, that makes sense because really your brain is just another organ in your body, and we all know that chronic stress takes a toll on other organs, such as your heart and your digestive system. But I was fascinated to read recently in Stress matters to brain's white matter that neuroscientists at the University of California found evidence that cortisol, one of the stress hormones, trips a switch in stem cells in the brain, causing them to produce white matter cells that can change the way circuits are connected in the brain.

In a study published in Nature, Stress and glucocorticoids promote oligodendrogenesis in the adult hippocampus, researchers examined stem cells in the brain’s hippocampus. (The hippocampus plays an important role in the consolidation of information from short-term to long-term memory and spatial navigation. And in Alzheimer’s disease, the hippocampus is one of the first regions of the brain to suffer damage.) Under normal circumstances, these stems cells in the hippocampus form new neurons or glia, a type of white matter. But after examining the brains of mice that were chronically stressed out (yes, they’re stressing out those poor mice again), the researchers discovered that the stress hormone corticosterone (the rodent equivalent of cortisol in humans) causes the stem cells produce instead an abundance of oligodendrocytes. The LA Times quoted Daniela Kaufer, lead investigator of the study:

“Usually the brain doesn’t make much oligodendrocytes in adulthood from those neural stem cells. But under stress, all of a sudden, you discover they are making those cells.” 

She observed that moderate stress, such as that produced by studying for an exam or competing in the Olympic Games, can build stronger circuitry and a more resilient brain. But acute, prolonged stress can wreak havoc.

So scientists are now actually finding specific evidence—and understanding the exact mechanisms at work—of how chronic stress can actually damage brain. We’d all like to avoid that, I’m sure. Of course, chronic stress can also cause high blood pressure, which leads to strokes, also damaging—sometimes very seriously—the brain. In fact, my father suffered in the later part of his life from stroke-related dementia, so I’ve seen it up close.

If you haven’t already incorporated some yoga stress management techniques into your daily life, take a look at one of my early posts The Relaxation Response and Yoga, which gives an overview of the many options that yoga provides. There are so many choices you’re sure to find something you enjoy and that you can practice on a regular basis.

P.S. After my post on Of Mice and Men, are you wondering how the scientists stressed out their test subjects? According to the LA Times, the researchers stressed out the mice by either immobilizing them in a straitjacket for three hours a day, seven days a week, or injecting them with corticosterone. Tiny straightjackets for mice? I’m not so sure what I think of that.

by Nina

Just a quick announcement today about some research findings I think you’ll all enjoy hearing about. Baxter and I read about a recent study, designed by Maria G. Araneta, PhD, MPH, of the University of California, San Diego, to determine whether obese women would see a loss of fat from less intense exercise instead of aerobic activity. Although not a huge study, the group sizes were larger than most of those we see in recent studies, with the yoga group of 88 having a mean age of 55 years with an average BMI of 36 kg/m2 and the stretch group of 83 having a mean age of 54 years with an average BMI of 32.5 kg/m2.

Along with her co-authors Matthew A. Allison, MD, MPH, Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, MD, and Alka M. Kanaya, MD, Dr. Araneta presented the results at the 73rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in Chicago (June 21-25). And their findings showed that the restorative yoga practitioners lost significantly more subcutaneous fat over the initial six months of the study period, and kept losing it during a maintenance period with less direct supervision! This is important because all the women participating in study had metabolic syndrome, which the Mayo Clinic defines as:

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels — that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Metabolic syndrome affects 44% of the U.S. population older than age 50. And reducing abdominal fat may help reverse the syndrome.

Although the team is still reviewing the data, they’ve speculated that one explanation for the difference between the effects found with restorative yoga and stretching may be that restorative yoga reduces levels of cortisol. As Timothy wrote in his background post Stress, Your Health and Yoga, cortisol levels rise during times of stress and is known to increase abdominal fat. And in Baxter’s post Cortisol and Good Health Baxter wrote about the dangers of prolonged periods of stress and high levels of cortisol. I wrote specifically about the relationship between stress, cortisol and weight management in my post Yoga, Stress and Weight Management. So we'll be very interested to see the follow-up studies.

In Baxter's post on cortisol, he actually recommended restorative yoga along with yoga nidra as stress reduction—and cortisol-lowering—solutions. However, meditation (see Starting a Meditation Practice) and supported inversion poses (see All About Supported Inverted Poses) are also helpful. For a complete overview of how to use yoga to switch your nervous system from the Stress Response (Fight or Flight) to the Relaxation Response (Rest and Digest), see The Relaxation Response and Yoga.

In her presentation, Dr. Araneta did not recommend restorative yoga as a replacement for aerobic activity; instead, she said this “complementary” practice could provide a means of gentle movement for those severely obese patients for whom other activity is not practical. But as I wrote in Restorative Yoga: An Introduction, restorative yoga is a complementary practice that benefits all of us.

If you haven't already, check out Baxter's video of the classic restorative pose, Reclined Cobbler's pose! 

by Nina

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of supported inverted yoga poses. I starting raving about them in the early days of Yoga for Healthy Aging in my post Just In Time for the Holidays: Inverted Poses, going on and on about how these poses are so beneficial for stress management (and also for circulation). Later on, I wrote in detail about why—from a scientific perspective—these posts are so effective at reducing stress in my post Why You Should Love Your Baroreceptors.

But if you’re newer to yoga or can’t do the classic inverted poses, Headstand and Shoulderstand (or just can’t get comfortable in them), you might be wondering: how does all this apply to you? Well, I’m here today to assure you that with certain exceptions due to medical conditions (see Cautions for Inversions), everyone can do at least some of the supported inverted yoga poses. That’s because in yoga an inverted pose is any pose where your heart is higher than your head. So in addition to “full” inversions such as Headstand and Shoulderstand, there are several “partial” inversions that are very accessible. And partial inversions are as effective at stress reduction as full inversions (maybe even more so, as some are comfortable enough to stay in for long periods of time). I find the relaxation achieved with these poses more refreshing than that from restorative poses (though obviously some people prefer those).

Today I thought I’d give an overview of the complete set of inverted poses, with their pros and cons, so you could see which ones look most promising to you. I’ve gone ahead and divided them into three categories (can you tell I used to be a technical writer?): Half Inversions, Full Inversions, and Gentle Inversions.

Half Inversions. In a half inversion, your heart and pelvis are above your head, but your feet are below your heart. This category includes: Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana), Widespread Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana), Downward-Facing Dog, all with head support.These three poses are very accessible ones because you can use props of any height you need. But because they are standing poses, it is not possible to hold these poses for extended periods of time. Although soothing on their own (especially the Supported Standing Forward Bend), if you just have a couple of minutes they are good warm-ups for full inversions or gentle inversions because they stretch the backs of your legs and open your shoulders and hips.

Downward-Facing Dog is a surprisingly soothing pose when you use support for your head. But you must use a prop that is high enough (try a bolster) and be careful to place the prop in the right position (below where your head naturally falls in the pose, and not so you need to move forward—or bend your arms—to rest your forehead on the prop). If your shoulders and/or hamstrings are very tight, this pose can be physically demanding and not quieting. However, it’s still a great warm up pose for other inversions, as it opens your hips, legs, and shoulders while getting you used to being partly upside down.

Standing Forward Bend is surprisingly quieting if you find a prop that is high enough so you can do the pose without feeling an uncomfortable stretch in your hamstrings. Be honest with yourself and use a chair if necessary (or even if it's not). However, if you are very tight and can’t bend your body to 90 degrees in a seated forward bend, you may not be able to get comfortable in this pose.

Widespread Standing Forward Bend feels more grounding than quieting to me because it’s so demanding on the hips and legs. But for people whose hips are more open than their hamstrings, this may be more accessible than Standing Forward Bend. Be honest with yourself and use a chair if necessary (or even if it's not).

Full Inversions. In a full inversion your heart is higher than your head, and your pelvis, legs and feet are higher that your heart. The full inversions include: Headstand, Shoulderstand and Plow pose, with supported versions of all three. (Technically I suppose you could call most of the arm balances, such as Handstand and Peacock Tail Feather pose, inversions but because they are so strenuous, they don’t really qualify as quieting poses.)

Because these poses are fully inverted, they are rapidly effective. For this reason, I feel it is worth taking the time to learn them (with guidance from an experienced teacher). But these are also the most physically demanding of the inverted poses, so if you’re not comfortable while doing them them, the stress factor in doing them counteracts any calming effects they might have. It’s good to warm up for these poses, either by doing leg stretches and hip and shoulder openers and/or by doing the partial inversions described above.

Headstand is a very grounding pose as the combination of the inversion with the focus it takes to balance helps move you into the present moment. However, Headstand puts a lot of pressure on your neck so if your neck is a problem area for you, it’s best to avoid it. I love Headstand but it is clearly not for everyone.
Shoulderstand is special because you are both supported and fully inverted, so the relaxation response will take effect quite quickly. Your neck is also flexed in the pose, which enhance the relaxation (see More Love for Baroreceptors). And you can use the supported version of Shoulderstand in place of full Shoulderstand in any sequence (or class) that includes full Shoulderstand. However, the pose is tricky to get into and can make beginners feel insecure. And it’s not comfortable for everyone. See Chair Shoulderstand for instructions.

Plow pose is a very quieting pose, but only if you can get comfortable in it. It can be quite physically challenging for stiff people. And if your neck is stiff and can’t bend deeply, this pose might not be for you. Also people with round bodies sometimes find this a difficult—if not impossible—pose to get into. See Supported Plow Pose for instructions.

Gentle Inversions. Gentle inversions are more gradual poses than the straight up and down inversions of heart directly over the head in partial and full inversions. In these poses, although your heart is higher than your head, it is only slightly higher (though even this small differential is enough to trigger the relaxation response). But because these poses are more gradual inversions, they are accessible to almost everyone. In fact, I can almost guarantee you will fall in the love with at least one of them. These poses include: Easy Inverted Pose, Straight Leg Bridge pose (Setubandasana), and Legs Up the Wall pose (Viparita Karani), all with support.

You don’t need to warm up for these poses, but for some people, they may be more comfortable if you do. They can come at the end of any practice, either a restorative or inversion practice, or any active practice as well. Or they could be a practice in and of themselves.

The advantage of these poses is that they are very comfortable for most people and you can stay in them for quite a while. I find that after seven or eight minutes, I can actually feel the relaxation response kick in, as a kind of “quiet switch.” Then I stay for a while longer to reap some of the benefits of full conscious relaxation (see Conscious Relaxation vs. Sleep).

Straight Leg Bridge pose is special because (if this pose is comfortable for you) you can stay in this pose for a very long period of time. I once heard Roger Cole, senior teacher and sleep researcher, say that Straight Leg Bridge pose was his go-to relaxation pose and that he’d stay in it up to 45 minutes! People with lower back problems sometimes have a hard time getting comfortable in Straight Leg Bridge pose, but lowering the propping (by using two folded blankets instead of a bolster under the back) can help. And if I just can’t find a way to help the student be comfortable in this pose, I encourage them to set up in Easy Inverted pose instead. Instructions for Straight Leg Bridge pose are coming soon!

Legs Up the Wall pose has a very dramatic quieting effect because your legs are inverted in this pose. I notice the relaxation response kicking in after about seven or eight minutes. However, I’ve observed that people with very tight hamstrings have trouble getting comfortable in Legs Up the Wall pose. It is possible to do the pose slightly further from the wall, with a bolster in a vertical position supporting your legs. But if I just can’t find a way to help the student be comfortable, I encourage them to set up in Easy Inverted pose instead. Most people can stay in this pose for twenty minutes, but after that many people find their legs fall asleep. See Legs Up the Wall Pose for instructions.

Easy Inverted pose is is an amazing pose! Because your legs are inverted as well as your heart, the pose is very quieting. And I’ve never been unable to help a student be comfortable in this pose! If two folded blankets is irritating to your lower back, try just one and make sure your tailbone and buttocks are fully supported by the blanket (and are not tilting into a backbend). Having the support under your pelvis is what makes your heart slightly higher than your head, so see if you can find a way to make it work. See Easy Inverted Pose for information.

by Nina

Horses Grazing by Brad Gibson

It's a running joke in our family that when Brad gets impatient with me—because I often do various household tasks a bit slower than he does—he says to me, "Take your time!" He swears that Bill Murray said this repeatedly in the movie Caddy Shack, but when we watched it again recently, no one actually ever uttered that line. Regardless, I always reply, "You take your time."

But many worthwhile things really do take time. For example, if you want to cook a really good meal instead of eating fast food, you need to shop for fresh ingredients and prepare everything from scratch. And if you want to turn a new acquaintance into a close friend, you need to spend a lot of time together, getting to know and trust each other. The same is true for seeing results from yoga practice. Obviously, one Downward-Facing Dog pose doesn't instantly make your arms stronger, though with regular practice, it definitely will increase your strength. And it also seems obvious that if you want to reduce your stress levels, you'll need to practice stress management regularly over a period of time.

So it was very interesting for me to hear about a recent study at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, that looked at the effect of exercise on insomnia. One of the findings as reported by Gretchen Reynolds in the New York Times post How Exercise Can Help Us Sleep Better was:

"After the first two months of their exercise program, the exercising volunteers (all of them women) were sleeping no better than at the start of the study. Only after four months of the program had their insomnia improved."

Yes, it took four whole months of regular exercising to bring improvements. That's quite a bit of time, don't you think? The women in this study were not practicing yoga for exercise, but it's likely that using yoga as a form of exercise to help with insomnia (something I definitely recommend) might take a similar amount of time. And it also makes sense to me that if you are practicing yoga for insomnia (see Yoga for Insomnia, Part 1) by using stress management techniques, you should also give that some time (though some people report that doing breath practices in the middle of the night produces immediate results). So be patient.

In general, the time you invest in your yoga practice—whether you are practicing for your physical health, your emotional health or both—is what brings the payoffs. After all, yoga sutra 1.14 tells us that equanimity is attained only through steady, dedicated, attentive practice:

Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for restraining the fluctuations of the mind. —trans. by B.K.S. Iyengar