Does life have you a little stressed-out, nurses?  More importantly, how are you handling your stress?  If you are not handling stress in your life well, you can take some comfort knowing that you are not alone.  It is estimated that eighty percent of visits to primary care physicians are due to chronic stress.  If you’re ready to combat your stress and get into better shape, try yoga.

Yoga’s postures, named after shapes, animals or natural objects, have become the latest popular means of stress management.  Traditional yoga practice helps the student achieve peacefulness of body and mind, along with many other benefits.  Yoga, by definition, means “to join or yoke together”, and with yoga’s slow, gentle, balancing movements and controlled breathing, yoga certainly does come together into one harmonious experience for the body and mind.  Yoga not only brings peace and quiet into the soul, yoga…

• Improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina
• Reduces stress and tension
• Boosts self esteem
• Improves concentration
• Helps with pain management
• Improves circulation
• Increases balance
• Creates a sense of well being
• Teaches effective breathing techniques

Where to begin

If you have decided to try yoga for stress management, relaxation, to increase physical stamina, or to incorporate into your fitness routine, first pick the right yoga style for you.  There are many yoga types to choose from, which can initially be quite confusing.  Hatha yoga, a style of yoga designed to improve flexibility, coordination, balance and good breathing technique, is a good choice for many beginners, and is usually the one people picture in their minds when yoga is mentioned.  Hatha yoga includes anywhere from 10 to 30 poses per class, and deep, controlled breathing throughout and between each movement. 

Look around for classes in your area to see what is offered.  Although you can also learn yoga from books and videos, good form is essential in yoga practice, so it is a good idea for beginners to learn with an instructor.  Classes also offer camaraderie and friendship, which are also important to overall well-being.   

To help you find a safe and effective yoga class, contact the class facility or instructor and get the answers to the following questions: 

o    What are the instructor’s qualifications? 

o    Are they certified through a reputable association?

o    Does the instructor have experience working with students with your

    needs or health concerns?

o    What is the instructor’s philosophy and goal for the class?

o    What equipment do you need for class?

At the end of class, you should feel refreshed, relaxed and peaceful.  If not, talk to your instructor about other options either in class or possibly another type of yoga class better suited to your needs.

Although yoga in general is quite safe, you should consult with your physician if you have any neck, back or joint pain or if you have other health concerns such as uncontrolled high blood pressure or are pregnant.  You will have a successful yoga experience if you come prepared knowing the state of your general health to guide your instructor so they may be able to design an appropriate and rewarding yoga program for you.   

Nurses, if you enjoy writing on nursing career, education or lifestyle related issues and are interested in becoming a NurseTogether.com contributor, please email vesperp@nursetogether.com.  We are looking for people who can commit to two articles per month and ask that you include the following information in your email: First and last name, title and writing experience. 

If you have a specific fitness question for Alice, she can be contacted at contact@2bfit.net. 

About the Author: Alice Burron, MS, Personal Trainer, Exercise Physiologist, writer and motivational speaker.  Alice has spent over 15 years inspiring and motivating adults and kids to live their healthy lives possible.  Check out her website at www.2bfit.net.

Click here to learn  more about Alice Burron.

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