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In a Hurry? Yoga Quickly Rejuvenates
While Reducing Stress
by Marianne Cirone, M.S.,
Certified Yoga Teacher
and Lisa West, R.N., M.S.
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(Originally
published in Nursing Spectrum, March 11, 2002)
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Few
professions are more physically, emotionally and mentally challenging than
nursing. Nurses are all too aware
of the stresses of the hours, the demands of patients and staff, and the
requirements of extreme mental clarity under duress.
In order to increase energy and to rejuvenate mind, body and spirit, a
dose of yoga incorporated into a nurse’s daily routine can be the answer.
This ancient form of mind-body exercise can be a quick and enjoyable way
to fill up the inner reserves and reduce the effects of stress.
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According to David Lipschutz, a director at the Temple of Kriya Yoga in
Chicago, an organization that has graduated approximately six hundred yoga
teachers, there are many benefits to yoga as a form of exercise. “Yoga is done slowly and is accompanied by deep
breathing,” Lipschutz states, “thus, there is less lactic acid buildup than
with more vigorous forms of exercise …the mind and body relax which allow the
cells to more easily use oxygen.” In
addition, he points out that yoga is especially beneficial for maintaining good
posture, which lessens the tendency to tire, and for maximizing the health of
the spine.
“Yoga tends to go through
cycles of popularity about every twenty years,” Lipschutz indicates,
attributing the current popularity to a need for a gentler form of exercise as
well as a desire to relax and develop inner peace.
In order to demonstrate the benefits, we summarized a sample of yoga
techniques and poses targeted to the challenges nurses face, categorized by the
time that they can take to do.
One
minute or less:
Deep abdominal breathing.
Breath
work is an integral part of yoga practice.
During times of stress, the tendency is to hold the breath, or to engage
in shallow chest breathing. In
order to slow down the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) and
tone the parasympathetic nervous system (equivalent to putting the brakes on the
nervous system), practice this deep abdominal breath. By activating the
parasympathetic response, the heart rate slows, blood pressure falls, the mind
calms and the nervous system relaxes. Our
bodies were intended to utilize our “fight or flight” response for brief
periods of time, not for days on end. By
reversing the effect this reaction has on our bodies, we can protect ourselves
from the cumulative effects of stress. Integrative Medicine guru, Andrew Weil,
M.D. calls breathing “the master
key to self-healing” and believes that breath work is the single practice we
can do which will have the greatest impact on our health. This deep abdominal breath can be practiced any time, any
place, for as little or as long as desired.
Technique:
Take a really deep, slow, quiet breath.
Expand the abdomen fully upon inhalation and then contract it completely
upon exhalation. Continue for several breaths.
·
Shoulder shrugs and shoulder rolls.
Stress
often tends to manifest in the shoulder area.
During a stressful time, notice how your shoulders tend to ride up, the
jaw clenches and perhaps a headache begins.
If you can relax the shoulder muscles, the stress cycle can be broken.
Technique:
In order to release the tension from the shoulders and upper back, circle
the shoulders around, from front to back, really squeezing the shoulder blades
together, and then reverse directions. Next,
tighten the shoulders up under the ears, and then relax and drop the shoulders.
Feel the difference between the stress and the relaxation.
Forward
bends in yoga are known as excellent for stretching and relaxing the body, as
well as improving mental concentration. Former
L.A. prosecutor and yoga practioner Marcia Clark states in Yoga Journal that her
teacher recommends forward bends to help Clark collect her energy and turn her
focus within. This pose stretches
and relaxes the legs, back, shoulders, and neck, and boosts energy, and feels
great after sitting or standing for long periods.
An especially powerful variation of the forward bend is called the
Standing Spread Legged Forward bend with clasped hands.
Technique:
Stand with feet wide apart. Clasp hands behind your back, soften the
knees, and keeping the hands clasped, fold forward with a flat back, lifting the
arms. Once bent forward, let the head hang and the arms gently stretch the back
and shoulders. Gently straighten the knees by lifting the tailbone.
To come out of the pose, soften the knees, release the hands out to the
sides, and come up slowly with a flat back.
Five
minutes or more:
This
is a rejuvenating posture for times when you are on your feet for long periods. It both relaxes and renews, so you can use it as
a transition when coming home from work. The headstand and shoulder stand are
known as the “king and queen” of poses, but this pose is sometimes called
the princess because of the many benefits and relative ease. It is said to revitalize all of the glands and help cleanse
the lymphatic system because of the increased circulation in the upper body.
It helps to relieve venous pressure and swelling in the lower
extremities, and quiets the mind. It is nicknamed the “Legs Up the Wall”
pose, and is done as follows:
Technique:
Choose a clear wall area with a carpet or mat below you, sit close to the
wall, and lower your back onto the floor as you swing your legs up the wall.
Lie perpendicular to the wall with your legs stretched up against the
wall. For additional circulation to
your head, lift your hands over your head.
For a relaxing touch, close your eyes and place an eye pillow (a small
bean-bag type) over them. A folded
towel or blanket can be placed under your hips for additional comfort. Now, do some deep abdominal breathing and feel the life seep
back into you.
For
30 Minutes or More:
Pop
in a yoga video for a broader yoga experience.
A good one for beginning and intermediate practitioners is Yoga
Conditioning for Weight Loss with Suzanne Deason.
It doesn’t necessarily do anything different for weight loss than any
other program, but it does lay out a well rounded and well-paced yoga class in a
beautiful setting, and it provides four models doing variations for different
ability levels. It is relaxing and
is also great exercise.
For
One Hour or More:
Look
up a nearby yoga class. The
YogaChicago bimonthly magazines can be picked up for free at various stores and
restaurants throughout the Chicago area and list many yoga classes.
The Internet posts a wide variety of teachers and classes as well.
After
beginning your own yoga practice, you’ll be anxious to share your enthusiasm
with your patients and coworkers. You’ll
love your newfound peace and energy and know why yoga, unlike step aerobics or
the Thighmaster, has lasted for over five thousand years.
Marianne
Cirone, M.S. is a certified yoga instructor and Lisa West is the Director of
Community Education and Wellness, both at the Provena Wellness Center, Elgin,
Illinois.
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Yoga for Nursing
