Yoga for Stress and Nervous System Support
Just Like the lyrics to an old favorite song… Sometimes you're tired, but you can't seem to slow down…
You’re sitting wrapped, cozy on your couch but your shoulders are impossibly tight. The day is winding down but your mind is still running through all the rough edges and tomorrow's to-do list at the same time. You sat down to rest, but somehow you ended up doomscrolling on your phone instead.
You know something’s missing… You know you deserve to feel better in your own body but you feel stuck in a loop. Repeating the same patterns every day, every week, every month - going to bed anxious, stiff. Uncomfortable.
Yoga really does help with stress and anxiety (it’s science!)
Even a simple, gentle yoga practice is an opportunity to work with movement, breath, mindfulness, and stillness - all of which can change the way we experience stress in our bodies.
Your Nervous System Is Part of Your yoga Practice
We spend much of our lives responding to the demands of Work, Family, Traffic, Screens, Notifications, Deadlines, Decisions…
Even when nothing is technically wrong, your body can become accustomed to staying ‘On’ and alert. Always scanning for the next issue, problem to solve, or attention grab.
Let’s be real though: practicing Yoga will not eliminate stress from your life. But it can give you the tools you need to recognize what is happening in your body, and learn to shift gears when necessary.
Sometimes that means moving with intention. Sometimes that means breathing with intention. And sometimes it means placing a bolster underneath your knees and lying down with absolutely nothing else to do for just five minutes.
Slower Yoga Can Be Especially Supportive for stress management
Practices such as Restorative yoga, Yin, Gentle Yoga, Restorative Yin, and meditation give you more opportunities to slow the pace and bring your attention inward.
Restorative yoga is particularly focused on full-body support and stillness in both the body and the mind. With the body comfortably supported by props, there is less effort in the body, and more opportunity to rest the mind. That alone can make it easier to notice your breath and your body and simply be present in the moment.
Your Breath Is Part of your yoga Practice
Breathwork / pranayama are traditional parts of the practice of yoga.
Rather than treating breathing as something that happens automatically in the background, yoga invites us to pay attention to the breath specifically.
Different breathing practices can have different effects on the body and the mind, and a knowledgeable teacher can guide you toward the practices that are most appropriate for your current personal experience and wellness goals.
Even simply noticing when you're holding your breath (and then breathing intentionally for a few inhales and exhales) can be a useful place to start.
You Don't Have to Be Stressed to Practice Rest
Restorative yoga shouldn’t be reserved for those days when you're completely depleted. Think of rest maintenance. It’s an opportunity to increase your capacity for managing difficult moments and feelings - not just something you do after you've run out of it.
A weekly restorative or Yin Yoga practice is a regular opportunity to step away from everything else and practice being present. Just 60 minutes - one hour - away from it all.
Yoga for Stress management in Hillsboro
At Breathing Room Collective, you'll find a range of practices that can support different needs.
You might choose a stronger Hatha or Vinyasa practice when you need to move and build energy. You might choose Yin when you want to slow down. You might choose Restorative yoga when you need support and stillness. Or you might come to meditation when you want to practice simply sitting and paying attention.
Our Hillsboro yoga studio is located in the Orenco area and welcomes students from Tanasbourne, Downtown Hillsboro, Bethany, Hawthorn Farm, West Union, Rock Creek, Brookwood, Cedar Mill, Beaverton, and surrounding communities.
You don't have to wait until you're completely overwhelmed to take care of yourself.
View our current yoga class schedule.
Choose a class. Show up. Let the practice meet you where you are.