Lately, I’ve had more students reaching out to me asking:
“Why am I so tired?”
“Why can’t I sleep?”
“I’m doing everything ‘right,’ but I still feel drained.”
I hear you and I’ve been there, especially when my two teenage daughters think that 11pm is the perfect time to share all of the drama of their day with me.
What we often don’t realize is that our fatigue isn’t always due to doing too much. Sometimes, it’s because we’re not doing enough of the right things—like intentional, mindful movement. That’s where yoga comes in.
In my upcoming book, I outline what I call the four common-sense principles of fitness realism—guidelines that have helped me return to a place of vitality and presence when I’ve felt stuck in cycles of fatigue, anxiety, or poor sleep. These principles remind us of something simple, yet radical in our fast-paced world:
“Everything in the body is connected, including the mind. Because of this, when you affect one part of the body-mind, you affect other parts. This calls for a humble, holistic approach to well-being.”
Yoga gives us that holistic path.
When we feel sluggish or sleep-deprived, we often think the answer is more rest, more stillness. But too much rest without enough movement throughout your day—especially the kind of deep, fascia-focused movement we practice in yoga—can actually make us feel more tired and sluggish. That’s the paradox. Our modern lives already give us plenty of stillness—too much, in fact. Hours spent sitting, scrolling, commuting. And yet, we’re not resting well.
Why? Because our bodies evolved to move.When we don’t move, we don’t circulate energy. Fascia, the connective tissue that we now know links everything in the body, becomes dehydrated and tight. Tension builds. The nervous system doesn’t downshift into that sweet, parasympathetic “rest and digest” state. And sleep? It becomes shallow, fragmented, or elusive.
“Fascia offers a unique and powerful entry point for affecting the entire body-mind system.”
Through yoga, we release the fascia. We hydrate it. We create space—physically and mentally. And when we do that, we calm the body’s alarm system. We start to feel safe. And when we feel safe, the body finally gets the signal: “It’s okay to rest now.”
If you’re navigating fatigue or sleep troubles, I invite you to approach your practice not as a workout, but as a healing ritual. Gentle flows, long holds, breath-led movement, fascia release—these aren’t just techniques. They’re invitations. To remember your body’s wisdom. To reconnect with your innate power to heal.
As I always say, self-care is the original healthcare. Yoga isn’t just about getting strong or flexible—it’s about becoming whole. And that wholeness is what leads to true rest.
I hope to see you on the mat soon. Whether you’re tired, restless, or just looking for peace—there’s space here for you.
Let’s talk about your butt muscles—or more politely, your glutes.
This may not be a conversation you expected from your yoga teacher, but if you’ve ever dealt with lower back pain, then you need to get to know this part of your body. Here’s an excerpt from my upcoming book that might give you a little glimpse into why:
“Let’s say you go to your personal trainer because you are experiencing low back pain and you know that means you need to strengthen your hips and glutes. One problem: do you have a sense of where your hips and glutes are exactly? And how they are connected to other muscles and are supported by a web of fascia?
When you scan your body, so to speak, are your glutes just ‘muscles in the area of my butt’? And your hips, are they in the place where an ornery teen might put their hand and roll their eyes at you?
…Squats and other muscle-strengthening exercises do little, if anything, to help you gain awareness of your glutes within your body. Instead, you risk straining another area of your body that is already strong (for example, your back), an area that is compensating for the work that your glutes are supposed to be doing. That’s where the yoga practice comes in. By challenging just the right spots and just enough intensity you can set yourself up for happy hips!”
Awareness is everything. And one of the biggest gifts yoga can give us is the ability to feel our bodies from the inside out.
Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints I hear from students. And often, the solution isn’t found in the back itself—it’s in the imbalances surrounding it. Tight hip flexors. Weak glutes. Overworked low back muscles. These all create a perfect storm for discomfort and disconnection.
Yoga helps untangle that storm.
Through intentional movement, mindful breath, and poses that target the deep muscles of the hips and core, we begin to bring the body back into balance. We don’t just strengthen—we feel. We tune in. We build the kind of body awareness that turns vague sensations (“my back hurts”) into specific insights (“my glutes aren’t firing when I walk or stand”).
At SyteraYoga, we specialize in yoga that meets you where you are and helps you build not just strength, but connection. Our classes are designed to support you in discovering where the real work needs to happen—so you can stop compensating and start moving with more freedom and less pain.
Whether you’re brand new to yoga or you’ve been practicing for years, you’ll find support here. Relief is possible. And it starts by listening inward.
We’d love to welcome you to SyteraYoga—and help you start your journey toward happy hips and a pain-free lower back.
In our modern world, where hours are spent hunched over screens and stress seems to follow us home, it’s no wonder that neck and shoulder pain has become a common complaint. I often hear from students at SyteraYoga who come to class seeking relief from the persistent tightness that creeps into their upper bodies. Whether it’s the result of poor posture, long hours at a desk, or the emotional weight of daily life, neck and shoulder pain can take a toll—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.
As I reflect on this, I’m reminded of a passage from my upcoming book:
“Our bodies are not well-suited for staying in the sympathetic mode for long periods of time. Such chronic stress…can make it difficult to function normally. It can take a toll on us mentally with strained relationships, anxiety, and depression. And, physically, it can stop us in our tracks from increased inflammation, pain, and premature aging… We cannot talk ourselves into relaxing. It’s not a matter of willpower. But we do have the power to interrupt the stress.”
Yoga as a Tool to Interrupt Stress and Pain
When we’re caught in the cycle of stress, our nervous system stays in a heightened state, activating the sympathetic nervous system—our “fight or flight” mode. This constant state of alert keeps our muscles tense, especially in the neck and shoulders, where we tend to hold emotional and physical stress.
But the good news is that yoga offers a way to interrupt this stress response. Through mindful movement, breathwork, and conscious relaxation, yoga helps down-regulate the nervous system, activating the parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest and digest” mode where true healing occurs.
What Science Says About Yoga and Neck Pain
Studies have shown that regular yoga practice can significantly reduce neck and shoulder pain. One study published in The Journal of Pain found that participants who practiced yoga for 9 weeks experienced a 56% reduction in neck pain and improved range of motion. Another study in Clinical Journal of Pain showed that yoga was more effective than standard therapeutic exercises in reducing neck pain and disability.
Yoga poses such as Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana), Thread the Needle (Parsva Balasana), and Supported Fish Pose (Matsyasana) target the muscles around the neck and shoulders, releasing built-up tension while improving flexibility and strength. Even simple movements like rolling the shoulders or gently stretching the sides of the neck can bring immediate relief.
Breathing Your Way to Relief
Beyond movement, breathwork (pranayama) plays a crucial role in calming the nervous system. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing signals the brain that it’s safe to shift out of stress mode. Techniques like Ujjayi breathing (victorious breath) and Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) promote relaxation and can ease tension in the upper body.
A Gentle Reminder: Relief Is Within Your Reach
If you’ve been living with neck and shoulder pain, you don’t have to accept it as your “normal.” Yoga provides a safe, gentle, and effective way to manage pain, improve mobility, and restore balance to your body and mind.
At SyteraYoga, we create a space where you can move, breathe, and release tension in a supportive environment. Our classes are designed to meet you where you are—whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi—and help you build a sustainable practice that nurtures your body and calms your mind.
Ready to experience relief for yourself? Join us at SyteraYoga and start your journey toward healing today. Your body—and your nervous system—will thank you.
If you’re like most Americans, you haven’t tried yoga yet. That may come as a surprise because you hear about yoga all of the time nowadays. In fact, between 2012 and 2016, the number of Americans doing yoga grew by 50%. However, that still equates to only one in three Americans having tried it. Perhaps that’s because people don’t understand what yoga is, or they’re intimidated by it. Well, there’s one type of yoga that everyone should try. Here’s why.
Vinyasa Flow
There are many benefits of yoga, but perhaps none benefit people so much as Vinyasa flow. Vinyasa combines breath and movement. You move through poses a little quicker than you would in other types of yoga, matching your breath to each movement. This makes it the perfect mix of cardio, strength training, stretching, and meditation—all in one workout.
Health Benefits
Vinyasa flow is known for giving people increased strength, more flexible muscles, a healthier heart, and fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. That’s because, like cardio, Vinyasa raises your heart rate for a sustained period of time. To get the maximum benefit, you should raise your heart rate for 30-45 minutes, so you want a yoga class that lasts at least an hour. That will allow enough time for meditation and cool down, as well, which many instructors incorporate before and after the poses and sequences.
Vinyasa flow benefits your mind and spirit by keeping you focused on the moment, often called mindfulness. You move through poses quickly while focusing on your breathing, so you don’t really have time to think about the things that are stressing you out. Syncing the breath to your movements is essentially meditation in motion. This can give you feelings of relaxation and even euphoria.
Some people also believe that emotions are stored in the soft tissues of the body. By working the body, the emotions can be released. If you’ve ever noticed that your shoulders tense when you’re stressed, you get headaches when you’re anxious, or your neck gets stiff from turmoil, you can see how this might work. Many people turn to massage or exercise to release the tension and stiffness. Vinyasa yoga has the same results.
Anyone Can Practice Vinyasa Flow
If you’re new to yoga, Vinyasa Flow is a great starting point. The classes are usually open to both beginners and advanced practitioners. A yoga instructor will show the class a basic pose that students can modify to increase ease or difficulty based on their needs and experience. Even if you are out of shape or inflexible, you will be able to modify a pose in a way to get some benefit. Props, such as a yoga block and strap are used to help you get into position more easily.
If you are interested in trying yoga or even interested in finding a new workout routine, you may want to try Vinyasa flow yoga. It may take a few classes before you are able to do all of the poses, but don’t let that deter you. Just like anything else, it just takes a little practice.
It’s early on a Saturday morning at SyteraYoga in a quiet section of Virginia, and students are waiting for class to begin. The room is full with people who arrived well ahead of time. Sunlight peaks in the windows and slants across the floor.
Class begins and at the instruction of the studio’s founder and veteran yoga teacher, Sytera Field, I am rolling a lacrosse ball balanced on a block into the muscles of my inner calf. Then I’m up and I’m revolving my upper thigh bone in my hip socket while I transition from a squat to a kneel and back again. This is wild and crazy! “Is this even yoga?” I think. I’m lost in the breath and the possibilities in my body when suddenly I realize that the lines of an ongoing argument I have with my husband are no longer stuck in my mind on a continuous loop. “If you pitch your sacrum forward, it has no choice but to open,” says Sytera. Whoa! “Maybe I should drop the argument,” I let myself think for the first time in days.
For Sytera, who prides herself on not conforming to any one type of yoga dogma, except to “have no dogma,” and on bending the traditional poses into “evolving art,” this is what she is hoping for. Beyond making a particular, static shape with the body on the mat, she is interested in facilitating an experience that might change something for the student off the mat. It’s what she calls “Find Your Shine,” a motto she’s painted in huge curvy letters on the front wall of the studio and thinks about, a lot.
“I teach using yoga as a tool for leaving here (the studio) and having a much better, fulfilled life where you feel complete, whole, pain-free, full of energy, and ready to be your best self off your yoga mat,” she explains while leaning forward. It’s hard to not be completely with her at this point; there’s equal parts passion and thoughtfulness coming through.
“Find Your Shine” is a concept that, along with a commitment to meeting the individual needs of the student and building a community, are the drivers behind the studio she opened in January 2018 with the help of her husband and a Kickstarter campaign. Since then, two local studios have rolled up their yoga mats for good.
Sytera has taught yoga in Northern Virginia for a decade and in D.C. for several years before that. Teaching yoga is her “life’s work,” an art form, and a career that helps to support her family (she and her husband are raising three children in Falls Church). She is trained in vinyasa yoga and admires Jason Crandell, a nationally-known teacher who merges the practices of vinyasa and power yoga. There is a gentle, flowing momentum to Sytera’s classes—typical of vinyasa—but that is where the similarities end. She is trained in anatomy and physiology, Thai yoga massage, ball rolling therapy, and Kuchipudi, a type of classical Indian dance, all of which show up in her teaching. But, beyond the experience, students say there is something else going on here that compels them to show up.
Sytera has an ability to read emotions, a trait that people respond well to, her students say. She can tap into what is going on in a student’s body with a glance and help a student get perspective on alignment and habitual movement, facilitating change on a physical and emotional level. She has an appreciation for the human body and can sense what an individual needs—and she is good at articulating it, they say. And, bonus, she has a knack for putting people at ease.
“Did I say something wrong?” she jokes. “No? Then why is everybody looking at me? It must be the outfit.” She’s dressed in black yoga pants with a 1980s rainbow stripe down one leg and a matching vital signs stripe wrapping around the other. Her tank top says, “Good Vibes.”
When Beth Saunders’ husband died unexpectedly in his sleep at the age of 59 last year, a friend suggested she go see Sytera. A runner, Beth was tight. But, worse, she was also wracked by grief. Sytera was able to help her get through the anguish of the worst experience of her life. Sytera reset her breathing and then moved on to focus on her energy. It was like Sytera was unpeeling an onion, but there was a method to it.
Beth considers yoga with Sytera to have been a pillar of her grief therapy. “She knew I was going through hell, and she could read how the grief was affecting my body,” Beth says.
Mark Frantz, a venture capitalist and a competitive swimmer, was used to answering hundreds of emails a day and spending endless hours in the pool, before his wife insisted he see Sytera. He had inherited sciatica, and soon his leg began to hurt so much that he couldn’t sit. His doctors missed the diagnosis that Sytera was able to see: a bad hamstring tear. For him, yoga was a chance to slow down and focus on his body once a week so that he could heal.
The Beginning of a Lifelong Journey
Sometimes being able to help others who are suffering means you’ve been there, too. Recently, Sytera told me that she has embraced a painful past in a way that allows her to feel the best she ever has in her life. “It is what it is. That’s where I came from and it doesn’t have to define who I have to be.”
Sytera grew up, she likes to joke “without a silver spoon in her mouth” in a modest suburb of Austin, Texas, the oldest of three (she has two younger brothers). Her childhood was punctuated with her parents, relatives, and friends struggling with alcoholism, drugs, violence, and divorce. She grew up with few good examples and “no moral compass for life,” she says. At one point, she was sent to inpatient drug treatment herself because her parents thought it would keep her out of trouble. Ironically, she credits this experience as exposing her to real drug dealers for the first time.
In her early teens, her life could have had an entirely different trajectory. A good friend got pregnant at 14 and had a baby; another died of a drug overdose at 16. Other friends were being jailed. Then, something happened that affects her thinking to this day, and is helpful when telling the story of painful childhood. It was nothing out of the ordinary. But, in her opinion (and this is where Sytera’s ability to laugh at herself is a blessing), it was something “stupid, so stupid,” she says, bringing on her frequent laugh. She stubbed her toe.
It hurt, a lot. Alone and in pain, she remembers thinking, I have a choice: “I was like, this is pain, I don’t like this, but I get to choose how I navigate this.” That moment set the stage for cultivating a level of body and mind awareness that she had never had before.
Like the change in perspective that can happen on a yoga mat, things started to shift. She had been a dancer as a child and she re-committed herself to dance. A couple years later, she met her now husband, Chad Thevenot, a musician and University of Texas graduate. Chad’s influence on her life cannot be overstated, she says. “He is my grounding force in my life. I didn’t have much family support or direction growing up, no mentor, no adult as a role model who helped guide me. I could only figure out so much on my own. Chad helped me grow up. He believes in me always, which gave me the confidence to pursue the things I wanted to do but wasn’t sure I could do.”
After meeting Chad, she enrolled in community college and then suffered a setback that, ironically, helped her find yoga. While rock climbing near Austin, she fell off a cliff and sustained a compound fracture. Two bones in her lower leg tore through her skin, and she ended up in a wheelchair and a thigh-high cast. She didn’t have feeling in her foot for a while and had to teach herself how to walk again.
Angry and in pain, things could have gone downhill. Her body, the one thing that helped her escape the chaotic situations of her life through dance, was no longer to be trusted, she felt. Without sufficient insurance for physical therapy, she had to do something to rebuild herself—and that something was yoga.
She made her way into the yoga studios of Austin in 1994. The first class she went to was … (Sytera loves this story) clothing optional! “It was tough if you were behind someone!” She was pretty sure she’d never step into a yoga studio again, she jokes, but she felt a pull towards the psychological benefits of the practice almost immediately. She experimented with Iyengar, Hatha, and other forms of yoga.
In those classes she worked on strength and alignment, but more was happening. “I thought I went to yoga to heal my leg, which I did, but I began listening to what was going on in my mind, and I realized that the messages I was telling myself were untrue and not helpful (i.e., you’re not worthy, flee, who do you think you are that you should have good things in your life?).”
Yoga class was a secure environment that gave her a level of control and created a platform from where she could safely explore some of the negative ways she was thinking and treating her body. She began to make healthier decisions, she says. “I started to examine my response to fear, uncertainty, achieving. And something great happened. I lightened up on myself! When we moved out of whatever pose was illuminating that particular self-pity, I decided to let it go and even laugh it off.”
In 1996 Sytera left Austin to work briefly as a model in New York, then she followed Chad to Washington, D.C., where she attended yoga classes at the fledgling yoga studios in the city at that time. She attended the University of Maryland and got a degree in art history . She married Chad in 2000 and then, while on a solo trip studying in Italy in 2001, she decided to pursue yoga as her life’s work.
Two decades later, student Mike Fabrizi describes Sytera’s teaching as “unorthodox, in a good way.” He appreciates that she incorporates many modalities and elements of physical therapy in her teaching. “It’s not just about strong muscles, you have to have healthy ligaments and tendons that impart a hemisphere of motion,” Mike says. He appreciates that Sytera brings a functional, therapeutic bent to her classes and that in her teaching there is no blueprint, no set series, and no emphasis on perfect poses. Sytera says her take on what yoga is, is itself constantly changing and growing, like “in nature.”
“I see the signs of yoga changing and evolving to mean it’s healthy. Things that are healthy grow and evolve.” The idea that there is one “set end goal” in yoga doesn’t sit well with her, and it doesn’t work “for a lot of bodies that have been through life,” she says. “Because you’ll never be able to reach that end goal of perfection, and what the heck does that say about you! I start beating myself up, and I don’t need another avenue to beat myself up with. I’m already good enough at that on my own, thank you very much!”
Instead, she’s hoping to help students tune into what it’s like to feel good in their bodies. It’s about recognizing and tuning into your brightness, she says. “That’s when yoga starts to make a difference in your life.”
Sytera and Chad marked the first anniversary of the studio in January 2019. Two months earlier, they had opened an even larger studio with a second space on the ground floor. Every time she makes a new decision about the future of the studio, Sytera goes back and thinks about if it is aligned with her original “Find your Shine” concept. And then she checks the mission statement she drafted for the studio a year ago. In it she writes: “Because I allow myself to be vulnerable, I influence others to embrace their imperfections and find happiness in who they are right now. I encourage others to find their shine by embracing my own.”
Meghan Mullan is a writer and a SyteraYoga student living with her family in Bethesda, Maryland.
People from all walks of life have turned yoga to find balance, happiness, and peace in their daily lives. It’s also a phenomenal source of fitness training that works the arms and sculpts the core. It’s no wonder that 36 million Americans practice this ancient art, despite its origin in India dating back to over 5,000 years ago.
But whether you are new to the world of yoga or have been practicing for years, you may still struggle to understand when to implement yoga into your life.
If so, continue reading. Here is when you should do hatha yoga to further your practice.
Before a Presentation
A good hatha yoga session can help you wind down before a big or overly stressful event. Unlike vinyasa yoga, hatha yoga is meant to align the body and spirit. It’s a much more calming branch of yoga that focuses on breathing, holding static poses to align the spine, and meditation. As human beings, we can’t help but let our minds race, especially before an important date. We think of worse case scenarios and often psyche ourselves out, increasing our stress levels. But hatha yoga reminds us to be more mindful and present. The practice can help decrease feelings of anxiety and prep you for a big presentation at school or an important meeting at work. This way, you can feel prepared, calm, and ready to take on the world.
Select an early morning class or practice at home. Make sure to focus on your breathing and envision all of those negative thoughts and doubts leave your body as you work through the flow.
After Having a Baby
Don’t feel as if you have to get right back on track after having a child. Most women feel the need to start dieting and exercising right away to get back to their pre postpartum body. While an individual’s recovery is based on many factors, listen to your body and find out what is best for you. Just try not to rush the process.
When you are ready to start making strides regarding your health and fitness, practicing yoga is an incredibly effective tool for improving your body and state of mind.
Attending yoga classes is also a great way to get out of the house for an hour or so. While being away from your little one may feel hard at first, remember that this course of action is all in the name of self-care.
After Weightlifitng
Cooling down is an important part of muscle growth and recovery, and hatha yoga is the perfect way to return your muscles to their original resting lengths after a hardcore lifting session. Any avid powerlifter or weightlifter should implement hatha yoga into their fitness routine for optimum results, whether they want to build strength or size. Attending 1-3 weekly classes is rerecommended.
When You’re Feeling Down and Don’t Know Why
If you find yourself feeling lethargic or unhappy and can’t pinpoint why, try and attend a hatha yoga class. Hatha yoga can help with identifying problems in your life. With so many distractions in our daily lives, an hour class can help you find clarity.
Performing Hatha Yoga For a Happier and Healthier Life
As you can see, there are many instances where delving into your practice can benefit your body, soul, and mind. Take a class, learn the basic flow, and take your newfound knowledge with you to use whenever you’re in need of all the spiritual benefits of yoga. Whether you’re nervous about your first day at a new job, or just feel as if yoga is a great way to dip your toe in the water when wanting to live a healthier lifestyle, you will discover that the practice will benefit you in every aspect of your life.
The yoga community continues to grow throughout the U.S., with approximately one in three Americans trying out yoga at least once. But whether you’ve taken a few yoga classes or have merely considered trying out instructional videos at home, you might not realize that there are many variations of practice within the discipline of yoga.
There are several different techniques and methods to choose from, which can make it a bit confusing for those who are less experienced in this area to find the right yoga studio nearby. In today’s post, we’ll be discussing one particular type of yoga: vinyasa yoga. Let’s find out more about vinyasa and why you might want to consider incorporating it into your routines for fitness and stress relief.
Defining Vinyasa Yoga
The word “vinyasa” pertains to mindfulness. It’s a Sanskrit word that means “to place in a special way.” It can actually be used outside of yoga applications, as you can use “vinyasa” principles for just about any physical task. In the yoga context, it may also be used to describe moving through breath – but what it really refers to is the conscious way in which yoga practitioners move through a sequence. Vinyasa is characterized by the way one posture connects to the next through breath. The “vinyasa flow” may be used by studio instructors to describe a specific set of movements.
The History of Vinyasa
Vinyasa yoga evolved out of ashtanga yoga, which was created in the early 20th century. Unlike the type of yoga from which it stems, vinyasa is much freer; poses and sequences can be changed. Vinyasa yoga may not always be categorized as such, though there are other popular types of yoga (like power yoga, for example) that’s technically a type of vinyasa.
How Vinyasa Differs From Other Types of Yoga
Vinyasa is unique in that it’s not merely about individual poses; this practice focuses more on the transitions between those postures. In this way, it’s more movement-based than other kinds of yoga. It also tends to provide a more intense workout, since participants are constantly moving in class. That said, class intensity levels can vary widely, which means that this type of yoga may also be accessible for many ability levels. The same cannot always be said for other kinds of yoga.
Vinyasa For Beginners
One reason this type of yoga has become so popular is that it’s relatively easy to teach and to learn; it can also be modified to fit participants’ needs. As a result, there will probably be many levels of vinyasa classes available to you, especially here in Northern Virginia. Some classes will focus on the cardio elements, while others will center more around strength-building. Typically, a class will either be geared towards more advanced participants or will stick to the basics. It’s really up to the individual participant to choose the class that appeals to their needs and abilities. Fortunately, this type of yoga is already able to be modified if necessary – so beginners can feel free to listen to their bodies and adjust as needed.
Although starting a new practice like yoga can feel a bit intimidating at first, it usually helps to learn about it before you ever step foot in a studio. That way, you can feel confident you’ve chosen the right class and will be able to reap all of the benefits this discipline can offer. For more information, please contact us at SyteraYoga today.
In recent years, yoga has increased in popularity throughout the United States among all demographics. In fact, the number of yoga participants aged 50 and above has tripled during the last four years alone. Yoga classes have mass appeal for a variety of reasons; people can take yoga for the purpose of losing weight, toning muscle or even for pursuing mental or spiritual wellness. For others, practicing yoga can also be a way to minimize or even eliminate painful conditions.
Roughly 31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time. This type of pain is currently the leading cause of disability worldwide and is one of the most prominent causes of missed work and doctors’ appointments, according to the American Chiropractic Association. Making matters more complicated, back pain can be caused by many different factors and can be treated in various ways – some of which may be more effective than others.
Physical activity (along with therapeutic methods like chiropractic care, massage and acupuncture) can relieve this type of pain more effectively – and with fewer undesirable side effects – than conventional medications or surgical procedures can. It makes sense, then, that the kinds of classes offered by yoga studios could also go a long way in providing essential relief.
Can Yoga Classes Reduce Back Pain?
In short: yes, one of the many benefits of yoga can include the alleviation of back pain. According to a report published by the U.S. Department of Human and Health Services’ National Institutes of Health, researchers found that yoga was as effective as standard physical therapy for treating moderate to severe chronic low back pain.
It’s understandable as to why yoga might have this positive health effect. The practice of yoga combines stretching, relaxation and the strengthening of muscles. Many of the postures prevalent throughout different types of yoga involve stretching and strengthening the muscles in the back, as well as the abdominal muscles. This can help to support the spine and subsequently reduce back pain.
That said, back pain sufferers will need to put effort into choosing the right yoga classes. It’s best to steer clear of more aggressive options (like “hot” yoga or Ashtanga), as these will present physical challenges that may not be a good fit. However, studios that offer Vinyasa yoga, Hatha yoga, Yin yoga or Somatic yoga can all be great options for people who want to improve their back pain. Vinyasa, in particular, focuses on having a smooth transition between movements, which can ensure deliberate physicality and minimize the potential for injury. Before signing up or attending a class, make sure to find out more about the intensity and experience level to make certain it’s a good fit for your capabilities. Speaking with a studio instructor beforehand can also be highly beneficial in determining the best class for your needs. This can also be helpful in prearranging alternate postures instead of modifying more difficult postures mid-pose throughout the class.
It’s a good idea to discuss your back pain with your doctor prior to participating in any kind of exercise or treatment. But given the positive impact that yoga can have on back pain, it’s clear why this practice has become a go-to for many people.
To learn more about how yoga can support your wellness goals, please contact us today.
In recent years, the popularity of yoga has continued to rise. In fact, the number of Americans who practice yoga increased by 50% between 2012 and 2016. In Western culture, yoga classes are seen as a way to tone the body, gain flexibility and balance and even lose weight. But traditionally, many of the benefits of yoga extend beyond the physical.
Historically, the purpose of practicing yoga was to achieve harmony between the body, mind and spirit, as well as with the environment. Meditation is a major component of yoga, but it’s often overshadowed by the fitness component of this discipline. To reap all of the benefits of yoga, it’s important to focus on both the physical and the mental aspects of the practice.
A talented, reputable yoga studio can allow you to do just that. Before you walk in with your mat, here’s more information on the mental or psychological advantages of participating in this practice.
Yoga Can Relieve Stress and Anxiety
You’ve probably heard others in the yoga community talk about the stress relief this practice provides. Of course, exercise releases endorphins – and that helps you to feel happier. When doing yoga, your body will also release chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. Those feel-good hormones can go a long way in relieving mental tension.
By focusing on your breath and a series of poses, you can actually soothe your own worries. Data compiled by Harvard Medical School suggests that the unique components of yoga can modulate the body’s stress response systems and even help you respond more effectively to stress. Therefore, it’s seen as a helpful activity for people with anxiety or who deal with a lot of stress.
Yoga May Improve Cognitive Function
Did you know that yoga might actually make you smarter? Studies have found that regular yoga practice can actually improve the connection between the brain cells as a neurotransmitter known as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Increasing those cell connections can improve cognitive function, memory and concentration. A big part of yoga is learning how to clear out all distractions and mentally focus; this regular discipline can allow you to recall important details and concentrate more effectively overall. You’ll probably find you’re more productive at work and more present in your personal life, too!
Yoga Might Combat Depression and Trauma
One of the many benefits of yoga is that, in some cases, it can be used in conjunction with (or as an alternative to) other mental health treatments to improve overall quality of life. The regulation of the stress response system may have a significant impact on those who are struggling with depression. There’s also evidence to suggest that people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may benefit from practicing yoga. In certain cases where traditional treatment methods have failed, the American Psychological Association notes that some types of yoga have been effective in reducing PTSD symptoms.
Whether you’ve been experiencing high levels of stress at work or you simply want to improve your cognitive abilities, you can benefit from making yoga part of your routine. To learn more about our classes and discover which ones may be right for you, please contact SyteraYoga today.
SyteraYoga is a relaxing, fun, and inspiring community for people who are passionate about yoga and self-care. It is for people who want to experience the benefits of yoga — to be happier and healthier without having to give up their modern lives. SyteraYoga’s diverse classes are led by dedicated yoga practitioners. It’s welcoming to anyone who wants to learn how to slow down, recharge, reduce stress, and increase strength and flexibility.
SyteraYoga’s is committed to providing opportunities for its community to feel good physically and mentally, and to realize the best version of themselves. Its Nadi Ball Method, created by founder Sytera Field, is a unique offering that uses specially designed yoga massage balls to help regulate the nervous system. It’s an experience that’s exclusive for practitioners in the SyteraYoga community.
Transform your stress and limitations into an inspiring, fulfilling journey toward a happier, healthier life. We welcome you to practice with us in the passionate and vibrant SyteraYoga community. Choose the classes you want to experience here.
