I’ve been reading an article entitled, “The Effects of Yoga on Student Mental Health”  published in late 2020 in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine.

The results of this study are very interesting for anyone who is seeking ways to help students (and anyone who works with them, I would argue!)  reduce their distress and improve their sleep….two important factors in mental health, the authors note.

I’ll give you the essence of the study here and share my thoughts.

This study was done in Norway in 2019 (so obviously, before the stress of the pandemic started to affect physical and mental health globally).  There were 202 healthy university students who participated. The study looked at the effects of a 12-week yoga program on several factors related to mental health.  The experimental group (100 students) did 2 75-minute yoga classes a week; the control group (102 students) did not, though all other forms of exercise were allowed.

Among the factors measured were psychological distress, mental well-being, mindfulness, and quality of sleep.

The results indicated decreased psychological distress, improvements in well-being and mindfulness, and a reduction in sleep problems in the group that did the 12-week yoga class. They suggested that those changes may last several months after the yoga class has ended.

That’s encouraging, because yoga is an accessible, inexpensive, non-toxic way to potentially improve our well-being.

What if a person doesn’t want to (or can’t)  do two 75-minute yoga sessions a week?

There’s other research showing that shorter sessions are also beneficial to our nervous system, and even very brief practices of single poses can have positive effects on our mind-body.

This is good news for anyone who wants to reduce their stress response,  improve their sleep, and support their well-being.  It’s good for students, people who work with them, and …. Anyone else!  

I’m currently creating an online course with five 15-minute practices in slow, mindful yoga intended to help you calm and balance your nervous system.  It should be ready soon.  Stay tuned!

Early August in Southern Oregon brings concerns about wildfires and evacuation and, this year, spikes in covid cases.  Here's what I've been thinking and doing:

1.    The fires and smoke here in Southern Oregon recently put me back in that fight-or-flight mode.  It’s scary to imagine evacuating and possibly losing our home, and the trauma of fires in our community on September 8, 2020  resurfaced and I could feel it in my nervous system.  It’s hard to feel safe and easy to feel we have no control.  But there are some things that are IN our control, and I’ve been working on these:

    * My husband and I joined the Firewise program, which is a program of the National Fire Protection Association. We established a Firewise site comprised of 41 properties in our neighborhood.  Together we’re learning how to protect our property and those around us.  

    *  We’ve re-packed our “Go Bags” and constantly monitor fire news so we know our best evacuation routes. This is definitely fight-or-flight for the nervous system.

    *  I’m doing morning and evening breathing practices, which usually involve Coherent Breath.  I’ll be writing more about this soon.  (Slow, smooth breath in; slow, smooth  breath out. Work up to 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out. Repeat a few times.)

   2.    The news of the Delta variant of the coronavirus is very concerning, and as I listen to the news based on the current science, I think about what I have control over. This helps shift my nervous system from fight or flight to rest and digest.

    *  I am fully vaccinated.

   *  I am wearing my mask whenever indoors, as I hear the research that even fully-vaccinated people can transmit this virus.   Depending on the situation, I may also wear my mask outdoors where I am around others.

   * My slow, mindful yoga practice (including breathing practice) helps keep my respiratory system in shape.  Since the coronavirus is a respiratory illness, this feels like a good action I can take.

  3.    Family papers and records:

    *  As we have been gathering our important papers for our “go bag,” we have been assessing what records we have and what needs to be updated or added.  (Our wills were done in 2003; advance directives in 2016. At a bare minimum, both should be updated.)

    *   I’ve been taking photos of our possessions (for insurance) and also digitizing photos from boxes and albums whenever I can grab a few minutes.  Fire season has made this feel pressing.  It’s good for my spirit to look at the course of my life and that of my family, and consider what’s truly important – and what photos are important to save and savor.  (Dozens of photos of landscapes and tourist sites, no.  Photos of people, yes.)

   * This work of gathering papers for both possible and inevitable life changes is important but can be stressful. My yoga practice helps me to install self-compassion and shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest.

I’m working on a couple of new courses and workshops for the fall.  Details will emerge later!

I hope your summer is going well.  May you move from fight-or-flight  to rest-and-digest with ease and grace.  If you need support, remember my free and paid courses in slow, mindful yoga.

Take a slow, smooth breath.....notice how you feel......