tag:theconversation.com,2011:/es/topics/yoga-2037/articlesYoga – The Conversation2024-02-27T12:31:29Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2210802024-02-27T12:31:29Z2024-02-27T12:31:29ZWhat the ancient Indian text Bhagavad Gita can teach about not putting too much of our identity and emotions into work<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577449/original/file-20240222-18-wehuiv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C22%2C5024%2C3473&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">This famous scene from the Bhagavad Gita, featuring the god Krishna with his cousin, Prince Arjuna, on a chariot heading into war.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/this-famous-scene-from-hindu-mythology-features-the-god-news-photo/1354436400?adppopup=true">Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A 2023 Gallup poll found that U.S. employees <a href="https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/workers-morale-pay-benefits-remote-52c4ab10">are generally</a> unhappy at work. The number of those who feel angry and disconnected with their organization’s mission is climbing. </p>
<p>An analysis of data from 60,000 employees by BambooHR, an HR software platform, also found that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/-employee-happiness-has-hit-a-3-year-low-new-research-shows.html">workplace morale was getting worse</a>: “Employees aren’t experiencing highs or lows — instead, they are expressing a sense of resignation or even apathy.” </p>
<p>As a <a href="https://www.clemson.edu/cah/about/facultybio.html?id=559">scholar of South Asian religions</a>, I argue that a mindfulness technique called “nishkama karma” – acting without desire – described in an ancient but popular Indian text called the “Bhagavad Gita,” may prove useful for navigating the contemporary world of work. </p>
<p>The Gita presents a variety of “yogas,” or disciplined religious paths. One such path suggests adopting an attitude of righteous resignation – a kind of Stoic equanimity or even-mindedness. In the workplace, this might mean performing one’s professional duties to the best of one’s ability – but without being overly concerned about the results for one’s personal advancement. </p>
<h2>The Gita and action</h2>
<p>The “Bhagavad Gita,” or “Song of the Lord,” is an 18-chapter dialogue between Krishna, the Lord of the Universe, and the warrior-hero Arjuna. Found in the sixth book of the world’s longest epic poem, the “Mahabharata,” the Gita was likely composed between the third century B.C.E. and the third century C.E. </p>
<p>The Gita opens on a battlefield where Arjuna, the beleaguered champion of the Pandavas, is set to fight his cousins, the Kauravas, along with his uncles and former teachers, for the rightful control of the ancestral kingdom.</p>
<p>Arjuna is faced with the moral ambiguity of internecine warfare. He is stuck in a dilemma between obligations to his kin and former teachers and obligations to his “dharma” – religious and social duty – as a warrior to fight against them. Arjuna is therefore understandably reluctant to act. </p>
<p>Krishna, who has assumed the humble guise of Arjuna’s charioteer in the story, advises Arjuna that it is impossible for <a href="https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/3">anyone to refrain entirely from all action</a>: “There is no one who can remain without action even for a moment. Indeed, all beings are compelled to act by their qualities born of material nature” (3.5). </p>
<p>Even choosing not to act is itself a kind of action. <a href="https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/2">Krishna instructs Arjuna</a> to perform his duties as a warrior regardless of how he feels about the prospect of fighting against family and friends: “Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin” (2.38). </p>
<p>Given the inevitability of action, Krishna advises Arjuna to cultivate an attitude of nonattached equanimity or even-mindedness toward the results of his actions. Unlike feeling detached from the work process itself, cultivating an attitude of detachment from the results of one’s work is presented in the Gita as a method for gaining a clear and stable mind. </p>
<h2>‘Nishkama karma,’ or nonattached action</h2>
<p>The term that the Gita uses, variously rendered as “work” or “action,” is “karma.” Derived from the Sanskrit root “kri” – to do, to act or to make, karma has a range of meanings in Hindu literature. In early Vedic thought, <a href="https://sunypress.edu/Books/T/The-Vedic-Origins-of-Karma">karma referred to the performance of a sacrifice</a> and the results that followed. </p>
<p>By the time of the composition of the Gita, over a 1,000 years later, the concept of karma had expanded considerably. From the sixth century B.C.E. onward, Hindu texts typically describe karma as any thought, word or deed, and its consequences in this or a future lifetime. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Statues of two seated men, with one of them talking to the other who appears despondent." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577457/original/file-20240222-20-20x7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577457/original/file-20240222-20-20x7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577457/original/file-20240222-20-20x7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577457/original/file-20240222-20-20x7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577457/original/file-20240222-20-20x7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577457/original/file-20240222-20-20x7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577457/original/file-20240222-20-20x7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Carved statues of Lord Krishna and Arjuna seated on their chariot at the Viswashanti Ashram, Bengaluru, India.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/statue-of-lord-krishna-encouraging-gloomy-arjuna-royalty-free-image/1440763716?phrase=krishna+arjuna&adppopup=true">Wirestock/iStock via Getty Images plus</a></span>
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<p>Krishna explains to Arjuna that his actions or karma should follow dharma, the religious and social obligations inherent in his role as a warrior of the Pandavas. And the proper dharmic attitude toward the results of action is nonattachment. </p>
<p>The word that describes this nonattachment is “nishkama,” or without desire – the proper spirit in which karma is to be undertaken. From the perspective of the Gita – a perspective shared widely in traditional Indian thought – <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/267/monograph/chapter/2218610">desire is inherently problematic</a> due to its insistent preoccupation with the self. By reducing desire, however, one can perform one’s work or action without the constant distraction of seeking praise or avoiding blame.</p>
<p>Furthermore, since knowing the outcome of one’s actions is impossible, the Gita advises performing one’s duties without a sense of ego in a spirit of service to the world. “Therefore, without attachment, always do whatever action has to be done; for it is through acting without attachment that one attains the highest state,” <a href="https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/3">as Krishna says to Arjuna</a> (3.19). </p>
<h2>The flow state</h2>
<p>In his modern classic “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224927532_Flow_The_Psychology_of_Optimal_Experience">Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience</a>,” psychologist <a href="https://www.cgu.edu/people/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/">Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi</a> writes about the optimal mental state that may be experienced while performing an engaging task. Csikszentmihalyi describes “flow” as a mental state where one is fully immersed in the task at hand. In such a state, attention is focused on the work being done without any self-conscious concerns about performance or outcome.</p>
<p>By way of example, Csikszentmihalyi asked readers to consider downhill skiing. He noted that while one is fully engaged in the process itself, there is no place for distraction. For a skier, he said, “There is no room in your awareness for conflicts and contradictions; you know that distracting thought or emotion might get you buried face down in the snow.”</p>
<p>Csikszentmihalyi’s research suggests that problems like distraction, feeling detached from one’s work, and job dissatisfaction can arise when people lose sight of the action of work itself. As Csikszentmihalyi writes, “The problem arises when people are so fixated on what they want to achieve that they cease to derive pleasure from the present. When that happens, they forfeit their chance of contentment.” </p>
<h2>Acting without attachment</h2>
<p>A fragmented mind that approaches work or action with an agenda of gaining power, wealth or fame cannot perform at its best. The Gita suggests that the secret to success at work is cultivating a balanced state of mind that isn’t fixated on ego inflation and self-promotion.</p>
<p>It is impossible to be fully present during the performance of a task if one is speculating about unknowable future contingencies or ruminating about past outcomes. Likewise, for Csikszentmihalyi, cultivating the “flow state” means actively remaining present and engaged while performing a task. </p>
<p>Csikszentmihalyi’s writings about the “flow state” <a href="https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/3">resonate with the advice of Krishna in the Gita</a>: “As ignorant people perform their duties with attachment to the results, O scion of Bharat (an epithet for Arjuna), so should the wise act without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path” (3.25). </p>
<p>Nishkama karma and the “flow state” are not identical ideas. However, they share at least one fundamental assumption: Focusing on the task at hand, with no thought of gain or loss, is necessary for achieving our best, most satisfying work.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221080/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert J. Stephens does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A scholar of South Asian religions explains how one lesson from the text, ‘nishkama karma’ – or acting without desire – may be useful for navigating the contemporary workplace.Robert J. Stephens, Principal Lecturer in Religion, Clemson UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2200242024-01-10T13:27:53Z2024-01-10T13:27:53ZA beginner’s guide to sound baths − what they are, how to choose a good one and what the research shows<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566936/original/file-20231220-17-ae0awn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=24%2C24%2C8155%2C5408&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Sound therapy, which uses bells and singing bowls for healing, has gained popularity in recent years.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/sound-bell-healing-and-senior-woman-giving-royalty-free-image/1459154522?phrase=sound+bath&adppopup=true">PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>In recent years, sound bathing, a therapy in which sound is used for healing, <a href="https://abc7.com/sound-bath-yoga-noho-center-north-hollywood-therapy/14152096/">has been marketed</a> as one of many “<a href="https://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2017/04/the_history_of_self_care.html">self-care</a>” practices, such as journal-keeping or candle-burning, in support of personal well-being. Sold also as sound “immersions,” or sound “healing” or “therapy,” sound baths are pitched as a safe and effective way to reduce stress and increase inner peace.</p>
<p>Do they, though? If so, how? As a <a href="https://anthropology.sdsu.edu/people/sobo">medical anthropologist</a> who has conducted <a href="https://www.anthropology-news.org/articles/healing-vibrations/">research on the sound bath boom</a>, I have some evidence-based insights to offer. </p>
<h2>What is a sound bath?</h2>
<p>Dedicated yogic sound baths are typically intimate, hourlong, small group events hosted in yoga studios or other private settings. Lights dimmed, perhaps with essential oils diffusing, providers surround their typically recumbent clients with sound generated from simple instruments such as tuning forks, gongs and bowls. In my research, sound bath receivers and providers say this leads to a deep sense of peace or harmony.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/tibetan-singing-bowls-are-not-tibetan-sincerely-a-tibetan-person/article_7e4dd7ea-6e40-5584-90d6-b864a9e9d129.html">Some people claim erroneously</a> that what we call sound baths are an ancient practice. There is a long-standing tradition in yoga of using sound to <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Practice-of-Nada-Yoga/Baird-Hersey/9781620551813">focus one’s meditative efforts</a>, perhaps most famously in chanting “Aum.” </p>
<p>But sound baths emerged in their present form largely as an outgrowth of the rise of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13648470.2021.1949943">modern yoga</a> – the kind that focuses on postures, or “asanas.” These classes generally include, at the end, a short, meditative, “rest and receive” phase, or “savasana.” A yogic sound bath is, essentially, a sound-enhanced, extended, savasana-only sound immersion session. </p>
<p>The commodification of yogic practices in the West, along with <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9485449/Kendall-Jenner-conducts-relaxing-sound-bath-crystal-singing-bowls-followers-Instagram.html">celebrity endorsements</a>, have resulted in the modern-day sound bath industry. Many yoga studios now offer sound baths regularly: It “draws people in,” explained one owner. </p>
<h2>Early research and health benefits</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman lying down with eyes closed while gongs are played next to her." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566942/original/file-20231220-21-1kr11m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Sound vibrations can bring about several benefits, if done in the right way.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/sound-bath-therapy-playing-gong-royalty-free-image/1393950816?phrase=sound+bath&adppopup=true">microgen/iStock via Getty Images plus</a></span>
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<p>There is evidence that shows that yogic sound therapy can bring benefits. Data confirms associations between yoga practice and better <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.04.006">physical</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.03.002">mental</a> health.</p>
<p>Regarding sound baths specifically, in a study involving the controlled exposure of 62 people to singing bowls, gongs, cymbals called ting-shas, and other simple instruments, subjects reported decreased <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587216668109">tension, anger and fatigue</a>. A review including several other somewhat smaller studies found that sound immersion can also improve blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32507429/">other clinical indicators</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9050597">Scientific understanding of the mechanics of sound therapy</a> is in its infancy. But preliminary studies have shown that a well-executed sound bath may help <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587216668109">reduce anxiety</a> and even improve <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102412">blood pressure and heart rate, among other</a> clinical outcomes. </p>
<p>In my research, many participants pointed to science in explaining why sound baths worked so well for them, referencing for instance the nervous system’s capacity to move us into a “<a href="https://www.livescience.com/parasympathetic-nervous-system-rest-and-digest">rest and digest</a>,” or relaxation, state. Many also referenced spiritualized concepts, such as the “chakras,” seven wheel-like energy or spiritual power centers running up the spine, which they believe the vibrations can “unblock.” </p>
<h2>Navigating options</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A person in a black outfit and white hat playing sounds on singing bowls while several others lie in meditation poses nearby." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568297/original/file-20240108-20-bcelis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A sound bath healer plays her bowls at a mental wellness training camp for Black men in Inglewood, Calif.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/inglewood-ca-a-sound-bath-healer-plays-her-bowls-at-news-photo/1259086092">Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>The sound bath experience varies. For instance, some are held outside. Some providers play lots of different instruments, not just simple percussive ones or singing bowls. Some bring in lots of yogic philosophy; others leave that unspoken. Some infuse sessions with what I call “trauma talk,” inviting clients to focus on inner pain; others remain silent regarding client motivations for participating. </p>
<p>With sound baths so widely available, no regulations, and a <a href="https://www.harpercollins.ca/9780063077089/who-is-wellness-for/">wellness market hungry for profit</a>, how do you choose what kind to attend? Here are some guidelines, based on my study. </p>
<p>To begin, participants said that the ideal sound bath site enables clients to let down their guard. This may mean locking studio doors or providing warm blankets and cushioning so that receivers can comfortably relax into the soundscape offered. </p>
<p>Outdoor sound baths can be nice, but concern about onlookers, noise intrusions and imperfect weather could undermine a sense of sanctuary. The same was true for baths conducted in noisy fitness centers or other locations not built to promote inner peace. </p>
<p>Practitioner style also mattered. Interviewees recommended backing out if a provider makes you uncomfortable, because relaxation will be difficult. They also noted that providers with less experience often play too loudly, make jarring versus gentle transitions and forget to pause. Relatedly, baths with lots of diverse or complex instruments, or songs that tell a story, make maintaining meditation difficult. </p>
<p>Yet another distraction came from providers focused on suffering, stress or trauma. Observations confirmed that too much “trauma talk” might <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2023.101010">prime clients to focus on and even amplify any sense of distress</a>, diverting them from the simple pleasure of an immersion and from <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/george-a-bonanno/the-end-of-trauma/9781541674363/">their own resilience</a>. </p>
<p>Even the best sound bath cannot relieve stress long term if the <a href="https://www.anthropology-news.org/articles/healing-vibrations/">causes of that stress remain in place</a>. Nevertheless, in a world where inner peace is hard to find, let alone maintain, an hour spent in meditative repose can be a godsend.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220024/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elisa J. Sobo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A medical anthropologist explores claims about the health benefits of sound baths and how to choose the one to attend.Elisa J. Sobo, Professor of Anthropology & Director for Undergraduate Research, College of Arts and Letters, San Diego State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2093962023-07-25T04:45:21Z2023-07-25T04:45:21ZPuppy yoga? Goat meditation? An animal welfare scientist explores what these activities might mean for the cute creatures<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539153/original/file-20230725-15-xd6rpn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2995%2C2142&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Puppies! Goats! Kittens! A quick online search suggests you can take a yoga class with just about any cute animal you like. </p>
<p>Operators provide the animals, room and an instructor – people pay to come and enjoy. Don’t forget the obligatory cute post to your socials, or it didn’t happen. </p>
<p>So far, so good. But what do the animals make of it?</p>
<p>As an animal welfare scientist, yoga with animals rings some alarm bells for me: it often seems to be focused on human wellbeing, with animal welfare an afterthought. But research shows how animal-assisted activities like this can be improved, and how we can all play a role in making animal welfare a higher priority.</p>
<h2>Ethical issues exposed</h2>
<p>The ethics of animal yoga have been a hot topic since a <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2023-07-03/is-puppy-yoga-ethical-the-dark-side-of-a-growing-wellness-trend">a recent investigation</a> in the United Kingdom exposed distressing practices. </p>
<p>Puppies as young as six weeks old were denied sleep and water while working in puppy yoga sessions. Classes took place in hot rooms for hours at a time, with no capacity for the young pups to opt out of interactions. </p>
<p>People attending the classes were given no guidance on safely handling puppies, and <a href="https://youtu.be/V3AO4biKesE">video footage</a> shows squirming young puppies dropping awkwardly to the ground.</p>
<p>Early socialisation can build dogs’ long-term confidence in interactions with people and the world. Bad experiences during this time can influence them to be anxious or fearful.</p>
<p>Similar practices appear to be common in the growing yoga-with-animals industry. An Australian friend told me about a recent goat yoga session: </p>
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<p>it left me feeling awful for those poor goats, being grabbed at, chased around the room, and cuddled against their will. </p>
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<h2>How can science help?</h2>
<p>My research centres around understanding the animal experience and using this evidence to inform good practice and policies. </p>
<p>It’s widely agreed animals such as dogs, goats and birds are <a href="https://science.rspca.org.uk/sciencegroup/sentience">sentient</a>, which means they experience good and bad feelings – and that matters to their individual wellbeing. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-what-the-science-says-about-animal-sentience-88047">Here's what the science says about animal sentience</a>
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<p>With that understanding comes a moral obligation for us to care for animals in a way that includes their mental experiences as well as their physical needs.</p>
<h2>Social licence pressure</h2>
<p>In modern societies we often expect the animals we rely on will have good lives, not just protection from harm and suffering. When we learn people are failing to safeguard animal wellbeing (for example, through media investigations), there is a public reaction. </p>
<p>These reactions can affect entire industries. A recent example in <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/controlled-goods/live-animals/livestock/live-sheep-exports-phase-out">Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.mpi.govt.nz/export/animals/live-animals-including-livestock/requirement-documents-for-exporting-live-animals/animal-welfare-export-certificates/live-sheep-and-cattle-exports/">New Zealand</a> is the interruption to live export of sheep by sea. </p>
<p>The impact of community attitudes is sometimes called “social licence pressure”. When communities trust and accept that an operator is acting ethically and responsibly, the industry or individual has a “social licence to operate”. </p>
<p>This isn’t a physical licence that can be granted legally or politically. It’s a term from <a href="https://academic.oup.com/forestry/article/89/5/477/2194485">industries such as forestry and mining</a>, where community approval underpins their ongoing operations. </p>
<p>Increasingly, the idea of social licence is becoming relevant to <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/12/2237">our interactions with animals</a> in contexts such as racing, farming, and now animal yoga.</p>
<p>In many ways, concerns about puppy yoga align with those observed in other animal-assisted practices, such as education, therapy and other allied health settings. Rapidly growing but minimally regulated, these practices generally claim to have positive impacts on people’s lives. </p>
<p>However, the need for animal welfare to be monitored, evaluated and prioritised is often overlooked.</p>
<h2>Animal welfare assurance</h2>
<p>One <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/10/5801">approach</a> to make animal-assisted activities more ethical is through “one health” and “one welfare” initiatives, which focus on the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental wellbeing.</p>
<p>For animal-reliant operations to be sustainable, they need be transparent and proactive in assuring the public that animal wellbeing is a priority. This may require <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.675782/full">considerable change</a> to historical practices. </p>
<p>Research on human–animal interactions is often limited by a lack of funding for <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.666898/full">studies of animal experience</a>, which can be used to inform regulation and policy. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An adult hand holds the cheek of a fluffy yellow dog." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536975/original/file-20230712-17-s1qbcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536975/original/file-20230712-17-s1qbcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536975/original/file-20230712-17-s1qbcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536975/original/file-20230712-17-s1qbcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536975/original/file-20230712-17-s1qbcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536975/original/file-20230712-17-s1qbcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536975/original/file-20230712-17-s1qbcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Animals should be given a good life.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Maksim Gonchareno/Pexels</span></span>
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<h2>The five domains of animal welfare</h2>
<p>When assessing indicators of animal welfare, scientists increasingly use the “<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1870">five domains</a>” framework.</p>
<p>The first four domains are nutrition, physical environment, health, and behavioural interactions (with people, other animals and the environment). All of these directly influence the fifth domain: the animal’s mental state.</p>
<p>For example, a puppy deprived of water in a hot room may feel thirsty, tired and dizzy. A young animal whose sleep is interrupted may feel worried, have reduced concentration, and be more prone to illness. The risk of illness is greater if they are not fully vaccinated, or are exposed to a place visited by many animals. A dropped or mishandled puppy may feel pain and fear, and learn that people should be avoided. </p>
<p>Animals should also have <em>agency</em> – the ability to choose their actions, including whether to interact with people or withdraw.</p>
<h2>How to make change</h2>
<p>In the UK, the ITV News investigation has led to a rapid escalation of the issue. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Kennel Club have condemned the yoga classes, and called on the parliamentary group that monitors animal welfare to ban the practice. </p>
<p>This shows the power of social licence pressure. Closer to home, we can all exert this kind of pressure through the choices we make.</p>
<p>By staying informed about what makes a good life for animals, and not supporting practices that fail to align with it, we can fulfil our moral obligation to animals that rely on us.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209396/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mia Cobb does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Animal-assisted yoga classes have increased in popularity around the world – but their impact on animal welfare may be far from benign.Mia Cobb, Research Fellow, Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2078832023-06-20T12:27:49Z2023-06-20T12:27:49ZOn International Yoga Day, lessons from the first American yogi – Henry David Thoreau<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532423/original/file-20230616-15-wwkl4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3900%2C2592&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Celebrating International Yoga Day on the beach in Miami Beach, Fla., in 2022.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/group-of-people-participate-in-a-yoga-session-to-mark-news-photo/1241436589?adppopup=true">Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>International Yoga Day, dedicated to celebrating yoga as part of the “<a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/yoga-day">intangible cultural heritage of humanity</a>,” has proved controversial since its inception in 2015. </p>
<p>To celebrate the day on June 21, yoga <a href="https://www.thequint.com/fit/hundreds-gathered-on-washington-monument-grounds-to-celebrate-eighth-international-yoga-day-in-the-us">gatherings are held in many parts of the world</a>, but there are also devoted yogis who <a href="https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/history-of-yoga/international-yoga-day/">refuse to participate</a>, saying the holiday is designed to covertly promote a <a href="https://www.dailyo.in/variety/international-yoga-day-soft-power-hindutva-narendra-modi-deen-dayal-upadhyaya-hedgewar-25021">right-wing Hindu fundamentalist agenda</a>. </p>
<p>Some also protest the <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/peace-love-yoga-9780190888633?cc=us&lang=en&">crass commercialism</a> of the holiday and contemporary yoga culture more generally.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://jeremydavidengels.com">scholar who studies communication, yoga and meditation</a>, and I mark this day each year by taking the opportunity to learn more about the long and complex global history of yoga. A 19th-century thinker I often study on this day is Henry David Thoreau. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A statue of Henry David Thoreau in front of a reproduction of his cabin at the Walden Pond Reservation in Concord, Massachusetts." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532421/original/file-20230616-4884-50ary6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532421/original/file-20230616-4884-50ary6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532421/original/file-20230616-4884-50ary6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532421/original/file-20230616-4884-50ary6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532421/original/file-20230616-4884-50ary6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532421/original/file-20230616-4884-50ary6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532421/original/file-20230616-4884-50ary6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Statue of Henry David Thoreau.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/statue-of-henry-david-thoreau-in-front-of-a-reproduction-of-news-photo/545147840?adppopup=true">John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images</a></span>
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</figure>
<h2>Thoreau and yoga at Walden Pond</h2>
<p>Thoreau was member of the cadre of 19th-century American essayists, poets and social activists known as <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/transcendentalism/">the Transcendentalists</a>. The Transcendentalists were famous, in their time, for their interest in Indian and other forms of non-Western thought. </p>
<p>As I explain in my recent book “<a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/E/bo68657749.html">The Ethics of Oneness: Emerson, Whitman, and the Bhagavad-Gita</a>,” the Transcendentalists were active participants in a cultural conversation that struggled to understand how philosophies of yoga might apply to an individualistic nation like the United States.</p>
<p>From 1845 to 1847, Thoreau spent two years living in a cabin he built at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. While living off the land and working on his first book, he also spent significant time contemplating yoga philosophy. In fact, when he returned from the woods, he <a href="https://openlibrary.org/books/OL3292345M/Letters_to_a_spiritual_seeker">reported</a> to an admirer: “To some extent, and at rare intervals, even I am a yogin.” </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Drawing of a wooden cabin set in a clearing among tall trees" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532426/original/file-20230616-15-wths82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532426/original/file-20230616-15-wths82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532426/original/file-20230616-15-wths82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532426/original/file-20230616-15-wths82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532426/original/file-20230616-15-wths82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=779&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532426/original/file-20230616-15-wths82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=779&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532426/original/file-20230616-15-wths82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=779&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Artistic impression of Henry Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond, Massachusetts.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/henry-thoreau-s-cabin-at-walden-pond-massachusetts-american-news-photo/1430995659?adppopup=true">Bridgeman via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-abstract/24/1/56/133222/Henry-David-Thoreau-Yogi#">According to</a> the religious studies scholar <a href="https://www.bard.edu/faculty/details/?id=240">Richard Davis</a>, “Thoreau was likely the first American to entertain seriously the possibility of identifying himself as a yogi.”</p>
<p>Thoreau did not practice asana or the physical postures of yoga, as millions of people do today, but he was a serious student of yoga philosophy. Contemporary students of yoga might find Thoreau’s thoughts on the philosophy of yoga, and in particular karma yoga, the yoga of selfless action, worthy of consideration.</p>
<h2>The Bhagavad-Gita on yoga and duty</h2>
<p>Thoreau approached the Bhagavad-Gita, a central episode <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/B/bo5950787.html">in the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata</a>, as a book of philosophy and ethics that addressed deep and abiding questions about how to live a good life. </p>
<p>The Mahabharata describes a devastating conflict over succession. The Bhagavad-Gita begins when, right on the cusp of war, the greatest warrior of the age, Arjuna, throws down his weapons on the battlefield, refusing to fight his own relations. His charioteer Krishna, who eventually reveals himself to be God, attempts to convince Arjuna to fight by teaching him three types of yoga: bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion; jnana yoga, the yoga of sacred knowledge; and karma yoga, the yoga of selfless action. It was th last concept that preoccupied Thoreau. </p>
<p>According to Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita, practicing karma yoga entails acting without consideration for the personal benefits, or “fruits,” of an action. It means doing one’s duty steadfastly, without fear or shame or remorse. It also means letting go of concern for the consequences of one’s actions on others or the natural world. </p>
<p>Krishna contends that Arjuna’s duty is determined for him by his membership in the warrior caste. Arjuna’s practice of karma yoga means embracing his duty to fight for the good of the kingdom, though to do this he will have to kill his friends and family. Embrace his duty, Krishna concludes, and there is no need to panic. </p>
<h2>Thoreau on the Bhagavad-Gita</h2>
<p>Thoreau borrowed fellow Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson’s copy of the Bhagavad-Gita – <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691139968/the-bhagavad-gita">the 1785 Charles Wilkins translation</a> – and <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Walden/UnNbAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=bhagvat">reported</a> reading it each morning during his time living at Walden Pond. </p>
<p>Thoreau admired the Bhagavad-Gita. However, he pronounced Krishna’s central argument about karma yoga “unconvincing.” Thoreau <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Week_on_the_Concord_and_Merrimack_Rive/ZJE7AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=arjoon">writes</a>: “Kreeshna’s argument, it must be allowed, is defective. No sufficient reason is given why Arjoon should fight. Arjoon may be convinced, but the reader is not.” </p>
<p>Krishna asserts that it is Arjuna’s duty to fight, but Thoreau concludes that “the duty of which he speaks is an arbitrary one.” By arbitrary, he means it is based on a model of society designed to benefit some people at the expense of others. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Rock relief of a bearded man standing in a yoga position" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532430/original/file-20230616-25-jbivji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532430/original/file-20230616-25-jbivji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532430/original/file-20230616-25-jbivji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532430/original/file-20230616-25-jbivji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532430/original/file-20230616-25-jbivji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532430/original/file-20230616-25-jbivji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532430/original/file-20230616-25-jbivji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rock relief portraying Arjuna in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/rock-reliefs-in-mahabalipuram-rock-reliefs-of-the-descent-news-photo/843177000?adppopup=true">Frédéric Soltan/Corbis via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Learning from Thoreau on karma yoga</h2>
<p>Thoreau models a way of reading yoga philosophy that is concerned, first and foremost, with its practical utility for the time and place we live. </p>
<p>Inspired by Thoreau, whenever I encounter a presentation of yoga, I ask: Is this yoga serving the creation and maintenance of the type of world I want to live in, a world that I honestly consider to be good? </p>
<p>In this spirit, Thoreau challenges individuals to question arguments about duty, like the one Krishna makes in the Bhagavad-Gita, by asking whose interest such arguments serve – and to consider what duty actually means to us. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/yoga-isnt-timeless-its-changing-to-meet-contemporary-needs-97162">Yoga is ancient, but it is not timeless</a>. As scholars have shown, <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Is-This-Yoga-Concepts-Histories-and-the-Complexities-of-Modern-Practice/Foxen-Kuberry/p/book/9781138390072">there is no one “authentic” yoga</a>, because there are, and have always been, <a href="https://sunypress.edu/Books/T/Tracing-the-Path-of-Yoga">many ways to practice yoga</a>, both in India and abroad. Yoga is a practice of global and religious diversity – there are <a href="https://sunypress.edu/Books/L/Living-Landscapes">Hindu, Buddhist and Jain yogas</a>, as well as yogas that are “<a href="https://sunypress.edu/Books/T/The-Art-of-Gratitude">spiritual but not religious</a>” and also atheistic. </p>
<p>And that is what the United Nations calls on us to celebrate: yoga as part of humanity’s global heritage. In celebrating this heritage, it is worthwhile to heed a lesson from the first American yogi and continue asking questions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207883/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jeremy David Engels does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A scholar of yoga and meditation explains how yoga is part of humanity’s global heritage and what can be learned from its long and complex global history.Jeremy David Engels, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn StateLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1983422023-06-20T09:33:09Z2023-06-20T09:33:09ZIs hot yoga good for you? Exploring the science behind the sweat<iframe id="noa-web-audio-player" style="border: none" src="https://embed-player.newsoveraudio.com/v4?key=x84olp&id=https://theconversation.com/is-hot-yoga-good-for-you-exploring-the-science-behind-the-sweat-198342&bgColor=F5F5F5&color=D8352A&playColor=D8352A" width="100%" height="110px"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/yoga-isnt-timeless-its-changing-to-meet-contemporary-needs-97162">Hot yoga</a> also known as <a href="https://www.yoga-society.com/blogs/types-of-yoga/what-is-bikram-yoga">Bikram yoga</a> (more on that later) has <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/benefits-of-hot-yoga/">gained significant popularity in recent years</a> as a fairly ferocious form of exercise. It combines yoga poses and breathing exercises and is practised in a heated studio – with room temperatures close to 40°C.</p>
<p>This style of yoga is designed to replicate the environmental conditions of India and is typically practised for around 90 minutes, leaving students (and teachers) dripping in sweat come the end of class.</p>
<p>Practising hot yoga challenges the mind and places additional physiological strain on the body. It makes you very sweaty and increases your heart rate, which can feel pretty intense. Indeed, hot yoga can lead to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5433110/">dehydration and dizziness</a>, especially if it’s your first time and you don’t begin the class hydrated.</p>
<p>Designed to develop strength, flexibility and balance, hot yoga is believed to offer enhanced physical and <a href="https://journals.copmadrid.org/pi/art/pi2022a4">mental health benefits</a> – including improved levels of fitness and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609431/">reduced stress levels</a>. </p>
<p>But it can also feel uncomfortable – think sweat trickling into your eyes while doing a headstand – and hard going: with fast, dynamic sequences repeated numerous times. Then there are also those tricky balances and multiple lunges, all done at high temperatures, meaning that at times classes can feel pretty gruelling.</p>
<p>So are all these hot sweaty postures actually any good for you? Let’s take a look at the science. </p>
<h2>The origins of hot yoga</h2>
<p>Before we go into the evidence, a bit on the history. Originally known as “<a href="https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/things-you-need-know-about-bikram-yoga">Bikram yoga</a>”, named after its creator Bikram Choudhury, the traditional style of hot yoga was developed in the early 1970s. It involves a series of 26 fixed postures, carried out over 90 minutes while experiencing extreme heat stress. </p>
<p>In recent years many yoga studios have chosen to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/03/he-made-a-fortune-from-his-trademarked-bikram-yoga-but-now-his-empire-is-in-tatters">rebrand</a> these classes as “hot yoga”, having changed from the original 26 fixed postures to be more flowing and individual and to include music (which Bikram classes don’t). </p>
<p>Another reason many yoga studios have chosen to <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/bikram-choudhury-sexual-assault_n_5d4dc527e4b0fd2733f0286f">move away from the Bikram style</a> of yoga is that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/18/bikram-hot-yoga-scandal-choudhury-what-he-wanted">multiple women</a> have <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/bikram-choudhury-yoga-rape-sexual-abuse-netflix-documentary-who-a9210771.html">come forward</a> with <a href="https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/bikram-hot-yoga-controversy-bikram-choudhury-sexual-assault-netflix-documentary">accusations of sexual harassment</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/nov/20/bikram-choudhury-yoga-founder-abuse-netflix-documentary">assault against Choudhury</a>. This has led to <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bikram-yoga-lawsuit-20160126-story.html">legal action</a> and been the focus of a 2019 Netflix documentary: <a href="https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80221584">Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator</a>.</p>
<p>Even before the <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2019/11/8874728/bikram-yoga-founder-scandal-new-netflix-documentary">Bikram scandal</a>, not everyone in the yoga community backed the idea of hot yoga. This is because traditional yoga practice involves a series of postures known as sun salutations, which are performed early in the morning (when it’s cooler), not during the midday heat. </p>
<h2>What the science says</h2>
<p>Although <a href="https://hfjc.library.ubc.ca/index.php/HFJC/article/view/220">comprehensive scientific reviews</a> are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609431/">still lacking</a>, some studies have indicated potential health benefits from hot yoga. Modified Bikram yoga performed regularly has been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609431/">associated with</a> increased aerobic fitness and improved cardiovascular function. </p>
<p>Hot yoga has <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2018/10000/Efficacy_of_Hot_Yoga_as_a_Heat_Stress_Technique.23.aspx">shown promise</a> in terms of <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/acm.2012.0709">heart health</a>, by lowering “bad cholesterol” levels and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24138995/">improving glucose tolerance</a>. Glucose intolerance may indicate an increased risk of metabolic conditions, such as diabetes.</p>
<p>It has <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2013/03000/bikram_yoga_training_and_physical_fitness_in.35.aspx?casa_token=6VxlqbNhg6YAAAAA:Q1t8bes2-X1blvLrO0vMe7AdpxJyZ4xtU69WSWoLbTtwTb7kHur2Lv5XjeIsy7OIRntbCb5Le1ciqCsWq60MElzJaEqJWDQ">also been linked</a> to an increase in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609431/">strength</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7241641/">flexibility</a> <a href="https://scielo.isciii.es/pdf/inter/v31n2/1132-0559-inter-31-2-0067.pdf">and enhanced mental health</a>, including improved stress management and sleep quality.</p>
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<img alt="Women in hot yoga studio sweating." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531979/original/file-20230614-21-cbnbgo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531979/original/file-20230614-21-cbnbgo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531979/original/file-20230614-21-cbnbgo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531979/original/file-20230614-21-cbnbgo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531979/original/file-20230614-21-cbnbgo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531979/original/file-20230614-21-cbnbgo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531979/original/file-20230614-21-cbnbgo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Getting a sweat on for that mind-body connection.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fitness-asian-female-group-doing-namaste-527129368">Southtownboy Studio/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Yoga is classified as a “light-intensity exercise” by the <a href="http://www.alternative-therapies.com/openaccess/ATHM_20_4_pate.pdf">American College of Sports Medicine</a> but <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rajasree-Nambron-2/publication/281017791_Unilateral_spontaneous_adrenal_hemorrhage_in_pregnancy/links/55d14c3a08ae6a881385ec32/Unilateral-spontaneous-adrenal-hemorrhage-in-pregnancy.pdf#page=6">studies</a> show that hot yoga sessions can result in high heart rates, increased core temperatures of 38˚C-40˚C and substantial sweat losses – <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33230967/">up to 1.5 litres per session</a> – making it a more <a href="https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/apnm-2017-0495">intense exercise</a>.</p>
<p>When it comes to hot yoga classes, <a href="https://www.lboro.ac.uk/microsites/lds/EEC/ICEE/textsearch/13proceedings/Environmental%20Ergonomics%20XV_Proceedings%20for%20Webpage_V1.pdf#page=153">research</a> has also found that novices and experienced practitioners exhibit similarities in heart rate but can differ in sweat rate and core temperature changes. The more experienced you are, the more you sweat and the hotter you may get. This is likely because more experienced hot yogis will be better adapted to the heat and so able to push harder.</p>
<p>It’s often claimed that practising yoga in a heated environment may help with “<a href="https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/does-yoga-detox-your-body/">detoxification</a>” and the release of <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/reality-check-yoga-does-not-release-toxins-from-the-body/">toxins from the body</a> due to excessive sweating. But this is rubbish – that’s what our kidneys are for. The reality is that those who practice hot yoga will probably lose more <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.14814/phy2.14647#:%7E:text=Abstract,cation%20of%20the%20extracellular%20fluid.">sodium</a> (or salt) and so are more likely to become dehydrated through increased sweat loss compared to yoga in cooler conditions. </p>
<p>Given this, hot yoga may be of benefit to those wishing to adapt to heat stress. For example, athletes preparing for elite sports such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29979281/">hockey</a> – if performed safely. </p>
<h2>And the risks?</h2>
<p>Because hot yoga can be physically demanding, <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2015/428427/">it may not be suitable for everyone</a>, especially for those with certain medical conditions or sensitivity to heat. Plus, some of the research looking at the benefits of hot yoga <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22592178/">hasn’t been replicated</a> – essentially meaning that further investigations are required to fully understand the true value of hot yoga in terms of physical fitness.</p>
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<p>So while it does seem that there are some potential benefits, it’s important to be mindful of the potential risks associated with hot yoga, too. The heated environment, for example, can increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and potentially heat stroke, especially if <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5433110/">proper hydration practices</a> are not followed.</p>
<p>People with certain medical conditions, such as heart disease or high blood pressure, or those who are pregnant may need to exercise caution or consult their doctor before participating in hot yoga. And it’s vital that students listen to their bodies, take breaks when needed and stay hydrated throughout their practice.</p>
<p>With hot and humid conditions, on top of excessive sweating, hygiene and cleanliness is also important for you and your mat. So don’t forget your towel and wipe your mat down afterwards too.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198342/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Sweating it out can be beneficial for maintaining fitness and good mental health, but it’s not right for everyone.Ash Willmott, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, Anglia Ruskin UniversityJessica Mee, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, University of WorcesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1985232023-02-10T06:06:33Z2023-02-10T06:06:33ZSix reasons to take up yoga during pregnancy<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/507864/original/file-20230202-2156-fy77qu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C4%2C3024%2C2005&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-pregnant-woman-doing-yoga-614674799">Nina Buday/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>While you may need to modify your exercise routine slightly during pregnancy, physical activity is safe, and in fact <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/exercising-in-pregnancy/">recommended</a>, when you’re expecting a baby.</p>
<p>One option you might consider is prenatal yoga. Yoga is suitable even for women who don’t tend to do a lot of exercise.</p>
<p>Yoga is an <a href="https://yoga.ayush.gov.in/Yoga-History/">ancient practice</a> from India involving movement, meditation and breathing techniques to promote mental and physical wellbeing. There’s a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301211520301603">growing body of research</a> on the benefits of yoga during pregnancy.</p>
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<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/ive-spent-years-studying-happiness-heres-what-actually-makes-for-a-happier-life-197580?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">I’ve spent years studying happiness – here’s what actually makes for a happier life</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/long-covid-a-range-of-diets-are-said-to-help-manage-symptoms-heres-what-the-evidence-tells-us-197821?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Long COVID: a range of diets are said to help manage symptoms – here’s what the evidence tells us</a></em></p>
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<p>Prenatal yoga is safe for mother and baby when practised <a href="https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2015/12000/Yoga_in_Pregnancy__An_Examination_of_Maternal_and.19.aspx">under guidance</a> from a certified instructor, and is suitable for both <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859219301007">low- and high-risk pregnancies</a>. Here are six reasons you should include prenatal yoga in your pregnancy routine.</p>
<h2>1. Mental health</h2>
<p>Are you anxious about your pregnancy? Does thinking of childbirth give rise to a <a href="https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0412.2011.01323.x">sense of fear</a>? If so, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31347796/">one in five</a> pregnant and postpartum women experience some form of anxiety. </p>
<p>High levels of stress and anxiety during pregnancy can increase the risk of <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0278-6133.27.1.43">preterm birth</a>, <a href="https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03433.x?casa_token=6KbzlyfVhRYAAAAA%3A5IcVVBcxbH-xjH2a0WH-4GEvuLS_2CGrls8YA6jodouTVt6I2D6ZSNjHQZh18X6udtYO7hap8xi4">longer labour</a>, and the need for <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/7/5/e013413.full.pdf">interventions</a> including induction, sedation and caesarean section.</p>
<p>Yoga can help <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174438811300042X">reduce anxiety</a> and stress levels. Even a single session of prenatal yoga has been found to reduce anxiety around childbirth in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/da.22268?casa_token=AskddWqGVE0AAAAA%3AqzpRSz67I0oGdu-zJF2KevfhBOGaT6vXCitugUsDI9y13XIlqoMcBuLAt2lrjt0IAZFExHzoPpQd">low-risk mothers</a>. And for pregnant women with <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/9/5368">diagnosed depression</a>, yoga has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms and anxiety.</p>
<p>Many mothers also worry about whether they will be able to bond with their babies. By improving mental wellbeing and building a greater sense of connection with the body, yoga has been shown <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388112000485">to increase</a> a mother’s feeling of attachment to her <a href="http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/45060">unborn child</a>. </p>
<h2>2. Help with aches and pains</h2>
<p>It’s common for pregnant women to have pain around the pelvic area (lower back, hips and thighs). One study found a short course of ten yoga sessions reduced <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2012.0715">overall pain</a> in this area.</p>
<p>Other research has shown prenatal yoga helps reduce a variety of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0266613809000096">pregnancy discomforts</a> including varicose veins and ankle swelling.</p>
<h2>3. Blood pressure control</h2>
<p>Pregnancy-induced hypertension (high blood pressure) can be dangerous. In particular, it can lead to a complication called preeclampsia, which can be life-threatening for both mother and baby.</p>
<p>For pregnant women with high blood pressure, practising yoga has been shown to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388121000657">bring it down</a>. Likewise, prenatal yoga has been found to reduce incidences of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743512003301">preeclampsia</a>.</p>
<h2>4. Reducing blood sugar</h2>
<p>Some women develop <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gestational-diabetes/">gestational diabetes</a> during pregnancy, which is when their body doesn’t produce enough insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar.</p>
<p>For mothers with this condition, prenatal yoga, along with dietary changes, can help reduce <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/1547799093?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true">blood sugar levels</a>. Even regular yoga practice for seven to ten days has been shown to <a href="https://biomedicineonline.org/index.php/home/article/view/1036">reduce blood sugar levels</a> in patients with gestational diabetes.</p>
<p>Well-controlled blood sugar levels can help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3321340/">prevent</a> further complications that can arise with gestational diabetes such as preterm birth, having a large baby, the baby developing jaundice, and stillbirth. </p>
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<img alt="A pregnant woman doing the splits on a yoga mat." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/507866/original/file-20230202-4223-l7h72z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/507866/original/file-20230202-4223-l7h72z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/507866/original/file-20230202-4223-l7h72z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/507866/original/file-20230202-4223-l7h72z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/507866/original/file-20230202-4223-l7h72z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/507866/original/file-20230202-4223-l7h72z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/507866/original/file-20230202-4223-l7h72z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Prenatal yoga can reduce anxiety.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/side-view-african-american-flexible-pregnant-2249884299">shurkin_son/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>5. Improving sleep</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079217300291">Almost half of pregnant women</a> experience some level of sleep disturbance, and sleep quality gets worse in the third trimester. Women who sleep less during pregnancy have <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/1938626721?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar">higher incidences</a> of anxiety.</p>
<p>A key part of prenatal yoga is <em>pranayama</em>, or breathing exercises, which are believed to help <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/18bc/53f3966e4f50523388cf08b8ce7f9b813735.pdf">improve quality of sleep</a>.</p>
<h2>6. Strength and confidence</h2>
<p>After attending yoga classes, women have reported <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871519212000376">feelings of strength</a> and confidence. Increased confidence and physical competence may enable women to remain calmer and help them <a href="http://eprints.worc.ac.uk/7307/1/Campbell%20V%252c%20Nolan%20M%252c%20It%20definitely%20made%20a%20difference.pdf">take greater control</a> during labour. </p>
<p>Yoga has been shown to be associated with <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jcim-2019-0291/html">reduced pain during labour</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388116302316">shorter duration of labour</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/yoga-in-the-workplace-can-reduce-back-pain-and-sickness-absence-87375">Yoga in the workplace can reduce back pain and sickness absence</a>
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<p>While research shows prenatal yoga is beneficial and safe, there are only a limited number of studies investigating each benefit, and they have small sample sizes. It would be good to see larger studies on this topic.</p>
<p>That said, if you’re pregnant, prenatal yoga is a worthwhile investment you can make in your physical and mental health.</p>
<h2>Choosing the right class</h2>
<p>Looking for a class may be confusing as there are <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthew-Taylor-48/publication/232241438_Yoga_Therapeutics_An_Ancient_Dynamic_Systems_Theory/links/59bfd1420f7e9b48a29b91bd/Yoga-Therapeutics-An-Ancient-Dynamic-Systems-Theory.pdf">several types of yoga</a>. The forms most suited to pregnancy are Hatha yoga, which is slower paced, or Iyengar yoga, which uses props for support.</p>
<p>You can find providers through a quick internet search or on directories such as <a href="https://www.mumbler.co.uk">Mumbler</a> in the UK. You may have a choice between private and group classes. In a group class, you’ll have a chance to meet other pregnant mothers – an added bonus. A private session offers a tailored approach and individual attention from the instructor. </p>
<p>If you’re a beginner, attending virtual classes isn’t recommended as there will be no one to check your posture and help you avoid injuries.</p>
<p>If you’re enquiring about a group session, check if it’s a mixed class or only prenatal. It’s always better to choose a prenatal session. Also, ask for your instructor’s credentials in prenatal yoga. It’s a different certification from general yoga. </p>
<p>In your first class, the instructor will ask you about any injuries or pregnancy complications so they can give you modifications if needed. At any point, if you feel dizzy or in pain, stop and tell your instructor. They can support and guide you. </p>
<p>Most importantly, remember to enjoy the experience. The physical and psychological benefits will follow.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198523/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anjali Raj is a certified prenatal and postnatal yoga instructor, but is not currently teaching.</span></em></p>From improving mental health to managing aches and pains, yoga can have a variety of benefits during pregnancy.Anjali Raj Westwood, Lecturer, Graduate School of Healthcare Management, RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1985372023-02-08T14:28:15Z2023-02-08T14:28:15ZHow do I improve my immunity? Expert shares tips on what to do - and what to avoid<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/507107/original/file-20230130-7241-9z07f6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Exercising regularly, and spending time outdoors can improve your health. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The human immune system is arguably the most complex system in the human body. But scientists have made a lot of progress in understanding how it functions.</p>
<p>That’s important for understanding illnesses and how to manage them. For instance, it’s important to understand that an immune response takes several days to fully develop. This knowledge would hopefully prevent people from getting impatient and seeking inappropriate care. </p>
<p>The immune system is made up of an intricate network of cells, tissues and molecules. These control the delicate balance between eliminating cancerous or infected cells, and not harming the body in the process. </p>
<p>A poorly functioning immune system can cause a variety of health problems. </p>
<p>It could lead to a person getting recurrent infections. Depending on the nature of the immune deficiency, the infections can range from viral (such as colds, flu, shingles and fever blisters) to bacterial (such as tuberculosis) or fungal (such as thrush). </p>
<p>Immune system dysfunction can also present as excessive inflammation or even auto-immunity. In this case the body starts seeing its own tissues as foreign and attacks them. Some examples of these conditions are rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and psoriasis.</p>
<p>The factors that affect our immune system range from things we can’t change, such as our genetic make-up and exposure to past pathogens, to things we may be able to control or modify.</p>
<p>I am an immunologist, and in this article I unpack the changes you can make today to help your immune system function better. They include diet, managing stress levels, and limiting exposure to environmental factors, such as germs, pollution and toxins. </p>
<p>Optimal immune function plays an important role in maintaining health. Given the immense complexity of the immune system, simplistic solutions are not effective. It’s important to understand some of the things you should – and shouldn’t – do. </p>
<h2>What not to do</h2>
<p>Many products claim to “boost” the immune system. But given the complex interplay between the cells in our bodies, it’s not really possible to “boost” just one part of the immune system. </p>
<p>And even if it was possible, “boosting” one aspect of your immune system can set off bad reactions by upsetting the delicate balance that makes up our bodies. For instance, “boosting” the immune system’s ability to fight infection could also “boost” other aspects, such as inflammation, that could harm normal tissue. </p>
<p>It is true that the immune system relies on vitamins and minerals to perform its tasks. But there is no solid evidence that taking vitamins and mineral supplements will improve its functioning. </p>
<p>The exception is when a person has a known deficiency, such as vitamin D deficiency. Most people with vitamin D deficiency do not have any symptoms or only have vague, non-specific symptoms, such as tiredness or lower back ache. People living with osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, or depression, or those with limited sun exposure, especially the elderly, are at increased risk of having a deficiency. It’s important to address the problem because it can increase the risk of fractures, as well as infection from various pathogens, especially those affecting the lungs, such as flu and SARS-CoV-2. </p>
<p>If you think you’ve got a nutrient deficiency you should consult a healthcare practitioner for an accurate diagnosis. They can set out an evidence-based management strategy for you. </p>
<p>The reason for seeking professional help is that dosing up on supplements can be bad for you. </p>
<p>Firstly, some vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, E and K, are fat-soluble and are stored in the body. It is therefore possible to have levels that are too high, which can cause its own problems. For instance, too-high levels of vitamin D can cause kidney stones, constipation and high blood pressure. Too much vitamin A or iron can cause damage to the liver and other organs. </p>
<p>Secondly, nutrients should not be seen as independent components. Rather they should be seen as parts of a whole. Many supplements can interact negatively with other supplements and even with medication. For instance, vitamin K can reduce the ability of the blood thinner warfarin to prevent blood clots.</p>
<p>Combining different supplements can also lead to excessive or inadequate amounts of certain nutrients, with potentially detrimental effects. For example, prolonged zinc supplementation can cause copper deficiency, which has been linked to anaemia and impaired brain function. </p>
<h2>What to do</h2>
<p>The best way to ensure that your immune system gets what it needs is through a healthy and balanced lifestyle. </p>
<p>Diet is critical. Eat food that is unprocessed, preservative-free, and rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Your diet should include green and yellow vegetables, fruit and berries, whole grains, seeds and nuts. </p>
<p>And it’s not just the individual components of food that are important. The interplay between them matters too. This is something that cannot be reproduced in a tablet. </p>
<p>Lifestyle factors are also key. Stress is a normal and essential part of life, but it must be switched off to protect the body. Finding effective ways to control stress, such as breathing exercises, yoga and meditation, is important. </p>
<p>Activities that have been shown to improve health include getting enough rest, exercising regularly, spending time outdoors, and staying connected socially. Smoking and excessive alcohol use are clearly harmful. </p>
<p>Finally, we often forget to be kind to ourselves. When you are ill, take time to recover. When you are going through an especially stressful time, make an extra effort to de-stress. </p>
<p>Most importantly, don’t regard these as emergency measures. Make them part of your lifestyle. As tempting as it may be, it is not possible to “supplement” yourself out of a bad lifestyle.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198537/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Theresa Rossouw does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As tempting as it is, it is not possible to “supplement” oneself out of a bad lifestyle.Theresa Rossouw, Professor, University of PretoriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1976622023-01-24T13:23:27Z2023-01-24T13:23:27ZYoga: Modern research shows a variety of benefits to both body and mind from the ancient practice<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505654/original/file-20230120-8209-dd2jmr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=252%2C347%2C6774%2C4340&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Yoga mixes physical exercise with meditation and breathing techniques.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/yoga-class-on-mats-in-studio-in-gentle-twist-royalty-free-image/1305098935?phrase=yoga%20group&adppopup=true">10,000 Hours/Digital Vision via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The popularity of yoga has grown tremendously in the past decade. More than 10% of U.S. adults <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2020.0506">have practiced yoga</a> at some point in their lives. Yoga practitioners spend on average US$90 a month, and the yoga industry is worth more than <a href="https://comparecamp.com/yoga-statistics/">$80 billion worldwide</a>. </p>
<p>Yoga is now a mainstream activity in the U.S. and is commonly portrayed as a healthy lifestyle choice. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Ar2ww04AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">I am a behavioral scientist</a> who researches how physical activity – and specifically yoga – can prevent and help manage chronic diseases.</p>
<p>Many people attribute improvements in their physical and mental health to their yoga practice. But until recently, research had been sparse on the health benefits of yoga. As the body of rigorous research on yoga grows, more and more work is showing the many health benefits of a yoga practice. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A statue of a man sitting with legs crossed." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505655/original/file-20230120-24-xurvux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The sage Patanjali wrote the first texts on yoga nearly 2,000 years ago.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patanjali_Statue.jpg#/media/File:Patanjali_Statue.jpg">Alokprasad/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What is yoga?</h2>
<p>The name “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Yuj” meaning to unite, join or connect the mind, body and soul. The first text on yoga was <a href="https://yoga.ayush.gov.in/Yoga-History/#:%7E:text=The%20practice%20of%20Yoga%20is,first%20Guru%20or%20Adi%20Guru">written by the sage Patanjali</a> over 2,000 years ago in India. Patanjali described yoga as “citta-vrtti-nirodhah,” or “stilling the mind.” This was achieved through a mix of breath work, meditation, physical movement and body purification practices, as well as ethical and moral codes for living a healthy and purposeful life.</p>
<p>Over the years, various yoga teachers have modified the original Patanjali yoga, resulting in different styles that vary in their intensity and focus. For example, some yoga styles such as <a href="https://www.arhantayoga.org/blog/what-is-vinyasa-yoga/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16798733686&utm_content=&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_bieBhDSARIsADU4zLeu55jBq4b-83qV9FGkLb6voLdHYDVD8-9dzNPX44WhozJvslby0RYaApn3EALw_wcB">Vinyasa</a> focus more on intense movements similar to an aerobic workout. <a href="https://chopra.com/articles/restorative-yoga-the-basics-5-poses">Restorative yoga</a> includes more relaxation poses. <a href="https://iynaus.org/what-is-iyengar-yoga/">Iyengar yoga</a> uses props and emphasizes precision and proper alignment of body. These different styles provide options for individuals with different physical abilities.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, yoga instructors in the U.S. today teach styles that incorporate postures, breathing exercises and sometimes meditation.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zbG9LQst6EA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Modern Western yoga often uses poses like downward dog that focus on flexibility and strength.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What does the research show?</h2>
<p>As yoga has grown in popularity in recent years, researchers have begun to study its effects and are finding that it has great benefit for mental and physical health.</p>
<p>Yoga involves physical movement, so it is no surprise that most types of yoga can help to improve a person’s strength and flexibility. In one study with healthy untrained volunteers, researchers found that eight weeks of yoga improved <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1520-037x.2001.00542.x">muscular strength at the elbow and knee by 10%-30%</a>. Flexibility at the ankle, shoulder and hip joints also increased by 13%-188%.</p>
<p>There are a number of less obvious but meaningful benefits from yoga as well. Research has shown that yoga practice can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.02.017">reduce risk factors for heart disease</a> such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abdominal obesity. Studies on older adults have shown significant improvements in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afv175">balance, mobility</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2020.104319">cognitive function</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-019-0789-2">overall quality of life</a>. </p>
<p>Yoga seems to be effective at managing pain, too. Research has found that yoga can improve symptoms of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05413-9">headaches</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-019-0846-5">osteoarthritis</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097%2FMD.0000000000014649">neck pain</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010671">low-back pain</a>. In fact, the American College of Physicians recommends yoga as one of the options for initial nonpharmaceutical <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/M16-2367">treatment for chronic low-back pain</a>.</p>
<p>Yoga also provides many benefits for mental health. Researchers have found that a regular practice over eight to 12 weeks can lead to moderate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22762">reductions in anxiety</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101242">depressive symptoms</a> as well as help with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32088671/">stress management</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A group of people sitting on yoga mats with their hands pressed together in front of their chests." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505657/original/file-20230120-16-kadb2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Mindfulness is an important part of yoga practice and has been linked to many health benefits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mature-woman-doing-yoga-in-class-royalty-free-image/1349259739?phrase=yoga%20sitting%20group&adppopup=true">SeventyFour/iStock via Getty Images</a></span>
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</figure>
<h2>More than physical exercise</h2>
<p>Yoga is a type of exercise in that it is a form of physical exertion that helps build fitness. A lot of the benefits researchers have found are due to the physical activity component and are similar to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0044">benefits from other forms of exercise</a> like running, weightlifting or calisthenics. </p>
<p>But unlike these other activities, yoga practice incorporates mindfulness as a key aspect. With its focus on controlling breath, holding postures and meditation, yoga increases how much a person pays attention to the sensations of their body and the present moment. This <a href="https://theconversation.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-offer-an-abundance-of-health-benefits-and-may-be-as-effective-as-medication-for-treating-certain-conditions-195276">mindfulness leads to many benefits</a> not found from other forms of exercise.</p>
<p>Studies have shown that mindfulness training on its own can increase a person’s self-awareness, along with the ability to recognize and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822">skillfully respond to emotional stress</a>. It can even give a person greater control over long-term behavior. One study found that increased mindfulness from yoga can help people better recognize and respond to feelings of being full when eating, decrease binge eating and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2020.1798172">alleviate concerns over how their body looks</a>.</p>
<p>My colleagues and I observed a similar effect in a pilot study on the benefits of yoga for individuals with Type 2 diabetes. After doing yoga twice a week for three months, several participants reported paying more attention to their diet, snacking less and eating healthier, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ctcp.2018.11.011">even without any nutrition intervention</a>. Our patients also reported less stress and an increased willingness to engage in other types of physical activities.</p>
<p>Yoga is clearly different from Western exercise in how it approaches mental health. With more research, it may be possible to understand the biological mechanisms as well.</p>
<h2>Things to know if you want to start doing yoga</h2>
<p>Yoga may not be helpful for all medical conditions or right for every person, but people of all age groups, body types and physical abilities can practice yoga. It can be a form of mental and physical exercise for people who do not enjoy sweating during strenuous forms of exercise or for individuals with medical or physical conditions who find working out in the gym challenging.</p>
<p>It is important to consider that although yoga is generally safe, just as with any other form of exercise, there is some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2612-7">risk of getting injured</a>. Individuals with medical conditions who are new to yoga should practice it initially under the supervision of a trained instructor. </p>
<p>If you do decide to give yoga a try, talk to the yoga instructor first to assess whether the style they offer meets your preference and fitness levels. Remember, you may need to practice a couple of weeks to feel the benefits, physically and mentally.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197662/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Herpreet Thind receives funding from the National Institute of Health. </span></em></p>Yoga’s surge in popularity in the past decade has spurred more research into its effects. The combination of physical movement and mindfulness provides a wide range of health benefits.Herpreet Thind, Associate Professor of Public Health, UMass LowellLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1952762023-01-12T13:22:40Z2023-01-12T13:22:40ZMeditation and mindfulness offer an abundance of health benefits and may be as effective as medication for treating certain conditions<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/503183/original/file-20230105-12-ywtjr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People of any age or walk of life can access and benefit from meditation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/young-multiracial-latina-woman-meditating-at-home-royalty-free-image/1394449576?phrase=mindfulness%20meditation&adppopup=true">Daniel de la Hoz/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many people look to diet trends or new exercise regimens – often with questionable benefit – to get a healthier start on the new year. But there is one strategy that’s been shown time and again to boost both mood and health: meditation.</p>
<p>In late 2022, a <a href="http://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.3679">high-profile study</a> made a splash when it claimed that meditation may work as well as a common drug named Lexapro for the treatment of anxiety. Over the past couple of decades, similar evidence has emerged about mindfulness and meditation’s broad array of health benefits, for purposes ranging from stress and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9844-2">pain reduction</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.008">depression treatments</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006">boosting brain health</a> and helping to manage excessive <a href="https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3523432">inflammation and long COVID-19</a>. </p>
<p>Despite the mounting body of evidence showing the health benefits of meditation, it can be hard to weigh the science and to know how robust it is.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S9ykvZUAAAAJ&hl=en">neuroscientist studying the effects of stress and trauma</a> on <a href="https://theconversation.com/meditation-holds-the-potential-to-help-treat-children-suffering-from-traumas-difficult-diagnoses-or-other-stressors-a-behavioral-neuroscientist-explains-189037">brain development in children and adolescents</a>. I also study how mindfulness, meditation and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-runners-high-may-result-from-molecules-called-cannabinoids-the-bodys-own-version-of-thc-and-cbd-170796">exercise</a> can positively affect brain development and mental health in youth. </p>
<p>I am very excited about how meditation can be used as a tool to provide powerful new insights into the ways the mind and brain work, and to fundamentally change a person’s outlook on life. And as a mental health researcher, I see the promise of meditation as a low- or no-cost, evidence-based tool to improve health that can be relatively easily integrated into daily life. </p>
<p>Meditation requires some training, discipline and practice – which are not always easy to come by. But with some specific tools and strategies, it can be accessible to everyone.</p>
<h2>What are mindfulness and meditation?</h2>
<p>There are many different types of meditation, and mindfulness is one of the most common. Fundamentally, mindfulness is a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-give-the-gift-of-mindfulness-this-new-year-195711">mental state</a> that, according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.149.7.936">Jon Kabat-Zinn</a> a renowned expert in mindfulness-based practices, involves “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” </p>
<p>This means not ruminating about something that happened in the past or worrying about that to-do list. Being focused on the present, or living in the moment, has been shown to have a broad array of benefits, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00677">elevating mood, reducing anxiety</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0163-8343(82)90026-3">lessening pain</a> and potentially improving <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-021-09519-y">cognitive performance</a>. </p>
<p>Mindfulness is a skill that can be practiced and cultivated over time. The goal is that, with repetition, the benefits of practicing mindfulness carry over into everyday life – when you aren’t actively meditating. For example, if you learn that you aren’t defined by an emotion that arises transiently, like anger, then it may be harder to stay angry for long. </p>
<p>The health benefits of meditation and other strategies aimed at stress reduction are thought to stem from increasing levels of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2015.7">overall mindfulness</a> through practice. Elements of mindfulness are also present in practices like yoga, martial arts and dance that require focusing attention and discipline.</p>
<p>The vast body of evidence supporting the health benefits of meditation is too expansive to cover exhaustively. But the studies I reference below represent some of the top tier, or the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-88555-1_2">highest-quality and most rigorous summaries</a> of scientific data on the topic to date. Many of these include systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which synthesize many studies on a given topic. </p>
<h2>Stress and mental health</h2>
<p>Mindfulness-based programs have been shown to significantly reduce stress in a variety of populations, ranging from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/01640275211043486">caregivers of people living with dementia</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12307">children during the COVID-19 pandemic</a>. </p>
<p>Meta-analyses published during the pandemic show that mindfulness programs are effective for reducing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3138">symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2022.100712">obsessive-compulsive disorder</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.048">attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/jicm.2021.0036">depression</a> – including the <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-4-in-5-pregnancy-related-deaths-are-preventable-in-the-us-and-mental-health-is-the-leading-cause-193909">particularly vulnerable time</a> during <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12441">pregnancy and the postnatal period</a>. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">In addition to improving mood and lowering stress, mindfulness has been shown to elevate cognitive performance, cut down on mind wandering and distractibility and increase emotional intelligence.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mindfulness-based programs also show promise as a treatment option for anxiety disorders, which are the most common mental disorders, affecting an estimated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00395-3">301 million people globally</a>. While effective treatments for anxiety exist, many patients do not have access to them because they lack insurance coverage or transportation to providers, for instance, or they may experience only limited relief.</p>
<p>It’s important to note, however, that for those affected by mental or substance use disorders, mindfulness-based approaches should not replace first-line treatments like medicine and psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Mindfulness strategies should be seen as a supplement to these evidence-based treatments and a complement to healthy lifestyle interventions like physical activity and healthy eating. </p>
<h2>How does meditation work? A look into the brain</h2>
<p>Studies show that regular meditators experience better attention control and improved control of heart rate, breathing and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.0707678104">autonomic nervous system functioning</a>, which regulates involuntary responses in the body, such as blood pressure. Research also shows that people who meditate have
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0707678104">lower levels of cortisol</a> – a hormone involved in the stress response – than those who don’t. </p>
<p>A recent systematic review of neuroimaging studies showed that focused attention meditation is associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104846">functional changes in several brain regions</a> involved in cognitive control and emotion-related processing. The review also found that more experienced meditators had stronger activation of the brain regions involved in those cognitive and emotional processes, suggesting that the brain benefits improve with more practice. </p>
<p>A regular meditation practice may also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/01.wnr.0000186598.66243.19">stave off age-related thinning of the cerebral cortex</a>, which may help to protect against age-related disease and cognitive impairment. </p>
<h2>Limitations of meditation research</h2>
<p>This research <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100620">does have limits</a>. These include a lack of a consistent definition for the types of programs used, and a lack of rigorously controlled studies. In gold-standard randomized controlled trials with medications, study participants don’t know whether they are getting the active drug or a placebo. </p>
<p>In contrast, in trials of mindfulness-based interventions, participants know what condition they are assigned to and are not “blinded,” so they may expect that some of the health benefits may happen to them. This creates a sense of expectancy, which can be a confounding variable in studies. Many meditation studies also don’t frequently include a control group, which is needed to assess how it compares with other treatments.</p>
<h2>Benefits and wider applications</h2>
<p>Compared with medications, mindfulness-based programs may be more easily accessible and have fewer negative side effects. However, medication and psychotherapy – <a href="https://theconversation.com/cbt-dbt-psychodynamic-what-type-of-therapy-is-right-for-me-171101">particularly cognitive behavioral therapy</a> – work well for many, and a combination approach may be best. Mindfulness-based interventions are also cost-effective and have better health outcomes than usual care, particularly among <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01960-1">high-risk patient populations</a> – so there are economic benefits as well.</p>
<p>Researchers are studying ways to deliver mindfulness tools on a computer or smartphone app, or with virtual reality, which may be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2022.08.001">more effective</a> than conventional in-person meditation training. </p>
<p>Importantly, mindfulness is not just for those with physical or mental health diagnoses. Anyone can use these strategies to reduce the risk of disease and to take advantage of the health benefits in everyday life, such as improved sleep and cognitive performance, elevated mood and lowered stress and anxiety. </p>
<h2>Where to get started?</h2>
<p>Many recreation centers, fitness studios and even universities offer in-person meditation classes. For those looking to see if meditation can help with the treatment of a physical or mental condition, there are over 600 <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=mindfulness+OR+meditation&Search=Apply&recrs=a&age_v=&gndr=&type=&rslt=">clinical trials</a> currently recruiting participants for various conditions, such as pain, cancer and depression. </p>
<p>If you want to try meditation from the comfort of your home, there are many free online videos on how to practice, including meditations for sleep, stress reduction, mindful eating and more. Several apps, such as Headspace, appear promising, with randomized controlled trials <a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/40924">showing benefits for users</a>. </p>
<p>The hardest part is, of course, getting started. However, if you set an alarm to practice every day, it will become a habit and may even translate into everyday life – which is the ultimate goal. For some, this may take some time and practice, and for others, this may start to happen pretty quickly. Even a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01163-1">single five-minute session</a> can have positive health effects.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195276/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hilary A. Marusak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Mindfulness, one of the most common forms of meditation, is a skill that must be cultivated and practiced. With some training and discipline, it can help anyone live more fully in the moment.Hilary A. Marusak, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1879602022-08-23T12:24:55Z2022-08-23T12:24:55ZYoga versus democracy? What survey data says about spiritual Americans’ political behavior<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480136/original/file-20220819-2830-wsaywk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=23%2C29%2C3870%2C2563&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">For some, yoga is a spiritual practice that may substitute for religion.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/group-of-people-participate-in-a-yoga-session-taught-by-news-photo/1231905854?adppopup=true">CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As the United States gets less religious, is it also getting more selfish? </p>
<p>Historically, religious Americans have been civically engaged. Through <a href="http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/1468-5906.00175">churches and other faith-based organizations</a>, congregants volunteer, engage in local and national civic organizations and pursue political goals. </p>
<p><a href="https://sociologicalscience.com/articles-vol1-24-423/">Today</a> – <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/A/bo3683361.html">the rise</a> of a politically potent <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/A/bo3683361.html">religious right over the past 50 years</a> notwithstanding – fewer Americans identify with formal religions. Gallup <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx">found</a> that 47% of Americans reported church membership in 2020, down from 70% in the 1990s; <a href="https://www.prri.org/research/2020-census-of-american-religion/">nearly a quarter of Americans have no religious affiliation</a>. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, other kinds of meaningful practice are on the rise, from meditation and yoga to new <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/05/ritual-design-lab-secular-atheist/559535/">secular rituals</a> like <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0242546">Sunday assemblies “without God.”</a> Between 2012 and 2017, the percentage of American adults who meditated rose from 4.1% to 14.2%, according to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2018/201811_Yoga_Meditation.htm">a 2018 CDC report</a>. The number of those who practiced yoga jumped from 9.5% to 14.3%. Not everyone considers these practices “spiritual,” but many do pursue them as an alternative to religious engagement. </p>
<p><a href="https://sociologicalscience.com/articles-vol1-24-423/">Some critics</a> question whether this new focus on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2019/jul/08/the-mindfulness-conspiracy-podcast">mindfulness and self-care</a> is <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/beyond-mcmindfulness_b_3519289">making Americans more self-centered</a>. They suggest religiously disengaged Americans are channeling their energies into <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14766086.2018.1438038">themselves and their careers</a> rather than into civic pursuits that may benefit the public.</p>
<p>As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AEb-z9IAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">sociologists</a> who study <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=I_z924QAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">religion and public life</a>, we wanted to answer that question. We used survey data to compare how these two groups of spiritual and religious Americans vote, volunteer and otherwise get involved in their communities.</p>
<h2>Spiritually selfish or religiously alienated?</h2>
<p>Our research began with the assumption that moving from organized religious practices to spiritual practices could have one of two effects on greater American society. </p>
<p>Spiritual practice could lead people to focus on more selfish or self-interested pursuits, such as their own personal development and career progress, to the detriment of U.S. society and democracy. </p>
<p>This is the argument sociologist <a href="https://ethnicstudies.berkeley.edu/people/carolyn-chen-1/">Carolyn Chen</a> pursues in her book “<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691219080/work-pray-code">Work, Pray, Code</a>,” about how meditators in Silicon Valley are re-imagining Buddhist practices as productivity tools. As one employee described a company mindfulness program, it helped her “self-manage” and “not get triggered.” While these skills made her happier and gave her “the clarity to handle the complex problems of the company,” Chen shows how they also teach employees to put work first, sacrificing other kinds of social connection. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2019/jul/08/the-mindfulness-conspiracy-podcast">Bringing spiritual practice into the office</a> may give workers deeper purpose and meaning, but Chen says it can have some unintended consequences. </p>
<p>When workplaces fulfill workers’ most personal needs – providing not only meals and laundry but also recreational activities, spiritual coaches and mindfulness sessions – skilled workers end up spending most of their time at work. They invest in their company’s social capital rather than building ties with their neighbors, religious congregations and other civic groups. They are less likely to frequent local businesses. </p>
<p>Chen suggests that this disinvestment in community can ultimately lead to cuts in public services and weaken democracy. </p>
<p>Alternatively, our research posited, spiritual practices may serve as a substitute for religion. This explanation may hold especially true among Americans <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1065912918771526">disaffected by the rightward lurch that now divides many congregations</a>, exacerbating <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soab134">cultural fissures around race</a>, gender and sexual orientation. </p>
<p>“They loved to tell me my sexuality doesn’t define me,” one 25-year-old former evangelical, Christian Ethan Stalker, told the <a href="https://religionnews.com/2021/08/06/young-evangelicals-are-leaving-church-resistance-to-lgbtq-equality-is-driving-them-away/">Religion News Service</a> in 2021 in describing his former church. “But they shoved a handful of verses down my throat that completely sexualize me as a gay person and … dismissed who I am as a complex human being. That was a huge problem for me.”</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A sign reads 'Catholics vote pro-life', written in red, white and blue." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480139/original/file-20220819-22-kth4oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An anti-abortion message outside St. Anthony Church, in Brooksville, Fla., in 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/florida-brooksville-st-anthony-church-catholics-vote-pro-news-photo/1280323701?adppopup=true">Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Engaged on all fronts</h2>
<p>To answer our research question about spirituality and civic engagement, we used <a href="https://www.thearda.com/Archive/Files/Descriptions/NRSS2019.asp">a nationally representative survey</a> of Americans in 2020. </p>
<p>We examined the political behaviors of people who engaged in activities such as yoga, meditation, making art, walking in nature, praying and attending religious services. The political activities we measured included voting, volunteering, contacting representatives, protesting and donating to political campaigns. </p>
<p>We then compared those behaviors, distinguishing between people who see these activities as spiritual and those who see the same activities as religious. </p>
<p>Our new study, published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00031224221108196">American Sociological Review</a>, finds that spiritual practitioners are just as likely to engage in political activities as the religious. </p>
<p>After we controlled for demographic factors such as age, race and gender, frequent spiritual practitioners were about 30% more likely than nonpractitioners to report doing at least one political activity in the past year. Likewise, devoted religious practitioners were also about 30% more likely to report one of these political behaviors than respondents who do not practice religion. </p>
<p>In other words, we found heightened political engagement among both the religious and spiritual, compared with other people.</p>
<p>Our findings bolster similar conclusions made recently by sociologist <a href="https://briansteensland.com/">Brian Steensland</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12788">his colleagues in another study</a> on spiritual people and civic involvement.</p>
<h2>Uncovering the spiritual as a political force</h2>
<p>The spiritual practitioners we identified seemed particularly likely to be disaffected by the rightward turn in some congregations in recent years. On average, Democrats, women and people who identified as lesbian, gay and bisexual reported more frequent spiritual practices.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman wearing a headset microphone leads a class of women, all holding their palms in front of their chests. The instructor has her eyes closed." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480137/original/file-20220819-16-7e7g9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A mindfulness-focused weekly dance class at a recreation center in Littleton, Colo., in 2017.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/loelle-poneleit-center-leads-her-students-during-a-nia-news-photo/635565412?adppopup=true">Seth McConnell/The Denver Post via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>We suspect these groups are engaging in American politics in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/23254823.2022.2086596">innovative ways</a>, such as through online groups and retreats that <a href="https://www.offthematintotheworld.org/">re-imagine spiritual community and democratic engagement</a>. </p>
<p>Our research recognizes progressive spiritual practitioners as a growing but largely <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/01/spiritual-but-not-religious-a-rising-misunderstood-voting-bloc/283000/">unrecognized, underestimated and misunderstood political force</a>. </p>
<p>In his influential book “<a href="http://bowlingalone.com/">Bowling Alone</a>,” Harvard political scientist <a href="http://robertdputnam.com/">Robert Putnam</a> suggests American religious disaffiliation is part of a larger trend of overall civic decline. Americans have been disengaging for decades from all kinds of civic groups, from bowling leagues and unions to parent-teacher organizations. </p>
<p>Our study gives good reason to reassess what being an “engaged citizen” means in the 21st century. People may change what they do on a Sunday morning, but checking out of church doesn’t necessarily imply checking out of the political process.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187960/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Evan Stewart is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at University of Massachusetts Boston and a 2021-2022 Fellow with the Public Religion Research Institute. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jaime Kucinskas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As the US gets less religious, some thinkers warn that it may get more selfish as people engage less with their communities. A team of scholars decided to investigate that concern.Evan Stewart, Assistant Professor of Sociology, UMass BostonJaime Kucinskas, Associate Professor of Sociology, Hamilton CollegeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1813482022-07-11T12:29:10Z2022-07-11T12:29:10ZMigraine sufferers have treatment choices – a neurologist explains options beyond just pain medication<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/472113/original/file-20220701-26-9o11ui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C22%2C5084%2C3359&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">For some, too much medication might make migraine worse.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/headache-conceptual-artwork-3d-illustration-royalty-free-image/1156927795?adppopup=true">peterschreiber.media/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Migraine headaches currently affect more than one billion people across the globe and are the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-020-01208-0">second-leading cause</a> of disability worldwide. Nearly one-quarter of U.S. households have at least <a href="https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2001.041007646.x">one member who suffers from migraines</a>. An estimated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102410363766">85.6 million workdays</a> are lost as a result of migraine headaches each year. </p>
<p>Yet many who suffer with migraine dismiss their pain as simply a bad headache. Rather than seeking medical care, the condition often <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25588281/">goes undiagnosed</a>, even when other incapacitating symptoms occur alongside the pain, including light and sound sensitivity, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.</p>
<p>Researchers have discovered that genetics and environmental factors play a role in the condition of migraine. They happen when changes in your brainstem activate <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21581-trigeminal-nerve">the trigeminal nerve</a>, which is a major nerve in the pain pathway. This cues your body to release inflammatory substances such as <a href="https://www.scienceofmigraine.com/pathophysiology/cgrp">CGRP</a>, short for calcitonin gene-related peptide. This molecule, and others, can cause blood vessels to swell, producing pain and inflammation.</p>
<h2>For some, medication has its limits</h2>
<p>A migraine can be debilitating. Those who are experiencing one are often curled up in a dark room accompanied by only their pain. Attacks can last for days; life is put on hold. The sensitivity to light and sound, coupled with the unpredictability of the disease, causes many to forego work, school, social gatherings and time with family.</p>
<p>Numerous prescription medications are available for both the prevention and treatment of migraine. But for many people, conventional treatment has its limitations. Some people with migraine have a poor tolerance for certain medications. Many can’t afford the high cost of the medicines or endure the side effects. Others are pregnant or breastfeeding and can’t take the medications.</p>
<p>However, as a <a href="https://som.ucdenver.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/29586">board-certified neurologist</a> who specializes in headache medicine, I’m always amazed at how open-minded and enthusiastic patients become when I discuss alternative options. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Your brain sends you warning signals, such as fatigue and mood changes, to let you know a migraine may be on the way.</span></figcaption>
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<p>These approaches, collectively, are called <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/types-of-complementary-and-alternative-medicine">complementary and alternative medicine</a>. It might be surprising that a traditionally trained Western doctor like me would recommend things like yoga, acupuncture or meditation for people with migraine. Yet in my practice, I value these <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-135-5-200109040-00011">nontraditional treatments</a>. </p>
<p>Research shows that alternative therapies are associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.12.003">improved sleep, feeling better emotionally and an enhanced sense of control</a>. Some patients can avoid prescription medications altogether with one or more complementary treatments. For others, the nontraditional treatments can be used along with prescription medication. </p>
<p>These options can be used one at a time or in combination, depending on how severe the headache and the cause behind it. If neck tension is a contributor to the pain, then physical therapy or massage may be most beneficial. If stress is a trigger, perhaps meditation would be an appropriate place to start. It is worth talking to your provider to explore which options may work best for you. </p>
<h2>Mindfulness, meditation and more</h2>
<p>Because stress is a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/migraine-from-stress#bottom-line">major trigger for migraines</a>, one of the most effective alternative therapies is <a href="https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/understanding-migraine-cattreatmentmindfulness-meditation-migraine/">mindfulness meditation</a>, which is the act of focusing your attention on the present moment in a nonjudgmental mindset. Studies show that mindfulness meditation can reduce <a href="https://medcentral.net/doi/full/10.4103/0366-6999.228242">headache frequency and pain severity</a>. </p>
<p>Another useful tool is <a href="https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/biofeedback-and-relaxation-training/">biofeedback</a>, which enables a person to see their vital signs in real time and then learn how to stabilize them. </p>
<p>For example, if you are stressed, you may notice muscle tightness, perspiration and a fast heart rate. With biofeedback, these changes appear on a monitor, and a therapist teaches you exercises to help manage them. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2006.09.007">There is strong evidence</a> that biofeedback can lessen the frequency and severity of migraine headaches and reduce headache-related disability.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/yoga-for-migraine#can-it-help">Yoga</a> derives from traditional Indian philosophy and combines physical postures, meditation and breathing exercises with a goal of uniting the mind, body and spirit. Practicing yoga consistently <a href="https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/yoga-and-migraine/">can be helpful</a> in reducing stress and treating migraine.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Meditation is an alternative therapy that could help with your migraine.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Manipulation-based therapy</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/physical-therapy-for-migraine">Physical therapy</a> uses manual techniques such as <a href="https://www.myofascialtherapy.org/myofascial-therapy">myofascial and trigger-point release</a>, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/passive-stretching">passive stretching</a> and <a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/manual-cervical-traction-2696409">cervical traction</a>, which is a light pulling on the head by a skilled hand or with a medical device. Studies show that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2015.12.006">physical therapy with medication was superior</a> in reducing migraine frequency, pain intensity and pain perception over medications alone. </p>
<p>By lowering stress levels and promoting relaxation, massage can <a href="https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/migraine-massage-therapy">decrease migraine frequency</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324796abm3201_6">improve sleep</a>. It may also reduce stress in the days following the massage, which adds further protection from migraine attacks. </p>
<p>Some patients are helped by <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/acupuncture">acupuncture</a>, a form of traditional Chinese medicine. In this practice, fine needles are placed in specific locations on the skin to promote healing. A large 2016 meta-analysis paper found <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12857">acupuncture reduced the duration and frequency of migraines</a> regardless of how often they occur. Acupuncture benefits <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.9378">are sustained after 20 weeks of treatment</a>.</p>
<p>What’s also fascinating is that acupuncture <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S162696">can change the metabolic activity</a> in the thalamus, the region of the brain critical to pain perception. This change correlated with a decrease in the headache intensity score following acupuncture treatment.</p>
<h2>Vitamins, supplements and nutraceuticals</h2>
<p><a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/15829-herbal-supplements">Herbal supplements</a> and <a href="https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/nutraceuticals-for-migraine/">nutraceuticals</a>, which are food-derived products that may have therapeutic benefit, can also be used to prevent migraine. And there is evidence to suggest vitamins work reasonably well compared to traditional prescription medication. They also have fewer side effects. Here are some examples:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Magnesium is believed to help regulate the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2011.01847.x">blood vessels and electrical activity in the brain</a>. A study found that patients given 600 milligrams of magnesium citrate daily for 12 weeks had a 40% <a href="https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1996.1604257.x">decrease in migraine</a>. Side effects included diarrhea in nearly 20% of patients. </p></li>
<li><p>Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12789">is also considered useful in migraine</a> prevention. When dosed at 400 milligrams daily for 12 weeks, researchers found it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12789">reduced migraine frequency by half</a> in more than half of participants. </p></li>
<li><p>Another beneficial supplement is Coenzyme Q10, which is involved in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.15.8892">cellular energy production</a>. After three months, about half of those taking 100 milligrams of Coenzyme Q10 three times a day <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15728298/">had half the number of migraine attacks</a>. </p></li>
<li><p>A potential natural solution is <a href="https://headaches.org/feverfew-tanacetum-parthenium/">feverfew</a> or <em>Tanacetum parthenium</em>, a daisylike perennial plant known to have <a href="https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.79105">anti-migraine properties</a>. Taken three times daily, feverfew <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2005.00950.x">reduced migraine frequency by 40%</a>. </p></li>
</ul>
<h2>Devices can be beneficial</h2>
<p>The Food and Drug Administration has approved several <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/migraine/guide/treatment/nerve-stimulation-devices/">neurostimulation devices</a> for migraine treatment. These devices work by neutralizing the pain signals sent from the brain.</p>
<p>One is the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2021.753736">Nerivio device</a>, which is worn on the upper arm and sends signals to the brainstem pain center during an attack. Two-thirds of people report pain relief after two hours, and side effects are rare. </p>
<p>Another device that shows promise is the <a href="https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/understanding-migrainecefaly-for-migraine-prevention/">Cefaly</a>. It delivers a mild electrical current to the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21581-trigeminal-nerve#">trigeminal nerve</a> on the forehead, which can lessen the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks. After one hour of treatment, patients experienced a nearly 60% reduction in pain intensity, and the relief lasted up to 24 hours. Side effects are uncommon and include sleepiness or skin irritation. </p>
<p>These alternative therapies help treat the person as a whole. In just my practice, many success stories come to mind: the college student who once had <a href="https://migrainetrust.org/understand-migraine/types-of-migraine/chronic-migraine/">chronic migraine</a> but now has rare occurrences after a regimen of vitamins; the pregnant woman who avoided medication through acupuncture and physical therapy; or the patient, already on numerous prescription medications, who uses a neurostimulation device for migraine instead of adding another prescription. </p>
<p>Granted, alternative approaches are not necessarily miracle therapies, but their potential to relieve pain and suffering is notable. As a physician, it is truly gratifying to see some of my patients respond to these treatments.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181348/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Danielle Wilhour does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Research suggests that alternative treatments for migraine, including physical therapy, massage and vitamin supplements, can make a difference.Danielle Wilhour, Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1820432022-06-01T03:51:54Z2022-06-01T03:51:54ZI’m getting older, how can I prevent falls?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462616/original/file-20220512-13-e6jcqp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C8%2C5796%2C3713&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Falls are common. Each year <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241563536">one in every three</a> people aged over 65 will fall. Around <a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/TmbBC6XQ4LfoyR3W3CpQkee?domain=cambridge.org">one in ten falls</a> lead to serious injury. Most of us have a friend or relative who has experienced an injury from a fall and know what a life-changing event it can be. </p>
<p>The most common serious injuries are fractures and brain injuries. Falls can also result in a loss of confidence, which can lead to restriction of activity and a lower quality of life. Many older people never regain their pre-fall level of function and might even struggle to keep living by themselves. </p>
<p>The consequences of falls cost Australia a staggering <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/injury/falls-in-older-australians-2019-20-hospitalisation/contents/about">$4.3 billion</a> every year. The good news is <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012424.pub2/full">20-30% of falls</a> among older Australians can be prevented. </p>
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<h2>Why do we fall in older age?</h2>
<p>Falls happen when there is a mismatch between our physical abilities and the immediate demands of the environment or activity being undertaken. </p>
<p>Falls become more common as we get older because as we age, there is a natural decline in muscle strength, balance and vision, all of which are important for helping us stay upright. </p>
<p>The risk of falls is increased by certain medical conditions (such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia and stroke) and certain medications (such as sleeping tablets). </p>
<p>But this doesn’t mean falls are inevitable.</p>
<h2>Exercise makes the most difference</h2>
<p><a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/15/885">Exercise</a> that aims to improve balance and leg strength is the most effective in preventing falls.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Older people doing yoga" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462685/original/file-20220512-15-imz9uz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Exercise for strength and balance should be done often.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This means exercise that is carried out while standing (not while seated), with the feet positioned close together or while standing on one leg (if safe to do so), while performing controlled movement of the upper body (leaning and reaching movements, for example). </p>
<p>Balance training combined with strength training for the major muscle groups is most effective. </p>
<p>These exercises need to be tailored to individual abilities. Middle-aged people with good physical function will benefit from harder exercises (such as functional training at a gym or boot camp incorporating squats and step-ups). </p>
<p><a href="https://www.safeexerciseathome.org.au/">Effective exercises</a> for people with impaired physical function or frailty will follow the same principles but should be modified for safety and effectiveness. These include everyday activities such as standing up from a seated position without using arms for support, walking up and down stairs, walking in one line, stepping over obstacles or balancing on one leg.</p>
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<p>For lasting impacts, it’s important this type of exercise is done often. The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">World Health Organization</a> recommends incorporating these exercises two to three times a week as part of the 150-300 minutes a week of moderate activity recommended for improving health. </p>
<p>Not everyone enjoys exercising, which means some people struggle to prioritise it. It’s very important to know nobody is ever “too old” to start exercising, and benefits are gained at any age. But don’t hold off to start exercising either – the earlier we start to build our strength and balance, the better off we will be in our older years.</p>
<p>Starting small and building up the amount and intensity of activity, and choosing something enjoyable, are the best ways to start. If you can’t reach a high dose of exercise initially, any amount is better than nothing. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Woman sitting in chair. Woman pushing herself up with her legs. Woman standing." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=528&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=528&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462622/original/file-20220512-12-qljf6d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=528&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Simple sit-to-stand exercises can improve strength and balance.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you like exercising in a group, consider finding a local program and invite a friend along for added support and social connection. Your <a href="https://www.activeandhealthy.nsw.gov.au/">state government</a> or local council should have their classes listed online.</p>
<p>If you’re not sure where to start, the best thing to do is to seek professional help to select exercises that suit your abilities and health conditions. Talk to your GP, local <a href="https://choose.physio/find-a-physio">physio</a> or <a href="https://www.essa.org.au/find-aep/">exercise physiologist</a>.</p>
<h2>What else can we do to prevent falls?</h2>
<p>In addition to exercise to improve balance and strength, other actions that can reduce the risk of falls include talking to your doctor or pharmacist to review your medications, seeing a podiatrist if you have painful feet, and maximising the safety of your home environment by installing adequate lighting and grab rails, and ensuring walkways are free from clutter and liquid spills.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man with his GP" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462669/original/file-20220512-20-arf332.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">If you have had a fall or are worried about mobility, talk to your GP.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>Falls are not inevitable as we age. We need investment in strategies to help older Australians stay active and independent, and avoid falls. Despite knowing what works to avoid them, we have no national policy or strategy to implement and fund fall prevention programs. Doing so would not only help older Australians, but the budget bottom-line too.</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182043/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne Tiedemann receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cathie Sherrington receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Institute.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kim Delbaere receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council. Kim Delbaere is the President of the Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society. </span></em></p>Exercise that targets balance and strength is the most effective for reducing the risk of falls.Anne Tiedemann, Professor of Physical Activity and Health, University of SydneyCathie Sherrington, Professor, University of SydneyKim Delbaere, Senior Principal Research Scientist, Neuroscience Research AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1657452021-09-03T12:35:59Z2021-09-03T12:35:59ZDance and movement therapy holds promise for treating anxiety and depression, as well as deeper psychological wounds<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418934/original/file-20210901-13-ojgvbu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=584%2C121%2C6776%2C4933&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dance and movement therapy not only holds promise for treatment of trauma, anxiety and depression but can also contribute lifelong coping skills.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mother-and-kids-dancing-royalty-free-image/1080443848?adppopup=true">kate_sept2004/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A few years ago, framed by the skyline of Detroit, a group of about 15 children resettled as refugees from the Middle East and Africa leapt and twirled around, waving blue, pink and white streamers through the air. </p>
<p>The captivating scene was powerfully symbolic. Each streamer held a negative thought, feeling or memory that the children had written down on the streamers. On cue and in unison, the children released their streamers into the air, then sat down nearby. Then they gathered up the fallen streamers, which carried their collective struggles and hardships, threw them in a trash can and waved goodbye. </p>
<p>The children were participating in a dance therapy activity as part of our team’s research program exploring body-based approaches to mental health treatment in people resettled as refugees.</p>
<p>In 2017, our lab – the <a href="https://www.starclab.org">Stress, Trauma and Anxiety Research Clinic</a> – began <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2019.07.007">piloting movement therapies</a> to help address trauma in refugee families. We are learning that movement may not only provide a way to express oneself, but also offer a path toward healing and lifelong strategies for managing stress. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Silhouette image of a participant engaging in streamers activity described in story" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418924/original/file-20210901-17-138fwa0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Dance and movement therapy offers a self-empowering mind-body approach to mental health treatment.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">David Dalton</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p>On average, every year about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461515612933">60,000 children are resettled</a> as refugees in Western nations. Now, the refugee crisis resulting from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is bringing renewed attention to their needs. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that <a href="https://www.unrefugees.org/news/afghanistan-refugee-crisis-explained/">6 million Afghans</a> have been displaced over the past 40 years, and <a href="https://www.axios.com/afghanistan-withdrawal-refugee-crisis-us-europe-42e8c1ca-63b4-41a0-b5b8-eb4832799150.html">a new wave of tens of thousands</a> are now fleeing from Taliban rule. </p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=JxIoO1sAAAAJ&hl=en&authuser=1">I am a neuroscientist</a> who specializes in understanding how trauma reshapes the nervous system of developing youth. I use this information to explore creative arts and movement-based therapies to treat stress and anxiety. <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1469-7580.2009.01160.x">The instinct to move the body in expressive ways is as old as humanity</a>. But movement-based strategies such as dance therapy have only recently been given much attention in mental health treatment circles. </p>
<p>As a dancer myself, I always found the nonverbal emotional expression offered through movement to be incredibly therapeutic – especially when I was experiencing significant anxiety and depression in high school and college. Now, through my neuroscience research, I am joining a growing number of scholars working to bolster the evidence base supporting movement-based interventions. </p>
<h2>One mind and body</h2>
<p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of anxiety and depression <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.2482">doubled in youth</a>. As a result, many people are searching for <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/insights-on-utilization-of-behavioral-health-services-in-the-context-of-covid-19">new ways to cope with</a> and handle emotional turmoil. </p>
<p>On top of the pandemic, <a href="https://www.mccaininstitute.org/the-global-refugee-crisis-continuing-challenges/">conflicts around the world</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/climate-change-and-disasters.html">climate change and natural disasters</a>, have contributed to the growing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12028">global refugee crisis</a>. This demands resources for resettlement, education and occupation, physical health and – importantly – mental health. </p>
<p>Interventions that offer physical activity and creativity components at a time when children and people of all ages are likely to be sedentary and with reduced environmental enrichment can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.06.017">beneficial during the pandemic</a> and beyond. Creative arts and movement-based interventions may be well-suited to address not just the emotional but also the physical aspects of mental illness, such as pain and fatigue. These factors often <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.4088%2Fpcc.v07n0405">contribute to the significant distress and dysfunction</a> that drive individuals to seek care. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Neuroscientist Lana Ruvolo Grasser does a tension-and-release exercise with study participants." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418927/original/file-20210901-15-1g6e8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">With outstretched arms, neuroscientist Lana Ruvolo Grasser performs a tension-and-release exercise with her study participants.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">David Dalton</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why dance and movement therapy?</h2>
<p>Body movement in and of itself is known to have a multitude of benefits – including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-008-0003-4">reducing perceived stress</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3041">lowering inflammation in the body</a> and even <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-exercise-pill-how-exercise-keeps-your-brain-healthy-and-protects-it-against-depression-and-anxiety-155848">promoting brain health</a>. In fact, researchers understand that the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201109/is-nonverbal-communication-numbers-game">majority of our daily communication is nonverbal</a>, and traumatic memories are encoded, or stored, in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1300/J146v04n02_02">nonverbal parts of the brain</a>. We also know that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.704974">stress and trauma live in the body</a>. So it makes sense that, through guided practices, movement can be leveraged to tell stories, embody and release emotions and help people “move” forward. </p>
<p>Dance and movement therapy sessions place an emphasis on fostering creativity and adaptability in order to help people <a href="https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BgMXDQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=thinking+with+the+dancing+brain&ots=lMsipkiKJF&sig=L1F_sz-mZkAxamUmGWgS5jl6--M#v=onepage&q=thinking%20with%20the%20dancing%20brain&f=false">develop greater cognitive flexibility</a>, self-regulation and <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/B/bo18074343.html">self-direction</a>. This is especially important because research shows that early-life experiences and how children learn to cope with them can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104089">have a lasting impact</a> on their health into adulthood. </p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://childmind.org/our-impact/childrens-mental-health-report/2018report/">Child Mind Institute Children’s Mental Health Report</a>, 80% of children with anxiety disorders are not receiving the treatment they require. This might be due to barriers such as clinician availability and cultural literacy, cost and accessibility, and stigma surrounding mental health conditions and treatment. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An ice-breaker exercise involving tossing strings of yarn to one another" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=630&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=630&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=630&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418928/original/file-20210901-17-oyhxys.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In this ice-breaker exercise, study participants created a dream catcher by tossing strings of yarn to one another, introducing themselves and then tossing the string to another child across the room.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">David Dalton</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We are finding that dance and movement therapy and other group behavioral health programs can help fill important gaps. For instance, these strategies can be used in combination with services people are already receiving. And they can provide an accessible and affordable option in school and community settings. Dance and movement therapy can also instill coping skills and relaxation techniques that, once learned, can last a lifetime. </p>
<h2>But does it work?</h2>
<p>Our research and that of others are showing that dance and movement therapy can build up children’s <a href="https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1041&context=theses_dmt">sense of self-worth</a>, improve their ability to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-013-9152-3">regulate their emotions and reactions</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2017.02.010">empower them to overcome obstacles</a>. </p>
<p>Much like yoga and meditation, dance and movement therapy has, at the root of its practice, a focus on deep breathing through the diaphragm. This intentional breathing movement physically pushes on and activates the vagus nerve, which is a large nerve that coordinates a number of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.76.s2.17">biological processes in the body</a>. When I work with kids, I call this form of breathing and nerve activation their “superpower.” Whenever they need to calm down, they can take a deep breath, and by engaging their vagus nerve, they can bring their bodies to a more restful and less reactive state. </p>
<p>[<em>Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/weekly-highlights-61?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=weeklybest">Sign up for our weekly newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>An analysis of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0197-4556(96)00027-5">23 clinical research studies</a> indicated that dance and movement therapy may be an effective and appropriate method for child, adult and elderly patients experiencing a wide array of symptoms – including psychiatric patients and those with developmental disorders. And for both healthy individuals and patients, the authors concluded that dance and movement therapy was most effective for reducing the severity of anxiety compared with other symptoms. Research from our team has also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2019.07.007">shown promise</a> for the benefits of dance and movement therapy in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety in youth who resettle as refugees. </p>
<p>We have scaled up these programs and brought them <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.06.017">into the virtual classroom</a> for six schools throughout the metro Detroit region during the pandemic.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most promising evidence for dance and movement therapy isn’t, as the saying goes, what the eyes cannot see. In this case, it is what the eyes can see: children releasing their streamers, their negative emotions and memories, waving goodbye to them and looking ahead to a new day.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165745/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lana Ruvolo Grasser receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (F31MH120927). She is affiliated with the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the National Science Policy Network and SciPol Detroit, the National Honor Society for Neuroscience--Nu Rho Psi--Wayne State Chapter, and Samaritas. </span></em></p>The COVID-19 pandemic and a growing global refugee crisis have shone a light on the ever-increasing need for new approaches to mental health treatment.Lana Ruvolo Grasser, Ph.D. Candidate and Graduate Research Fellow, Wayne State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1578912021-03-30T18:54:07Z2021-03-30T18:54:07ZCould microdosing be as good as yoga for your mood? It’s not that big a stretch<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392441/original/file-20210330-21-arxxak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7348%2C4912&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Microdosing has become something of a wellness trend in recent years, gathering traction <a href="https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/why-professionals-are-taking-psychedelic-drugs-20181205-h18r0w">in Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2015/11/27/lsd-microdosing-the-new-job-enhancer-in-silicon-valley-and-beyond/?sh=5a490625188a">overseas</a>.</p>
<p>The practice involves taking a low dose of a psychedelic drug to enhance performance, or reduce stress and anxiety.</p>
<p>While the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/07/style/microdosing-lsd-ayelet-waldman-michael-chabon-marriage.html">anecdotal accounts</a> are compelling, significant questions remain around how microdosing works, and how much of the reported benefits are due to pharmacological effects, rather than participants’ beliefs and expectations.</p>
<p>We’ve just published <a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/aop/article-10.1556-2054.2021.00157/article-10.1556-2054.2021.00157.xml">a new study</a> following on from two earlier studies on microdosing. Our body of research tells us some benefits of microdosing may be comparable to other wellness activities such as yoga.</p>
<h2>Existing evidence</h2>
<p>It’s not clear how many Australians microdose, but the proportion of Australian adults who have used psychedelics in their lifetime <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey-2019/contents/summary">increased</a> from 8% in 2001 to 10.9% in 2019.</p>
<p>After a slow start, Australian research on psychedelics is now <a href="https://theconversation.com/psychedelics-to-treat-mental-illness-australian-researchers-are-giving-it-a-go-112952">progressing rapidly</a>. One area of particular interest is the science of microdosing.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0211023">an earlier study</a> by one of us (Vince Polito), levels of depression and stress decreased after a six-week period of microdosing. Further, participants reported less “mind wandering”, which might suggest microdosing leads to improved cognitive performance.</p>
<p>However, this study also found an increase in neuroticism. People who score highly on this dimension of personality experience unpleasant emotions more frequently, and tend to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4382368/">more susceptible to depression and anxiety</a>. This was a puzzling finding and didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the results.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/does-microdosing-improve-your-mood-and-performance-heres-what-the-research-says-106850">Does microdosing improve your mood and performance? Here's what the research says</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>Microdosing vs yoga</h2>
<p>In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1882266">recent study</a>, Stephen Bright’s research team recruited 339 participants who had engaged in either microdosing, yoga, both or neither.</p>
<p>Yoga practitioners reported higher levels of stress and anxiety than those in the microdosing or control groups (participants who did neither yoga nor microdosing). Meanwhile, people who had practised microdosing reported higher levels of depression. </p>
<p>We can’t say for sure why we saw these results, although it’s possible people experiencing stress and anxiety were attracted to yoga, whereas people experiencing depression tended more towards microdosing. This was a cross-sectional study, so participants were observed in their chosen activity, rather than assigned to a particular group.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Small or microdoses of LSD cut from a tab sit on a person's finger." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392442/original/file-20210330-25-gljm4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392442/original/file-20210330-25-gljm4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392442/original/file-20210330-25-gljm4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392442/original/file-20210330-25-gljm4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392442/original/file-20210330-25-gljm4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392442/original/file-20210330-25-gljm4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392442/original/file-20210330-25-gljm4x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Microdosing involves taking a low dose of a psychedelic drug, such as LSD.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But importantly, the yoga group and the microdosing group recorded similarly higher overall psychological well-being scores compared with the control group. </p>
<p>And interestingly, people who engaged in both yoga and microdosing reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress. This suggests microdosing and yoga could have synergistic effects.</p>
<h2>Our new research</h2>
<p>Through a collaboration between Edith Cowan University, Macquarie University and the University of Göttingen in Germany, our most recent study aimed to extend these findings, and in particular try to get to the bottom of the possible effects of microdosing on neuroticism. </p>
<p>We recruited 76 experienced microdosers who completed a survey before undertaking a period of microdosing. Some 24 of these participants agreed to complete a follow-up survey four weeks later.</p>
<p>The results were published in the <a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/aop/article-10.1556-2054.2021.00157/article-10.1556-2054.2021.00157.xml">Journal of Psychedelic Studies</a> this month. We found that like our earlier work, the 24 participants experienced personality changes after a period of microdosing. But the changes were not entirely what we anticipated.</p>
<p>This time, we found a decrease in neuroticism and an increase in conscientiousness (people who are highly conscientious tend to be diligent, for example). Interestingly, a greater amount of experience with microdosing was associated with lower levels of neuroticism among the 76 participants. </p>
<p>These results are more consistent with other research on the reported effects of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81446-7">microdosing</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-017-4771-x">high-dose psychedelics</a>.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-all-in-your-mind-how-meditation-affects-the-brain-to-help-you-stress-less-97777">It's not all in your mind: how meditation affects the brain to help you stress less</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So what does it all mean?</h2>
<p>Our most recent findings suggest the positive effects of microdosing on psychological well-being could be due to a reduction in neuroticism. And the self-reported improvements in performance, which we’ve also observed in our past research, could be due to increased conscientiousness.</p>
<p>When considered together, the findings of our research suggest contemplative practices such as yoga might be particularly helpful for less experienced microdosers in managing negative side effects such as anxiety. </p>
<p>However, we cannot know for certain if the changes we’ve observed are due to microdosers holding positive expectations because of glowing anecdotal reports they’ve seen in the media. This represents a key limitation of our research.</p>
<p>As psychedelic drugs are illegal, it’s ethically complex to provide them to research participants — we generally have to observe them taking their own drugs. So another key challenge of this research is the fact we can’t know for sure precisely what drugs people are using, as they don’t always know themselves (especially for LSD). </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young man sits at his computer. He looks stressed." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392443/original/file-20210330-13-wij0wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392443/original/file-20210330-13-wij0wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392443/original/file-20210330-13-wij0wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392443/original/file-20210330-13-wij0wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392443/original/file-20210330-13-wij0wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392443/original/file-20210330-13-wij0wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392443/original/file-20210330-13-wij0wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some people turn to microdosing to improve their performance at work.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Microdosing carries risks</h2>
<p>Given the illegal drug market is unregulated, there’s a danger people could inadvertently consume a potentially dangerous new psychoactive substance, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-nbome-16950">25-I-NBOMe</a>, which has been passed off as LSD.</p>
<p>People also can’t be sure of the size of the dose they’re taking. This could lead to unwanted effects, such as “tripping balls” at work. </p>
<p>Potential harms like these can be mitigated by checking your drugs (you can buy <a href="https://theconversation.com/while-law-makers-squabble-over-pill-testing-people-should-test-their-drugs-at-home-109421">at-home test kits</a>) and always starting off with a much lower dose than you think you need when using a batch for the first time.</p>
<h2>Where to from here?</h2>
<p>Despite <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/micro-dosing-lsd">the hype</a> around microdosing, the scientific results so far are mixed. We’ve found microdosers report significant benefits. But it’s unclear how much of this is driven by placebo effects and expectations. </p>
<p>For people who choose to microdose, also engaging in contemplative practices such as yoga might mitigate some of the unwanted effects and lead to better outcomes overall. Some people might find they get the same benefit from the contemplative practices alone, which is less risky than microdosing.</p>
<p>As a next step, one of us (Vince Polito) and colleagues are using neuroimaging to investigate the effect of microdosing on the brain. </p>
<hr>
<p><em>If you practise microdosing, are based in Sydney, and are interested in taking part in this research, please email <a href="mailto:sydneymdstudy.gmail.com">sydneymdstudy@gmail.com</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/microdosers-of-psychedelics-report-improved-mood-focus-and-creativity-120279">'Microdosers' of psychedelics report improved mood, focus and creativity</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157891/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephen Bright is a Director of the DGR-1 charity, Psychedelic Research in Science & Medicine Ltd (PRISM). Stephen Bright has had no formal association with Mind Medicine Australia, except through its allocated funding of PRISM's support of clinical research at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vince Polito consults to Mydecine Innovations Group. </span></em></p>Microdosing involves taking a low dose of a psychedelic drug to enhance performance, or reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here’s what our research shows.Stephen Bright, Senior Lecturer of Addiction, Edith Cowan UniversityVince Polito, Senior Research Fellow in Cognitive Science, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1471492020-09-30T12:28:18Z2020-09-30T12:28:18ZWhy ‘namaste’ has become the perfect pandemic greeting<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360632/original/file-20200929-16-79473f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=87%2C10%2C3548%2C2177&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Prince Charles, accompanied by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and French president Emmanuel Macron greet one another with a 'namaste' in London on June 18.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/prince-charles-prince-of-wales-accompanied-by-camilla-news-photo/1250550316?adppopup=true">Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Hands over the heart in prayer pose. A little bow of the head. A gesture of respect. An acknowledgment of our shared humanity. And no touching.</p>
<p>As people the world over are choosing to <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-coronavirus-the-end-of-the-handshake-133185">ditch</a> the handshakes and hugs for fear of contracting the coronavirus, namaste is becoming the perfect pandemic greeting. </p>
<p>As a <a href="https://jeremydavidengels.com/">scholar</a> whose research focuses on the ethics of communication and as a yoga teacher, I’m interested in how people use rituals and rhetoric to affirm their interconnectedness with one another – and with the world. </p>
<p>Namaste is one such ritual. </p>
<h2>I bow to you</h2>
<p>Originally a Sanskrit word, namaste is composed of two parts – “namas” means “bend to,” “bow to” or “honor to,” and “te” means “to you.” So namaste means “I bow to you.” This meaning is often reinforced by a small bow of the head. </p>
<p>In Hindi and a number of other languages derived from Sanskrit, namaste is basically a respectful way of saying hello and also goodbye. Today, namaste has been adopted into the English language, <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/borrowed-words-9780199574995?cc=us&lang=en&">along with other words</a> from non-English sources. Many words, when borrowed, keep their spelling but acquire new meanings. This is the case with namaste – it has shifted from meaning “I bow to you” to “I bow to the divine in you.” </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C0%2C1067%2C711&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C0%2C1067%2C711&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360614/original/file-20200929-24-7pe66k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Indian greeting of ‘namaste.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ausdruckslust/13044219745/">Ausdruckslust.de | a blog about things /Flickri love</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For many American yoga teachers, beginning most likely with <a href="https://www.ramdass.org/">Ram Dass</a> in the 1960s and 1970s, namaste means something like “the divine light in me bows to the divine light within you.” This is the definition of namaste I first learned and have often repeated to my students.</p>
<p>In the words of the popular American yoga teacher Shiva Rea, <a href="https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/for-beginners-anjali-mudra">namaste is</a> “the consummate Indian greeting,” a “sacred hello,” that means “I bow to the divinity within you from the divinity within me.”</p>
<p>Deepak Chopra repeats a similar definition on his podcast “<a href="https://www.deepakchopra.com/podcast/week-10-the-spontaneous-fulfillment-of-desire/">The Daily Breath with Deepak Chopra</a>”: namaste means “the spirit in me honors the spirit in you” and “the divine in me honors the divine in you.”</p>
<p>Namaste has a sacred connotation. When you bow to another, you are honoring something sacred in them. When you bow to another, you are acknowledging that they are worthy of respect and dignity. </p>
<h2>I bow to the divine light in you</h2>
<p>However, there are <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/01/17/406246770/how-namaste-flew-away-from-us">critics who say</a> that global yogis have taken namaste out of its context. Some claim that the greeting has been <a href="https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/namaste">infused with a religious meaning</a> that doesn’t exist in Indian culture.</p>
<p>I see things differently. Many common salutations have religious roots, including adios, or “a Dios,” to God, and goodbye – a contraction of “God be with you.”</p>
<p>Most Indian <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-worlds-religions-huston-smith?variant=32154052657186">religions agree</a> that there is something divine in all individuals, whether it’s a soul, called the “atman” or “purusha” in Hinduism, or the capacity for awakening in Buddhism.</p>
<p>As I argue in my forthcoming book, “<a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/E/bo68657749.html">The Ethics of Oneness: Emerson, Whitman, and the Bhagavad Gita</a>,” this idea, of bowing to the divine in others, also resonates with a deep spiritual inclination in American culture. </p>
<p>Beginning in the 1830s and 1840s, the influential philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, in dialogue with a number of other thinkers, invented a form of spiritual practice that encouraged Americans to actively address the divine soul in others every time they spoke.</p>
<p>Of particular note is that Emerson often used the metaphor of light to imagine this inner divinity, likely because of his great admiration for the Quakers, whose Christian denomination holds that God lives inside of us all in the form of an “inner light.”</p>
<p>The definition of namaste as “the divine light in me bows to the divine light in you” is very much in the spirit of both Indian religions and 19th-century traditions of American spirituality.</p>
<h2>Namaste as an ethical commitment</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360615/original/file-20200929-18-1jwl3ai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘Namaste’ at the end of a yoga class.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/yelp/27762867422/in/photolist-JiiXeY-5Es4wd-tUqq3b-D3Gfnx-tUyyxT-teZhkw-EiWxr5-jghEF4-f4TP9f-ejVLBn-2ftdR8-mFbret-2ft7Vx-2fxskL-2fxjGE-ThRc6k-e8ZnDE-2ft1nR-2ft4VB-2fxmqm-2fxwd5-uWL1nG-2fxm9Q-2fxrzL-2ft3Wn-8Md9D1-2ftaJD-2fsWQF-2fxkA9-2fxwrj-5MWuBK-2ft8xp-2fsYK4-2ft6G4-2fxnbf-j6paf7-2fxxvJ-2ft5Q4-nY5aRA-2ft2gz-2fxArQ-2fsWc8-2fxCvY-5UXoak-xerXMr-8Ma5Nr-x4fdxj-8Md8T5-8Ma5VM-2fsRi4">Yelp Inc./Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In today’s <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/peace-love-yoga-9780190888633?cc=us&lang=en&">global yoga culture</a>, namaste is typically said at the end of class. As I understand, for yogis, saying namaste is a <a href="https://www.sunypress.edu/p-6539-the-art-of-gratitude.aspx">moment of contemplating</a> the virtues associated with yoga – including peacefulness, compassion, and gratitude and how to bring those into one’s daily life. </p>
<p>I asked <a href="http://vedantanc.org/swami-tattwayamananda/">Swami Tattwamayananda</a>, the head of the Vedanta Society of Northern California in San Francisco and one of the world’s leading authorities on Hindu ritual and scripture, how he felt about Americans like me saying namaste. </p>
<p>He responded: “It is perfectly appropriate for everyone, including Westerners like yourself to say namaste at the end of your yoga classes.” He also reiterated that namaste means “I bow down to you” – in the sense that I bow down to the divine presence in you.</p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>One need not be a Hindu, or a Buddhist, or a yoga teacher to say namaste. Namaste can be as religious or secular as the speaker desires. </p>
<p>What matters most, I believe, is the intention behind the word namaste. When you bow to another, the question to consider is this: Do you truly recognize them as a fellow human being worthy of dignity, bonded in shared suffering and a shared capacity for transcendence? </p>
<p>This recognition of our interconnectedness is what namaste is all about – and exactly what we need during the pandemic.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/147149/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jeremy David Engels does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>An ancient Indian greeting is replacing the handshake. An expert explains its roots and why it affirms our inter-connectedness with one another.Jeremy David Engels, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn StateLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1411642020-07-23T12:17:23Z2020-07-23T12:17:23ZSitting on the floor vs sitting on a chair – which is better for you?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348866/original/file-20200722-30-i7bglm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=18%2C9%2C6093%2C4059&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-working-at-home-with-her-laptop-4050296/">Pexels</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For thousands of years, humans have rested on the ground using variations of a squat, cross-legged or a kneeling position. And despite the <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/08/chairs-history-witold-rybczynski/497657/">availability of chairs and things to sit on</a>, sitting on the floor is still common <a href="https://medium.com/bigberry/korean-floor-culture-2f7b6849ca2d#:%7E:text=Next%20to%20China%2C%20Japan%20and,TV%2C%20playing%20and%20even%20sleeping.">in many cultures</a>. </p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291701/">reports</a>, many English-speaking people refer to floor sitting as “Indian style”, though it’s also known as “Turkish style”. In Korea, it’s called “Yangban style” – named after the traditional ruling class. While in Japan, the formal way to sit is called <em>seiza</em>, which involves sitting on the heels with the knees resting on the floor. </p>
<p>In yoga, sitting cross-legged on the floor is known as <em>sukhasana</em> or lotus – claimed to have been designed to stretch the muscles, improve posture and bring peace of mind. Some people claim that if you sit in this position while eating it <a href="https://blog.decathlon.in/articles/learn-padmasana-and-its-benefits#:%7E:text=Doing%20the%20lotus%20pose%20also,by%20kindling%20the%20digestive%20fire.&text=This%20is%20one%20of%20the,stability%20of%20the%20pelvic%20muscles.">helps digestion</a>. </p>
<p>These cross-legged, squatting and kneeling positions <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/International_Encyclopedia_of_Ergonomics.html?id=Ih-z6lkTO8EC&redir_esc=y">stretch your hips, legs, pelvis and spine</a> helping to promote natural flexibility and movement. Given that people now spend <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2731178">increasing amounts of time sitting</a> during the day, should we be opting for the floor over a chair in the interest of our health and wellbeing?</p>
<h2>Effects on the body</h2>
<p>Anecdotal and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10803548.2016.1152736">clinical</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/art.24737">evidence</a> shows that different ways of sitting place different physical stresses on our bodies. Sitting for a long time in the same position normally affects the structure of your low back, called the lumbar region of the spine and the movement characteristics of your pelvis. And it’s believed this might lead to health problems in the long run, such as arthritis. </p>
<p>This is why people are normally advised to make use of <a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-tips-for-looking-after-your-back-while-youre-sitting-down-140650">appropriate supports or assistive devices</a> and to switch positions often when sitting for a long time.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-tips-for-looking-after-your-back-while-youre-sitting-down-140650">Ten tips for looking after your back while you're sitting down</a>
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<p>Researchers and doctors <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1356689X12000938?casa_token=p8ZUV7nul-kAAAAA:ljoWQESnA5_zpEUIh3rZGjq9nXN083fnlkYRvym4kL0CoNOaLAEkc4n4UnxBymKGTJB9QAzacg">have looked</a> at the ergonomics of sitting on chairs and have provided a variety of tips on sitting upright and how to avoid long-term health problems. But there is actually little scientific evidence on sitting on the floor. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Little boy and girl sitting on the floor playing with toy train set." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348868/original/file-20200722-30-2ats7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348868/original/file-20200722-30-2ats7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348868/original/file-20200722-30-2ats7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348868/original/file-20200722-30-2ats7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348868/original/file-20200722-30-2ats7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348868/original/file-20200722-30-2ats7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348868/original/file-20200722-30-2ats7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children often naturally gravitate to the floor.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/adorable-little-boy-and-girl-playing-with-toy-train-3771505/">pexels</a></span>
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<p>Despite this, health professionals are <a href="https://www.uprightpose.com/blog/sitting-on-the-floor-posture-health-benefits/#:%7E:text=In%20fact%2C%20sitting%20on%20the,and%20conscious%20effort%20to%20develop.">increasingly</a> advising that sitting on the floor helps to maintain the natural curvature of the spine and so helps people sit more upright and improve posture. It’s also claimed that sitting on the floor helps to improve strength and flexibility and can help you avoid lower-back pain. </p>
<h2>Spinal structure</h2>
<p>Though there is limited research on floor sitting, there may be some truth to these claims. This is because the spinal structure shows an inward natural spine curvature at the lower back called lumbar lordosis. When sitting on the floor, the lumbar lordosis is relatively low, which is closer to our natural position and posture. </p>
<p>Sitting cross-legged could also bring about the natural and correct curvature both at the upper and lower back, effectively stabilising the lower back and pelvis region. But that said, certain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4591449/">sitting postures</a> rotate the pelvis backwards and the lumbar lordosis is more flattened than it is when sitting on a chair, which can cause problems. </p>
<h2>Current evidence</h2>
<p>Previous <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22396838/">research</a> has shown that when sitting on the floor, the changes in the lumbar lordosis mostly occur at a vertebral or the segmental level at the lower end of the spine. In this respect, sitting on the floor can easily aggravate lower back pain. To avoid this, sitting with a lordotic lumbar curve is important.</p>
<p><a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/20552952">Studies</a> also claim sitting with your legs crossed on a chair induces a greater load on the intervertebral discs and spine – especially when in a slumped position as this can further increase disc pressure and aggravate chronic low back pain. This is why it’s very important to use the correct sitting posture. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young Black man sitting cross-legged, meditating." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348867/original/file-20200722-20-52ocis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348867/original/file-20200722-20-52ocis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348867/original/file-20200722-20-52ocis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348867/original/file-20200722-20-52ocis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348867/original/file-20200722-20-52ocis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348867/original/file-20200722-20-52ocis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348867/original/file-20200722-20-52ocis.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People often sit on the floor as part of a yoga or meditation practice.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-black-man-doing-yoga-sitting-1243651420">Evgeny Atamanenko/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>The exact relationship between sitting posture, how and which muscles work and low back pain still needs to be established. But scientific <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/20552952">research</a> shows that some lumbo-pelvic muscles, the muscles in our hip regions, play an important role in postural stabilisation. </p>
<p>There is also some <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10803548.2016.1152736">evidence</a> that sitting on the floor with folded legs is less harmful when compared to other sitting postures, such as squatting and sitting on the floor with stretched legs. Indeed, one study found that squatting along with <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/art.24737">cycling</a> were both risk factors for knee osteoarthritis. </p>
<p>While high-quality scientific evidence is still lacking on the benefits of floor sitting, it is becoming a growing trend – particularly among people choosing to adopt more minimalist or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/furniturefree/?hl=en">furniture-free lifestyles</a>.</p>
<p>So what’s the best way to sit? While a comfortable sitting position will probably vary from person to person, the key to good sitting is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687019301279">regular movement and changing your position often</a>. These changes could be as simple as moving side to side in the chair or standing up and stretching every now and again. Basically, listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/141164/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nachiappan Chockalingam receives funding from the European Commission, British Council, ISPO and Innovate UK. He is affiliated with AgeUK Staffordshire, Bionic Charity and Human Study AV. He consults for commercial entities, who manufactures orthotics. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Aoife Healy receives funding from the European Commission, British Council, ISPO and Innovate UK. </span></em></p>Sitting on the floor is still common in many cultures – but is it better for your health?Nachiappan Chockalingam, Professor of Clinical Biomechanics, Staffordshire UniversityAoife Healy, Associate Professor of Human Movement Biomechanics, Staffordshire UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1406952020-06-19T12:09:16Z2020-06-19T12:09:16ZThe right way to breathe during the coronavirus pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/342278/original/file-20200616-23231-1a26olq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=90%2C90%2C5402%2C4376&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Breathing in through the nose is an integral part of meditation and delivers virus-fighting gases to the lungs.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/couple-meditating-at-park-royalty-free-image/1193844429?adppopup=true">triloks / Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. It’s not just something you do in yoga class – breathing this way actually provides a powerful medical benefit that can help the body fight viral infections. </p>
<p>The reason is that your nasal cavities produce the molecule <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitric_oxide">nitric oxide</a>, which chemists abbreviate NO, that increases blood flow through the lungs and boosts oxygen levels in the blood. Breathing in through the nose delivers NO directly into the lungs, where it <a href="http://doi.org/10.1086/425357">helps fight coronavirus infection</a> by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.79.3.1966-1969.2005">blocking the replication of the coronavirus in the lungs</a>. But many people who exercise or engage in yoga also receive the benefits of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-201X.1996.557321000.x">inhaling through the nose</a> instead of the mouth. The higher oxygen saturation of the blood can make one feel more refreshed and provides greater endurance.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1998/ignarro/facts/">I am one of three pharmacologists who won the Nobel Prize in 1998</a> for discovering how nitric oxide is produced in the body and how it works. </p>
<h2>The role of nitric oxide in the body</h2>
<p>Nitric oxide is a widespread signaling molecule that triggers many different physiological effects. It is also used clinically as a gas to selectively dilate the pulmonary arteries in newborns with pulmonary hypertension. Unlike most signaling molecules, NO is a gas in its natural state. </p>
<p>NO is produced continuously by the 1 trillion cells that form the inner lining, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endothelium">endothelium</a>, of the 100,000 miles of arteries and veins in our bodies, especially the lungs. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-201X.1996.557321000.x">Endothelium-derived NO</a> acts to relax the smooth muscle of the arteries to prevent high blood pressure and to promote blood flow to all organs. Another vital role of NO is to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/hh0801.089861">prevent blood clots in normal arteries</a>. </p>
<p>In addition to relaxing vascular smooth muscle, NO also <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_functions_of_nitric_oxide">relaxes smooth muscle in the airways</a> – trachea and bronchioles – making it easier to breathe. Another type of NO-mediated smooth muscle relaxation occurs in the erectile tissue (corpus cavernosum), which results in penile erection. In fact, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199201093260203">NO is the principal mediator of penile erection and sexual arousal.</a> This discovery led to the development and marketing of <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fda-approves-viagra">sildenafil</a>, trade name Viagra, which works by enhancing the action of NO.</p>
<p>Other types of cells in the body, including circulating white blood cells and tissue macrophages, produce nitric oxide for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199998">antimicrobial purposes</a>. The NO in these cells reacts with other molecules, also produced by the same cells, to form antimicrobial agents to destroy invading microorganisms including bacteria, parasites and viruses. As you can see, NO is quite an amazing molecule.</p>
<h2>Nitric oxide gas as an inhaled therapy</h2>
<p>Since NO is a gas, it can be administered with the aid of specialized devices as a therapy to patients by inhalation. Inhaled NO is used to treat infants born with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000002579">persistent pulmonary hypertension</a>, a condition in which constricted pulmonary arteries limit blood flow and oxygen harvesting. </p>
<p>Inhaled NO dilates the constricted pulmonary arteries and increases blood flow in the lungs. As a result, the red blood cell hemoglobin can extract more lifesaving oxygen and move it into the general circulation. Inhaled NO has literally turned blue babies pink and allowed them to be cured and to go home with mom and dad. Before the advent of inhaled NO, most of these babies died.</p>
<p>Inhaled NO is <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04338828?term=nitric+oxide&cond=COVID&draw=2&rank=1">currently in clinical trials</a> for the treatment of patients with <a href="https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20200520/evidence-mounts-supporting-inhaled-nitric-oxide-as-covid19-treatment">COVID-19</a>. Researchers are hoping that three principal actions of NO may help fight covid: dilating the pulmonary arteries and increasing blood flow through the lungs, dilating the airways and increasing oxygen delivery to the lungs and blood, and directly killing and inhibiting the growth and spread of the coronavirus in the lungs.</p>
<h2>How nitric oxide kills viruses</h2>
<p>In an in vitro study done in 2004 during the last SARS outbreak, experimental compounds that release NO increased the survival rate of nucleus-containing mammalian cells infected with SARS-CoV. This suggested <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2004.04.012">that NO had a direct antiviral effect</a>. In this study, NO significantly inhibited the replication cycle of SARS-CoV by blocking production of viral proteins and its genetic material, RNA. </p>
<p>In a small clinical study in 2004, inhaled NO <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/425357">was effective</a> against SARS-CoV in severely ill patients with pneumonia. </p>
<p>The SARS CoV, which caused the 2003/2004 outbreak, shares most of its genome with SARS CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. This suggests that inhaled NO therapy may be effective for treating patients with COVID-19. Indeed, <a href="https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20200520/evidence-mounts-supporting-inhaled-nitric-oxide-as-covid19-treatment">several clinical trials of inhaled NO</a> in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19, who require ventilators, are currently ongoing in several institutions. The hope is that inhaled NO will prove to be an effective therapy and lessen the need for ventilators and beds in the ICU.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.20782">sinuses in the nasal cavity</a>, but not the mouth, continuously produce NO. The NO produced in the nasal cavity is chemically identical to the NO that is used clinically by inhalation. So by inhaling through the nose, you are delivering NO directly into your lungs, where it increases both airflow and blood flow and keeps microorganisms and virus particles in check. </p>
<p>While anxiously awaiting the results of the clinical trials with inhaled NO, and the development of an effective <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/heres-exactly-where-were-at-with-vaccines-and-treatments-for-covid-19">vaccine against COVID-19</a>, we should be on guard and practice breathing properly to maximize the inhalation of nitric oxide into our lungs. Remember to inhale through your nose; exhale through your mouth. </p>
<p>[<em>You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, and we can help.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=upper-coronavirus-help">Read The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/140695/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louis J. Ignarro does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The body has many natural defenses against viruses and other pathogens. One antiviral molecule produced in the body is nitric oxide and it is created when we breathe in through the nose.Louis J. Ignarro, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1352812020-04-09T15:51:39Z2020-04-09T15:51:39ZHow faith communities are responding to the coronavirus pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/324380/original/file-20200331-65528-12cso1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=173%2C63%2C1888%2C1488&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A crucifix, believed to be miraculous, that in 1552 was carried in a procession around Rome to stop the great plague, left, frames Pope Francis, wearing white, as he delivers a prayer from an empty St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on March 27, 2020. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Yara Nardi/Vatican News via AP)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Faith communities play an important role in people’s daily lives. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/01/5-facts-about-religion-in-canada/">According to the Pew Research Center</a>, 63 per cent of Canadians identify with a religious faith while at least 55 per cent of Canadians report that religion is at least somewhat important in their personal lives. </p>
<p>Recent <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/3/27/21194239/coronavirus-churches-online-pray-com">media articles</a> have highlighted <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/6734848/coronavirus-religion/">how religious leaders are connecting with their community members via livestreamed services</a> or even <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-as-passover-easter-and-ramadan-services-are-cancelled-amid-covid-1/">Twitter sermons</a>. However, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fev001">research on faith-based humanitarianism</a> suggests that <a href="https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199916023.001.0001/acprof-9780199916023-chapter-5">faith communities play a much broader role during times of crisis</a>. </p>
<p>My survey of faith communities shows how they are uniquely positioned to support people and foster resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of their moral authority and wide networks, they provide sources of solidarity, knowledge, authority and meaning. </p>
<h2>Sources of solidarity</h2>
<p>Faith communities can readily engage in acts of solidarity that build community resilience. They can easily identify vulnerable community members and quickly mobilize to provide support. </p>
<p>Sikh temples regularly hold a <em>langar</em>, a community kitchen offering free meals to temple visitors. Now <a href="https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/surrey-temple-to-deliver-groceries-to-those-in-need-amid-covid-19-pandemic/">some temples in Surrey, B.C.</a> are offering a free take-out langar as well as organizing grocery deliveries to seniors and people with disabilities. The Sikh Awareness Foundation has launched a <a href="https://www.safinternational.org/">“No Hungry Tummies” initiative</a> to provide hot meals to vulnerable community members throughout B.C. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-YCFSElnlj/">Khalsa Aid is providing free grocery essentials at various pick-up points throughout the Greater Toronto Area</a>. </p>
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<p>Similarly, the Ahmaddiya Muslim Youth Association has launched a nationwide <a href="https://www.helpingneighbours.com/">Neighbourhood Helper campaign</a>. Canadians can request assistance by signing up online or calling a helpline; youth members will support them by picking up groceries or medications. </p>
<p>The UJA (United Jewish Appeal) Federation of Greater Toronto has expanded its <a href="https://jewishtoronto.com/global-seder">annual Global Seder campaign</a> to assist at-risk families in the region during the pandemic. </p>
<p>Finally, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/poweryogacanada/">yoga studios</a> and <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/03/21/health-and-wellness-apps-offer-freebies-coping-coronavirus/2892085001/">meditation apps</a> offer a more secular form of spiritual solidarity for people unaffiliated with a formal religious institution. Many of these are offering free online classes as a way to support people through these challenging times.</p>
<h2>Sources of knowledge</h2>
<p>These same wide networks enable faith communities to have direct access to what is happening at the local level. This is particularly important in contexts that are closed to outside observers. </p>
<p>For my current research on Canadian Christian missionary organizations, I attended Missions Fest Manitoba in February, a conference in Winnipeg that attracted representatives from over 100 Christian organisations. A handout from one organization described how they maintain direct contact with members of underground house churches in China, which are illegal churches not sanctioned by the Chinese government. As a result, the organization was able to get detailed knowledge about what was happening in Chinese communities during the early days of the coronavirus crisis. They also provided funds for medical supplies to be disbursed to community members, even while the Chinese state was suppressing information. </p>
<p>In such cases, faith communities act as first responders as well as information channels.</p>
<h2>Sources of authority</h2>
<p>It sent a strong public health message when <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-pope/pope-cancels-main-public-appearances-to-stop-crowds-gathering-amid-coronavirus-idUSKBN20U0JH">Pope Francis cancelled his Sunday blessing</a> at a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square. This weekly ritual has rarely been cancelled since 1954. </p>
<p>Likewise, the Dalai Lama released a <a href="https://tibet.net/supporting-the-pm-cares-fund-his-holiness-the-14th-dalai-lama/">public letter of support</a> for Indian Prime Minister Modi’s strict measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in that country. </p>
<p>In Canada, the <a href="https://jewishtoronto.com/news-media/community-update-ujas-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic">UJA Federation of Greater Toronto</a> has issued public health updates to Jewish organizations with the goal of facilitating a consistent community-wide response. </p>
<p>These voices have strong moral authority within and beyond their communities, so have the ability to influence the public to listen to public health recommendations. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, this is also the case <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/22/world/middleeast/coronavirus-religion.html">when leaders choose to ignore public health recommendations</a>, which can have significant negative consequences. For instance, <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/world/covid-19-americans-defying-palm-sunday-lockdowns-satans-trying-to-keep-us-apart">many U.S. churches continue to remain open for services</a> and draw hundreds of worshippers. This is despite state bans on public gatherings and numerous previous examples of coronavirus hot spots stemming from <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-is-spreading-at-religious-gatherings-ricocheting-across-nations-11584548174">large religious gatherings</a>.</p>
<h2>Sources of meaning</h2>
<p>According to a <a href="https://twitter.com/JeanetBentzen/status/1244609464239624192">draft paper released by University of Copenhagen economics professor Jeanet Sinding Bentzen</a>, Google searches about prayer skyrocketed during March as the coronavirus went global. Even <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-im-not-religious-yet-in-the-face-of-coronavirus-i-seek-solace-in/">people who do not consider themselves to be religious are turning to prayer</a> as a way to cope with the crisis.</p>
<p>Faith communities help people create meaning in times of great uncertainty or anxiety. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/10199-008">Kenneth Pargament, a psychologist of religion and health, has argued</a> that “the language of the sacred – forbearance, mystery, suffering, hope, finitude, surrender, divine purpose and redemption” - can help people cope with situations beyond their control. </p>
<p>For example, the executive director of the Muslim Association of Canada <a href="https://www.macnet.ca/2020/03/20/faith-and-reassurance-from-the-executive-director/">advised the organization’s members</a> that “we should see this as the time to embody the defining quality of a believer: to be of benefit to God’s creation.” </p>
<p>Similarly, the Dalai Lama <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/dalai-lama-asks-devotees-to-chant-mantra-to-contain-spread-of-coronavirus/articleshow/73702992.cms">advised Buddhists to chant the “Tara mantra”</a> in response to the pandemic. Chanting mantras is a practice that Buddhists use to cultivate compassion for themselves and all sentient beings. The Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto requested its members to recite as many of these mantras as possible and report back their totals to get a full community count. </p>
<p>Faith communities outside of formal religious institutions also help people to create meaning. Jack Kornfield, a popular teacher of mindfulness meditation practices, has created a <a href="https://jackkornfield.com/pandemic-resources/">pandemic resources page</a> on his website. It includes guided meditations on how to cultivate a steady heart or respond to difficult emotions during difficult times.</p>
<p>It is important to understand what increases the resilience of individuals and communities during times of challenge and uncertainty. These examples suggest that many Canadians will experience the COVID-19 pandemic within a framework that is shaped by a faith community. More importantly, they demonstrate how faith communities are at the forefront of community-led responses to the pandemic. </p>
<p>During this time of crisis, people may find strength, hope and purpose through their connections to faith communities.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135281/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrea Paras does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Religious communities are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide meaning and help in a time of uncertaintyAndrea Paras, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of GuelphLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1276742020-01-10T13:44:36Z2020-01-10T13:44:36ZWhy we are hard-wired to worry, and what we can do to calm down<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309151/original/file-20200108-107214-1hizipg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=77%2C242%2C7161%2C4616&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The everyday stressors of life can lead to worrisome thoughts. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sadness-company-agent-woman-finding-working-659365795">PR Image Factory</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A new year brings both hopes and anxieties. We want things to be better for ourselves and the people we love, but worry that they won’t be, and imagine some of the things that might stand in the way. More broadly, we might worry about who’s going to win the election, or even if our world will survive.</p>
<p>As it turns out, humans are wired to worry. Our brains are continually imagining futures that will meet our needs and things that could stand in the way of them. And sometimes any of those needs may be in conflict with each other. </p>
<p>Worry is when that vital planning gets the better of us and occupies our attention to no good effect. Tension, sleepless nights, preoccupation and distraction around those very people we care for, worry’s effects are endless. There are ways to tame it, however.</p>
<p>As a <a href="https://profiles.umassmed.edu/display/133176">professor of medicine and population and quantitative health sciences</a>, I’ve researched and taught mind-body principles to both physicians and patients. I’ve found that there are many methods of quieting the mind and that most of them draw on just a few straightforward principles. Understanding those can help in creatively practicing the techniques in your everyday life.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309156/original/file-20200108-107243-116piyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309156/original/file-20200108-107243-116piyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309156/original/file-20200108-107243-116piyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309156/original/file-20200108-107243-116piyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309156/original/file-20200108-107243-116piyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309156/original/file-20200108-107243-116piyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309156/original/file-20200108-107243-116piyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">It’s easier to be in the happier present moment when we are busy. When our minds have nothing to focus on, however, they tend toward worries and concerns.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-beautiful-family-dancing-on-beach-150533825">altanaka/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<h2>Our brains sabotage the happier present moment</h2>
<p>We’ve all experienced moments of flow, times when our attention is just effortlessly absorbed in what we are doing. And studies carried out in real time confirm an <a href="https://doi.org/doi:%2010.1126/science.1192439">increase in happiness </a> when people can focus attention on what they are doing, rather than when their minds are wandering. It may seem odd then that we leave our minds to wander for something like <a href="https://doi.org/doi:%2010.1126/science.1192439">half the day, despite the happiness cost</a>.</p>
<p>The reason can be found in the activity of linked brain regions, such as the default mode network, that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.07.001">become active when our attention is not occupied with a task</a>. These systems function in the background of consciousness, envisaging futures compatible with our needs and desires and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-016-4729-y">planning how those might be brought about</a>. </p>
<p>Human brains have evolved to do this automatically; planning for scarcity and other threats is important to ensure survival. But there’s a downside: anxiety. Studies have shown that some people <a href="https://doi.org/doi:%2010.1126/science.1250830">prefer electric shocks</a> to being left alone with their thoughts. Sound familiar?</p>
<p>Our background thinking is essential to operating in the world. It is sometimes the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2018.1411423">origin of our most creative images</a>. We suffer from its unease when, unnoticed, it takes over the mental store. </p>
<p>Mindfulness, the practice of observing our mind’s activity, affords both real-time insight into this default feature of the mental operating system and a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618821893">capacity to self-regulate it</a>.</p>
<p>That is confirmed by studies showing increased attention regulation, working memory, and awareness of mind wandering that develop after only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612459659">a couple of weeks of mindfulness training</a>. Imaging studies, similarly, show that this kind of training reduces default mode activity and enriches neural connections that facilitate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsr087">attentional and emotional self-regulation</a>.</p>
<h2>Evolution prioritizes survival over happiness</h2>
<p>This default to planning is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010814-015331">part of our evolutionary history</a>. Its value is evident in the effortless persistence and universality with which it occurs. Mind-body programs like yoga and mindfulness are indicative of the yearning many people have to be in the happier present moment. </p>
<p>How we use our attention is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli0701_1">central to our emotional well-being</a>, and many mind-body programs are based on training our minds to be more skillful in this way. </p>
<p>Mindfulness training, for example, asks students to direct their attention to the sensations of breathing. And while that may seem easy, the mind resists, tenaciously. So, despite repeated resolve, a person finds that, within seconds, attention has effortlessly defaulted to planning daydreams. </p>
<p>Just <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00798">recognizing this feature is progress</a>.</p>
<p>In those moments when you do manage to notice these thoughts with some detachment, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010814-015331">their dogged concern with past and future</a> becomes clear. And planning’s semi-vigilant (“What could go wrong here?”) orientation also becomes clear. </p>
<p>We begin to notice that this hoping, comparing and regretting is often concerned with family and friends, job and money – themes of relationship, status and power that are central to the survival of tribal primates. All set against the background knowledge of our passing. </p>
<h2>Our bodies take notice</h2>
<p>Traditional meditation teachings attribute our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/med:psych/9780199688906.003.0004">everyday unease to the bodily tightening</a> that naturally accompanies the possibility of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00524">loss, failure and unfulfilled dreams embedded within this narrative</a>. It’s a tension that is often unnoticed in the midst of managing everyday demands, but its background discomfort sends us looking for relief in something more pleasant like a snack, a screen, a drink or a drug.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309159/original/file-20200108-107219-1ecrvkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309159/original/file-20200108-107219-1ecrvkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309159/original/file-20200108-107219-1ecrvkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309159/original/file-20200108-107219-1ecrvkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309159/original/file-20200108-107219-1ecrvkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=637&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309159/original/file-20200108-107219-1ecrvkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=637&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309159/original/file-20200108-107219-1ecrvkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=637&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The unnoticed default mode in our minds may compel us to seek comfort in a drink, a snack or TV – or all three.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-drinks-beer-chips-front-tv-1401069929">BERMIX STUDIOS/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mindfulness makes us more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612459659">aware of these preoccupations</a> and reorients attention to the senses. These, by their nature, are oriented to the present – hence the almost clichéd “being in the moment” idiom. </p>
<p>So, when you notice yourself tense and preoccupied with anxious thoughts, try shifting your attention to the sensations of your breathing, wherever you notice it in your body. Bodily tension naturally dissipates with the shift in focus, and a feeling of greater calm follows. Don’t expect attention to stay there; it won’t. Just notice that attention goes back to worries, and gently return it to breathing. </p>
<p>Try it for just a couple of minutes.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309160/original/file-20200108-107224-1h3cp00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309160/original/file-20200108-107224-1h3cp00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309160/original/file-20200108-107224-1h3cp00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309160/original/file-20200108-107224-1h3cp00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309160/original/file-20200108-107224-1h3cp00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309160/original/file-20200108-107224-1h3cp00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/309160/original/file-20200108-107224-1h3cp00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Just focusing on how your breath is moving can shift your brain state – and you can even do it at work.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/african-american-man-relaxing-after-work-1044298753">fizkes/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Other mind-body programs use similar principles</h2>
<p>It would be nearly impossible to design studies comparing all the techniques that cultivate mindfulness. But my more than four decades experience as a practitioner, clinician and researcher of several popular mind-body programs suggests that most techniques use similar principles to recover the present moment. </p>
<p>Yoga and tai chi, for example, direct attention to the flow of sensations accompanying the sequence of movements. In contrast, systems such as cognitive therapy, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1025418">self-compassion</a>, prayer and visualization counter the ambient narrative’s unsettling tone with more reassuring thoughts and images.</p>
<p>Just a little practice makes this universal mental tendency, and your ability to shift it, more apparent in the midst of activities. The reduced arousal that results means that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.01.006">stress-related hormones dissipate,</a> allowing feel-good ones like serotonin and dopamine to be restored in the brain as the happier here and now becomes woven into the fabric of everyday life.</p>
<p>[ <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=expertise">Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get a digest of academic takes on today’s news, every day.</a></em> ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127674/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Carmody receives funding from the National Institutes of Health</span></em></p>Are you a worry wart? Not to worry. Turns out you were born that way, to some degree. Humans have a default mode in their brains that lead them to worry, but there are many ways to switch gears.James Carmody, Professor of Medicine and Population Health Sciences, UMass Chan Medical SchoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1202262019-07-17T19:49:11Z2019-07-17T19:49:11ZFirst-ever Australian study shows how yoga can improve the lives of prisoners<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284439/original/file-20190717-147303-1kqibqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The participants in the eight-week yoga trial program in Canberra's Alexander Maconochie Centre prison.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In 2017, a small group of male prisoners participated in an eight-week yoga program at the <a href="http://www.cs.act.gov.au/custodial_operations/types_of_detention/alexander_maconochie_centre">Alexander Maconochie Centre</a>(AMC), which houses all adult prisoners in Canberra. While prison yoga programs have been evaluated in other countries, this yoga program was the first in Australia to be the subject of academic research. </p>
<p>In line with international research, our results published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0306624X19854869">International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology</a>
showed that participants received significant mental and physical health benefits from the program. </p>
<p>Specifically, prisoners showed improvements in their levels of depression, anxiety and stress. They also reported an increase in self-esteem and an improved ability to accept their emotional responses and engage in goal-directed behaviour. </p>
<p>These are important outcomes because they are all crucial for the healthy functioning of the prison, and prisoners’ ability to build strong relationships after release.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/yoga-isnt-timeless-its-changing-to-meet-contemporary-needs-97162">Yoga isn't timeless: it's changing to meet contemporary needs</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The ACT pilot yoga program</h2>
<p>In addition to evaluating the results of the program for participants, another aim of the pilot was to identify the challenges involved in establishing a yoga program in a prison. The pilot was made possible through a partnership between our research team (made up of a clinical psychologist, criminal defence barrister and criminologist), <a href="http://www.cs.act.gov.au/">ACT Corrective Services</a> and the <a href="http://www.theyogafoundation.org.au/">Yoga Foundation</a>. </p>
<p>On a hot afternoon in late January 2017, ten male prisoners, with security classifications ranging from minimum to maximum, met their yoga teacher for the first time at the AMC prison. </p>
<p>None had any experience with yoga. In fact, they thought the program was an unconventional and “weird” offering. </p>
<p>For the next eight weeks, the prisoners were taught basic yoga postures (from downward dog to the triangle pose), various movement sequences and breath awareness. For participating prisoners, the challenges of learning the discipline were both physical and mental, as were the benefits. </p>
<p>Nine prisoners completed the program. Their efforts were acknowledged in a graduation ceremony, where they were presented with a yoga mat supplied by a local studio. </p>
<h2>Our findings</h2>
<p>The prisoners were assessed before the program to determine their existing levels of depression, anxiety and stress, their capacity to regulate their emotions and their self-esteem. They completed the same assessments again at the end of the program. </p>
<p>The results showed that the participants achieved statistically and clinically significant benefits from the program, as assessed by the <a href="https://www.psytoolkit.org/survey-library/depression-anxiety-stress-dass.html">Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale</a> (DASS-21), the <a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-28099-8_810-1">Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale</a> (DERS) and the <a href="https://socy.umd.edu/about-us/using-rosenberg-self-esteem-scale">Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale</a> (RSES). </p>
<p>The participants reported improved flexibility, sleep and pain reduction. They also identified improvements in their mental well-being. All said the program had relaxed them. </p>
<p>One participant reflected that</p>
<blockquote>
<p>it was something I looked forward to each week, towards feeling relaxed and calm. I would just feel really relaxed and at peace. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another said that, after starting the yoga, he had fewer negative thoughts. Yet another reported that the program had an impact on how he approached people.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>More calm. More relaxed.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>The health of Australia’s prisoners</h2>
<p>A 2018 report by the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/prisoners/health-australia-prisoners-2018/contents/table-of-contents">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare</a> on the health of Australia’s prisoners presented a picture of compromised well-being. </p>
<p>Four out of every ten people entering prison had been diagnosed with a mental health condition, while 30% had a chronic physical health condition and 21% had a history of self-harm. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/give-prisoners-internet-access-for-a-safer-and-more-humane-community-68543">Give prisoners internet access for a safer and more humane community</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.ics.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1325997/2016-ACT-Detainee-Health-and-Wellbeing-Survey-Report.pdf">Recent data</a> presents a similarly grim picture in the ACT, with 30% of prisoners reporting depression, 32% reporting anxiety and 35% having attempted suicide. </p>
<p>Physically, 33% of prisoners in the ACT survey experienced chronic pain of some sort and 34% reported back problems. </p>
<h2>What studies in other countries have found</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5650609/">randomised controlled study</a> was conducted in nine Swedish prisons in 2017 to assess the effects of yoga on prisoners. After the participants took part in a 10-week program, the researchers found significant improvements on 13 of 19 measures relating to well-being, leading them to conclude that </p>
<blockquote>
<p>yoga practice can play an important part in the rehabilitation of prison inmates.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is consistent with other studies on <a href="https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol43/iss4/6/">the rehabilitative benefits of yoga practices</a> in countries where it has been introduced to prisons, such as India, the US and UK. The findings across various studies demonstrate <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359178916300246?via%3Dihub">statistically significant decreases</a> in stress, depression, anxiety and aggression among prisoners who practised yoga, as well as improvements in impulse control.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1148604015367905280"}"></div></p>
<h2>The future for prison yoga in Australia</h2>
<p>International research indicates that yoga programs can be a “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0306624X15602514">cost-effective supplementary treatment</a>” for prisoners with compromised mental and physical health, alongside professional medial care. Beyond this, yoga programs offer the potential to promote well-being even for those not experiencing any identified mental or physical health challenges. </p>
<p>All the participants in the Canberra program were enthusiastic about the potential for yoga programs to be offered more widely and regularly at the AMC. One, reflecting on his own experience of the benefits of participation, was adamant that priority should be given to “people who were really depressed”. </p>
<p>One of the challenges identified by the participants was the difficulty in maintaining their own practice without a structured class, pointing to the need for regular yoga programs. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/good-mental-health-care-in-prisons-must-begin-and-end-in-the-community-40011">Good mental health care in prisons must begin and end in the community</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>For a prison to offer ongoing classes, it would require funding for qualified yoga teachers. (We had the benefit of an experienced yoga teacher volunteering his time for our study.) In the UK and Ireland, funding for yoga and meditation enables classes to be <a href="http://theppt-38339.k-hosting.co.uk/for-prisons/">offered in over a third of their prisons</a>. </p>
<p>Ongoing classes also requires a commitment to meeting operational requirements, such as providing a space and arranging for the movement of prisoners. </p>
<p>We hope the ACT pilot program will lead to more yoga programs in Australian prisons that can be subject to larger-scale evaluations to test their benefits. </p>
<p>The last word on the potential for yoga programs to support prisoner well-being is best left to one of our participants. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>You would have a negative day and then come there and after you had done it, it was nice, it was calming … the effects lasted, they were ongoing.</p>
</blockquote><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120226/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lorana Bartels receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Australian Capital Territory Government and Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anthony Hopkins and Lisa Oxman do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Prisoners who took part in an eight-week yoga trial in a Canberra prison showed improvements in their levels of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as an increase in self-esteem.Anthony Hopkins, Senior Lecturer, Australian National UniversityLisa Oxman, Clinical Psychologist / Clinical Supervisor, Australian National UniversityLorana Bartels, Professor of Criminology, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1187802019-06-20T14:00:20Z2019-06-20T14:00:20ZHow yoga conquered Britain: the feminist legacy of Yogini Sunita and Kailash Puri<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280524/original/file-20190620-149818-q3xdl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C10%2C994%2C655&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">fizkes via Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>From fairly obscure beginnings in the mid-20th century, the practice of yoga in Britain has become a massively popular pastime. It’s hard to find official figures for just how many people practise yoga regularly, but it’s thought that between <a href="http://www.corestrengthyoga.co.uk/PDF%20files/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Yoga%20is%20big%20business.pdf">300,000 and 500,000 people</a> regularly take part in what the UN describes as “a holistic approach to health and well-being” with “universal appeal”.</p>
<p>The discipline was popularised in Britain through the hard work and dedication of a diverse group of unusual individuals. There were competing ideas of yoga, different forms of practice, and many different points at which yoga entered British culture, as my book <a href="https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/yoga-britain/">Yoga in Britain</a> explores. But there are two women whose dedication and enthusiasm played a huge part in popularising yoga in Britain and whose legacies have sadly been largely forgotten.</p>
<h2>Yogini Sunita</h2>
<p>Yogini Sunita was born <a href="http://www.pranayama-yoga.co.uk/yogini-sunita.html">Bernadette Boccaro</a> in 1932 to an Catholic family of Portugese-Indian ancestry in a suburb of Bombay. She arrived in Britain with her husband and son towards around 1960. Finding her new acquaintances eager to learn yoga, she quickly adopted the persona of Yogini Sunita and began teaching what she learned from <a href="http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/62024/1/__lse.ac.uk_storage_LIBRARY_Secondary_libfile_shared_repository_Content_Newcombe,%20S_Institutionalization%20of%20yoga_Newcombe_Institutionalization%20of%20yoga_2015.pdf">yogi Narainswami</a> on the beaches near Bombay, which she called Pranayama Yoga.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280468/original/file-20190620-149847-1bq820f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2086%2C1592&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280468/original/file-20190620-149847-1bq820f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280468/original/file-20190620-149847-1bq820f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280468/original/file-20190620-149847-1bq820f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280468/original/file-20190620-149847-1bq820f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=581&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280468/original/file-20190620-149847-1bq820f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=581&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280468/original/file-20190620-149847-1bq820f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=581&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Yogini Sunita training a group of British women to be yoga teachers in 1966.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Lotus and The Rose Publishers</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>By 1965, Sunita was teaching 780 yoga students at the Birmingham Athletics Institute. According to <a href="http://www.pranayama-yoga.co.uk/articles.html">historical sources</a>, she was a charismatic teacher who taught a flowing sequences of postures, many with at least one knee bent, resting a foot in the groin. </p>
<p>Sunita’s signature technique was the “slipped second” during which one calls to mind anxieties, before releasing them completely for “just one second”. Explaining to listeners of BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour in 1961, Sunita described this practice as mental relaxation which allows one to engage with life’s demands more efficiently. In fact, Sunita claimed that it was equivalent to eight hours of “perfect sleep”.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=827&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=827&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280473/original/file-20190620-149814-htetq1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=827&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Yogini Sunita, in around 1965.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Lotus and the Rose Publishers</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Shortly before her sadly premature death in 1970 at 38, Sunita began training others to teach, but left no training syllabuses or manuals. She wrote that mastering Pranayama Yoga involved knowledge of psychology, the causes of tension and knowledge of “three hundred exercises”. Sunita was emphatic, though, that “the gift and ability to impart such a subject can never be decreed by letters”. </p>
<p>In this, Sunita anticipated many of the debates about the nature and validity of “yoga teacher training programmes” today. As Sunita understood in the 1960s, possessing a yoga teaching certificate does not automatically mean that a person will be a good, or a charismatic teacher of yoga. She emphasised how yoga was an embodied practice and not all competent practitioners make appropriate teachers of this kind of tradition. </p>
<h2>Kailash Puri</h2>
<p>A second remarkable woman who popularised yoga in Britain was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jul/04/kailash-puri-obituary">Kailash Puri (1926-2017)</a> who taught yoga from her home in Crosby with her husband, Gopal Singh Puri (1915-1995), between 1968 and 1990. Both Kailash and her husband were Sikhs born in the Punjab and had settled in Crosby through Gopal Puri’s employment at Liverpool Polytechnic lecturing in biological sciences. </p>
<p>Noticing a demand for yoga shortly after the Beatles returned from India, Puri encouraged his wife to teach postures, breathing exercises and relaxation while he gave philosophical lectures and made up herbal prescriptions based on <a href="https://apa.uk.com/ayurveda/what-is-ayurveda">Ayurvedic principles</a>. Kailash Puri also gave lessons in healthy eating and cooking with vegetables and her influence in this area extended to her acting as an Indian cookery consultant to Marks & Spencer during the 1970s. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-ayurveda-to-biomedicine-understanding-the-human-body-85631">From Ayurveda to biomedicine: understanding the human body</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280174/original/file-20190619-171258-4u4pyi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280174/original/file-20190619-171258-4u4pyi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280174/original/file-20190619-171258-4u4pyi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280174/original/file-20190619-171258-4u4pyi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280174/original/file-20190619-171258-4u4pyi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280174/original/file-20190619-171258-4u4pyi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/280174/original/file-20190619-171258-4u4pyi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Handbook for enlightenment: Yoga for All by Frank and Hazel Wills.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Amazon</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Like Sunita, the Puris also emphasised yoga as relaxation, an antidote to the problems of modern life – stress, materialism and emotional imbalance. Two of their students, <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1369953">Frank and Hazel Wills</a>, further popularised these methods of yoga with a regular slot on BBC Television’s lunchtime show Pebble Mill at One for several years from 1973 and with a book, <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1369953">Yoga for All</a>.</p>
<p>Both Sunita and the Puris emphasised that their yoga practices were not associated with any specific religious ideology. They both claimed that the techniques were accessible to everyone and had significant benefits for health and relaxation. Significantly, neither Sunita nor Puri established guidelines for training others in yoga. This has meant that their influence has largely been forgotten. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=297&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=297&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=297&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/279543/original/file-20190614-158925-t0jn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Kailash and Gopal Puri teaching in Liverpool in the 1970s.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Puri, G</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Meanwhile men such as <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11045993/BKS-Iyengar-obituary.html">B.K.S. Iyengar (1918-2014)</a>, who developed a standardised teacher training syllabuses in conjunction with the London adult education system, and <a href="https://www.bwy.org.uk/about/">Wilfred Clark (1898-1981)</a>, who founded the British Wheel of Yoga, have legacies which are much easier to document.</p>
<h2>Why British women embraced yoga</h2>
<p>But the significance of these two women in inspiring other women should not be underestimated. Women quickly became the majority of both students and teachers of yoga in Britain, comprising of 70-90% of those attending yoga classes in the post-war period. There were several reasons for this. As Mark Singleton, yoga historian and senior research fellow at SOAS, <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-india-with-love-how-yoga-got-its-stretch-back-79593">pointed out</a>, modern yoga practice has much in common with exercise methods such as Swedish and Danish gymnastic drills that were popular for women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-india-with-love-how-yoga-got-its-stretch-back-79593">From India with love — how yoga got its stretch back</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Yoga also offered relief from what one yoga teacher described in 1976 as “<a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/asme/3/1/article-p37_5.xml">housewife syndrome</a>” which included “monotony and lack of recognition, indeterminate pains and psychosomatic symptoms.” Yoga, in the experience of many women of this period, provided a space to refresh physically and mentally. </p>
<p>Teaching yoga also gave women viable work that could fit around family commitments. Teaching yoga allowed them to earn more in shorter periods of time compared to other employment accessible to women at that time, such as secretarial work. </p>
<p>Yogini Sunita and Kailash Puri were more than simply yoga teachers – their lives exemplify how yoga provided new opportunities for personal empowerment and social influence, offering a new route to liberation for women.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118780/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suzanne Newcombe receives funding from the European Research Council. </span></em></p>Two women were largely responsible for popularising yoga in Britain in the 1960s.Suzanne Newcombe, Lecturer in Religious Studies, The Open UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1156202019-05-13T10:40:54Z2019-05-13T10:40:54ZAre yoga and mindfulness in schools religious?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/270835/original/file-20190424-121228-17u0d3p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Yoga classes are becoming more prevalent in America's schools.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/schoolchildren-lotus-position-relaxing-on-lesson-521052871?src=xeOOZ2iVOQQQG5PrEGyiDQ-1-8">Africa Studio / www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The number of U.S. children age 4 to 17 practicing yoga rose from 2.3% to 8.4% – or from 1.3 million to 4.9 million – between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25671583">2007</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db324-h.pdf">2017</a>, federal data show. The number of children meditating rose to 3.1 million during the same period.</p>
<p>The rise is due in part to more yoga and mindfulness programs being established in America’s schools. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4831047/">2015 study</a> found three dozen different yoga organizations offering yoga programs in 940 K-12 schools. </p>
<p>Yoga and mindfulness could become the fourth “R” of public education. But up for debate is whether the “R” in this case stands for relaxation or religion.</p>
<p>As <a href="http://indiana.edu/%7Erelstud/people/profiles/brown_candy">a professor of religious studies</a>, I have served as an expert witness in four public-school yoga and meditation legal challenges. I testified that school yoga and meditation programs fit legal criteria of religion.</p>
<p>In one case, the court agreed that yoga “may be religious in some contexts,” but ultimately concluded that the school district’s yoga classes were “devoid of any religious, mystical, or spiritual trappings.” In two other cases in which I testified, <a href="https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Charter%20Schools/Charter%20Board%20Appeal%20Opinions/2013-10,%20Education%20for%20New%20Generations%20Charter%20School%20-%20recon.pdf">yoga</a> and <a href="https://courtsapp.montcopa.org/psi/v/detail/Case/201078753#/">meditation</a> based charter schools were found to violate a <a href="https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1949&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=014&chpt=17A">state law</a> prohibiting public schools from providing “any religious instruction.”</p>
<p>My research and experience leads me to believe that there are problems with how yoga is being implemented in schools. My goal is not to ban yoga or mindfulness from school settings. But I believe there are legal and ethical reasons to work toward greater transparency and voluntary participation in yoga.</p>
<h2>A question of religion</h2>
<p>Although many Americans believe that yoga and mindfulness aren’t religious, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/why-schools-are-banning-yoga/570904/">not everyone accepts</a> that the practices are completely secular. </p>
<p>My new book, <a href="https://www.uncpress.org/book/9781469648484/debating-yoga-and-mindfulness-in-public-schools/">“Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools: Reforming Secular Education or Reestablishing Religion?”</a> examines these issues. The book argues that integrating yoga and mindfulness into public schools could violate laws against government establishment of religion.</p>
<p>The Yoga Alliance, an organization that purports to be the the “largest nonprofit association representing the yoga community,” argued in 2014 that DC yoga studios should be exempt from <a href="https://www.yogaalliance.org/the_dc_yoga_tax_isnt_really_a_yoga_tax">sales tax</a> because the purpose of yoga is “spiritual rather than fitness.” However, when <a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ca-court-of-appeal/1696669.html">parents sued</a> a California school district in 2013 alleging that its yoga program violates the prohibition against the state establishment of religion, the Yoga Alliance rebutted that yoga is exercise and “not religious.” Thus, the Yoga Alliance seems to take the position that yoga is spiritual but not religious. Courts have not, however, made this distinction.</p>
<p>In some legal cases the courts have concluded that yoga and meditation are religious practices. A 1988 Arkansas case known as Powell v. Perry, for instance, concluded that “<a href="https://yogaencinitasstudents.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/yesyogarb.pdf">yoga is a method of practicing Hinduism</a>.” The 1995 <a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1224987.html">Self-Realization Fellowship Church v. Ananda Church of Self Realization </a>
case classified the “Hindu-Yoga spiritual tradition” as a “religious tradition.”</p>
<p>The <a href="https://casetext.com/case/malnak-v-yogi">1979 Malnak v. Yogi</a> case defined Transcendental Meditation as a “religion” and therefore ruled that an elective high school Transcendental Meditation class was unconstitutional.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that public schools may not endorse religious practices such as <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/370/421/#tab-opinion-1943887">prayer</a> and <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/374/203/#tab-opinion-1944457">Bible</a> reading, even if kids are allowed to “opt out.” The Court ruled that <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/482/578/#tab-opinion-1957185">practicing religion in the classroom is coercive</a> because of mandatory attendance, teacher authority and peer pressure.</p>
<h2>Mindfulness = Buddhism?</h2>
<p>“Mindfulness” likewise does “<a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm%3A978-0-387-09593-6%2F1.pdf">double duty</a>.” It sounds like merely “paying attention.” However, promoters of mindfulness, such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, say they use it as an “umbrella term” as a <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm%3A978-0-387-09593-6%2F1.pdf#page=24">“skillful” way</a> to introduce Buddhist meditation into the mainstream.</p>
<p>In a Buddhist Geeks podcast, Trudy Goodman, founder of Insight LA and a mindfulness teacher, speaks of mindfulness as “<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160405015832/http:/www.buddhistgeeks.com/2014/08/bg-331-stealth-buddhism/">stealth Buddhism</a>,” noting that secularly framed classes “aren’t that different from our Buddhist classes. They just use a different vocabulary.”</p>
<p>Founder of Yoga Ed. <a href="https://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1328">Tara Guber has admitted</a> to making semantic changes to get her program into a school district where some parents and school board members objected to it, arguing that it was teaching religion. Guber spoke of how yoga can “shift consciousness and alter beliefs.”</p>
<p>Some research shows that yoga and mindfulness have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3151546/">spiritual</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18374738">effects</a> even when they are presented secularly.</p>
<p>One study found that over 62 percent of students in “secular” yoga <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25030795">changed their primary reason</a> for practicing. “Most initiate yoga practice for exercise and stress relief, but for many, spirituality becomes their primary reason for maintaining practice,” the study states.</p>
<p>I propose that respect for cultural and religious diversity can best be achieved through an <a href="https://www.insightsassociation.org/article/opt-vs-opt-out-debate">opt-in</a> model of informed consent. That is to say, it may be constitutional for yoga and mindfulness to be available on school grounds, but students should be able to choose to get into the programs, not – as I point out in various cases in my book – be forced to take extra steps just to get out.</p>
<p>Students and their parents must be given enough information about offered programs – including risks, benefits, alternatives, and potential effects – to make an informed choice about whether to participate.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115620/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Candy Gunther Brown has received research funding from organizations that include the Lilly Endowment, Packard Foundation, Louisville Institute, Mellon Foundation, and John Templeton Foundation, and compensation from law firms representing school districts for expert witness service.</span></em></p>Yoga and mindfulness are becoming more prevalent in America’s public schools. But are they subtly promoting religion? A scholar who has served as an expert witness in several yoga cases weighs in.Candy Gunther Brown, Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1106992019-04-02T18:47:21Z2019-04-02T18:47:21ZGoing to the naturopath or a yoga class? Your private health won’t cover it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266724/original/file-20190401-177181-nte7ww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Although there's evidence yoga may be helpful for some medical conditions, it can no longer be claimed under private health insurance.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Starting this week, private health insurers are prohibited from providing benefits for a number of natural therapies. This <a href="http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/9BF149856FD5AF22CA2581BB007C0CEB/$File/Natural%20Therapies%20-%2019%20Oct%20with%20SR%20updates.pdf">includes</a> aromatherapy, Western herbalism, homeopathy, naturopathy, pilates, reflexology, Rolfing (soft tissue manipulation), Shiatsu, tai chi, yoga, and half a dozen others. </p>
<p>The goal of these changes is to stop taxpayers subsidising these therapies. But the way the changes have been legislated will have a lot of unintended consequences.</p>
<h2>Why were some therapies removed?</h2>
<p>The therapies were removed after a 2013 <a href="http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/phi-natural-therapies">government review</a> couldn’t find significant evidence for the clinical effectiveness for these therapies. </p>
<p>Based on the review, a <a href="http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/phmac">ministerial committee</a> concluded these therapies should no longer attract taxpayer subsidies as part of private health insurance.</p>
<p>Taxpayers subsidise natural therapies via the private health insurance rebate, which covers <a href="https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/healthinsurance/incentivessurcharges/insurancerebate.htm">around 25%</a> of the cost of premiums. </p>
<p>This rebate itself is controversial. It costs the government around $6bn a year and <a href="https://www.phaa.net.au/documents/item/1155">many experts</a> have questioned whether it’s an effective use of taxpayer funds.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/private-health-insurance-rebates-dont-serve-their-purpose-lets-talk-about-scrapping-them-91061">Private health insurance rebates don't serve their purpose. Let's talk about scrapping them</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<p>However, current government policy <em>is</em> to subsidise premiums. So ensuring taxpayer funds are focused on therapies that work is a worthy goal. </p>
<h2>How does the legislation prohibit therapies?</h2>
<p>Government subsidies for private health insurance premiums are governed by <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00067">legislation</a>, with practical considerations fleshed out in <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2014C00746">regulations</a>. Exclusions from government subsidies would usually be incorporated into these mechanisms. </p>
<p>Instead, the change is contained within a <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019C00047">separate set of rules</a> which govern what insurers can offer. Three rules were <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019C00017">amended</a>:</p>
<p><strong>Rule 3:</strong> The 16 natural therapies are defined in a list as “excluded natural therapy treatment”</p>
<p><strong>Rule 8:</strong> “Excluded natural therapy treatment” is prohibited from coverage as hospital treatment</p>
<p><strong>Rule 11:</strong> “Excluded natural therapy treatment” is prohibited from coverage as “general treatment” for a specific health condition. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266725/original/file-20190401-177167-19e8c0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266725/original/file-20190401-177167-19e8c0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266725/original/file-20190401-177167-19e8c0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266725/original/file-20190401-177167-19e8c0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266725/original/file-20190401-177167-19e8c0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266725/original/file-20190401-177167-19e8c0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266725/original/file-20190401-177167-19e8c0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Natural health practitioners draw on a variety of remedies not used by medical doctors.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>So, what’s the problem?</h2>
<p>The term “natural therapies” groups diverse treatments that have very little in common. </p>
<p>Therapies such as iridology (diagnosing health problems by looking at the iris of the eye) are not evidence-based, yet therapies such as yoga and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28234634">tai chi</a> have a reasonable (and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28234634">growing</a>) body of evidence. All three are on the list of prohibited therapies. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/yoga-in-the-workplace-can-reduce-back-pain-and-sickness-absence-87375">Yoga in the workplace can reduce back pain and sickness absence</a>
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</p>
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<p>Chinese medicine, chiropractic and massage therapy are not on the list, and can still attract private health insurance benefits. </p>
<p>The 2013 review noted evidence for some of the natural therapies on the list, but excluded them because it was limited to specific conditions or situations. Evidence for the breathing technique Buteyko, for instance, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23101047">was limited to asthma</a>. </p>
<p>This limitation may warrant restriction of direct benefits. However, the legislation requires any bundled package of care or management program for asthma that attracts benefits to specifically exclude Buteyko, even if the insurer is not paying for Buteyko directly.</p>
<p>Organisations can still <em>technically</em> offer these services if they are completely separated clinically and administratively from reimbursable items. But the reality is this creates an almost impossible barrier. Natural therapies on this list can no longer interact, interface or integrate with reimbursable services.</p>
<p>The Department of Health’s <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/%7E/media/Estimates/ca/supp1718/addinfo/Hansard/Official/2017_10_26_5686_Official.pdf?la=en">private health insurance advisor</a> admitted as much, noting it would be almost impossible for insurers – or organisations accepting insurance – to overcome barriers and offer any natural therapy services.</p>
<p>Had the legislation been focused on removal of subsidies there would have been few issues. But the “prohibitive list” in the legislation is highly unusual. </p>
<h2>If therapies work, won’t they be allowed back?</h2>
<p>The changes have a number of structural problems. </p>
<p>There is no formal process for updating the list as evidence evolves. This means therapies remain prohibited until legislated otherwise and other therapies cannot be added easily.</p>
<p>By virtue of not being included in the list, reiki and crystal healing are eligible for benefits. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266727/original/file-20190401-177193-mvxezi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266727/original/file-20190401-177193-mvxezi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266727/original/file-20190401-177193-mvxezi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266727/original/file-20190401-177193-mvxezi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266727/original/file-20190401-177193-mvxezi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266727/original/file-20190401-177193-mvxezi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266727/original/file-20190401-177193-mvxezi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Shiatsu, a form of massage, is one of the treatments to have been cut from private health insurance.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Meanwhile, the review is already out of date. It examined systematic reviews published between 2008 and 2013, and did not review original research at all. Search criteria for the review were narrow and may not have reflected practice. The review excluded evidence for individual herbal medicines, for example, as it did not believe this evidence was relevant to the practice of herbalism.</p>
<p>Meta-analyses now show yoga to be effective in conditions such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29685823">diabetes</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23246998">back pain</a>. Yoga is now recommended as a first-line treatment for low back pain <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-publishes-updated-advice-on-treating-low-back-pain">in the United Kingdom</a>. And <a href="https://www.sto.nato.int/publications/STO%20Technical%20Reports/Forms/Technical%20Report%20Document%20Set/docsethomepage.aspx?ID=3269&FolderCTID=0x0120D5200078F9E87043356C409A0D30823AFA16F6010066D541ED10A62C40B2AB0FEBE9841A61&List=92d5819c-e6ec-4241-aa4e-57bf918681b1&RootFolder=%2Fpublications%2FSTO%20Technical%20Reports%2FSTO-TR-HFM-195">NATO recommends</a> military health services use yoga for post-traumatic stress disorder and back pain. </p>
<p>This legislation makes similar programs almost impossible to replicate in Australia. </p>
<p>At the very least, the Department of Health should update the review to ensure the <a href="https://www.saxinstitute.org.au/our-work/knowledge-exchange/evidence-check/">evidence on which they have based this decision</a> is current. </p>
<p>We need an evidence-based approach to natural therapies. But these changes hamper access to therapies known to work, encourage therapies known not to work, and reduce researchers’ ability to investigate what does and doesn’t work.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/premiums-up-rebates-down-and-a-new-tiered-system-what-the-private-health-insurance-changes-mean-114086">Premiums up, rebates down, and a new tiered system – what the private health insurance changes mean</a>
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<p><em>* The author’s disclosure statement has been updated since this article was first published.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110699/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jon Wardle receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council and the Defence Health Foundation relating to projects on natural therapies. Jon is a member of the Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, which researches natural therapies and has been directly impacted by these changes. Some ARCCIM funding has been from sources with interests in natural therapies (e.g. the Jacka Foundation). In addition to qualifications in nursing, health law and public health, Jon has clinical training as a naturopath and is co-author of the book Clinical Naturopathy.</span></em></p>From this week, private health insurers are unable to provide rebates for 16 natural therapies. But these changes may have unintended consequences.Jon Wardle, Associate Professor of Public Health, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1101382019-01-23T11:48:26Z2019-01-23T11:48:26ZHow to show gratitude to TSA workers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/255042/original/file-20190122-100285-1ex84iv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Food donated for TSA workers who continue to work without pay.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Government-Shutdown-Pennsylvania/d6c577ce3b684c0e8a9fb031ca79c2a2/10/0">AP Photo/Keith Srakocic</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>TSA workers are usually among the least-liked government employees. But these days many travelers passing through airports are taking a moment to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/01/15/685656065/some-travelers-expressing-gratitude-for-tsa-workers-amid-shutdown">express their gratitude</a> to the furloughed workers <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-15/trump-s-selective-recalls-curb-unpopular-disruptions-tests-law">putting in their hours without pay</a> as the partial government shutdown continues. </p>
<p>In my research as a scholar of communication, as I outline in my book, <a href="http://www.sunypress.edu/p-6539-the-art-of-gratitude.aspx">“The Art of Gratitude</a>.” I can tell you that gratitude matters. The words we use to describe our emotions are important, as they influence how we and others feel. </p>
<p>Here are my three rules for how to practice gratitude.</p>
<h2>1. Practice gratitude every day</h2>
<p>Two recent books – historian <a href="https://dianabutlerbass.com/about/">Diana Butler Bass’</a> <a href="https://dianabutlerbass.com/books/grateful-the-transformative-power-of-giving-thanks/">“Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks”</a> and journalist <a href="https://ajjacobs.com/">A.J. Jacobs’</a> <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Thanks-A-Thousand/A-J-Jacobs/TED-Books/9781501119927">“Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey”</a> – share details of the personal, social and health benefits of gratitude. </p>
<p>These books recount how gratitude can <a href="https://news.heart.org/study-gratitude-is-a-healthy-attitude/">lower blood pressure</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656607001286">reduce anxiety</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19073292">improve sleep</a>, and <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_gratitude_good_for_your_health">make people feel happier and more at home in the world</a>. In general, research shows that the practice of gratitude <a href="https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/benefits-gratitude-research-questions/">reduces suffering and promotes individual well-being</a>. </p>
<p>So the practice of gratitude each day is important – but it also requires the right philosophy.</p>
<h2>2. Avoid the language of debt</h2>
<p>Many of us regularly say “I owe you one,” “I owe you a debt of gratitude,” or some other phrase that means basically the same thing. </p>
<p>In doing so, gratitude becomes a kind of a debt incurred during daily life. </p>
<p>The field of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-good-life/200805/what-is-positive-psychology-and-what-is-it-not">positive psychology</a> studies what makes life most worth living. According to the positive psychologist <a href="http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/people/raemmons">Robert Emmons</a>, to be grateful “<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=2OyzetozsTsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=robert+emmons+Thanks!&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwin747v_IHgAhWCjFkKHUuoB_sQ6AEIJTAA#v=onepage&q&f=false">is to feel indebted</a>.” Paraphrasing Emmons, when someone does me a favor or gives me a gift, the emotion of gratitude encourages me to think of it as a debt that I need to repay.</p>
<p>The trouble with the language of debt is that it transforms how we talk about gratitude into a transaction. Gratitude becomes a daily practice of counting and keeping score. People then get good at seeing their <a href="http://www.sunypress.edu/p-6539-the-art-of-gratitude.aspx">lives as a series of debts</a> that must be repaid. But life is not a debt or a series of debts. </p>
<p>According to Aristotle in his “<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=-fhkBAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=aristotle+nicomachean+ethics&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwit0MiTiYLgAhUh2FkKHW6BBgY4ChDoATAFegQIARAd#v=onepage&q=aristotle%20nicomachean%20ethics&f=false">Nicomachean Ethics</a>,” it is natural for people to despise feeling indebted to others. And so, he contends, it is also natural for people to turn away from relationships with others if those relationships serve to create additional debts. </p>
<h2>3. Recognize interconnectedness</h2>
<p>In addition to being a scholar, I am a <a href="http://www.statecollegeyogalab.com/teachers/">yoga teacher</a>. My academic research is influenced profoundly by yoga philosophy. Yoga is a practice that aims to reduce suffering. According to the yoga scholar <a href="https://www.shambhala.com/yoga-for-a-world-out-of-balance-1757.html">Michael Stone</a>, “the term ‘yoga’ connotes the basic unity and interconnectedness of all of life.” </p>
<p>In America, it is common to speak of self-reliance. But no person succeeds alone. Everyone is supported. The yogic practice of gratitude, or “santosha,” encourages practitioners to <a href="http://www.sunypress.edu/p-6539-the-art-of-gratitude.aspx">acknowledge and give thanks</a> for the many forms of support that allow them to live their lives. </p>
<p>To breathe is to take in the same air that others breathe; to stand is to stand on the same earth that others stand on. Without the air, or the earth, shared by all, we wouldn’t be here. The practice of yogic gratitude encourages people to recognize that they are part of the world, not separate from it.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/255045/original/file-20190122-100273-kr64m9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/255045/original/file-20190122-100273-kr64m9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255045/original/file-20190122-100273-kr64m9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255045/original/file-20190122-100273-kr64m9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255045/original/file-20190122-100273-kr64m9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255045/original/file-20190122-100273-kr64m9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/255045/original/file-20190122-100273-kr64m9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A food donation point at Orlando International Airport to help workers who are not getting paid during shutdown.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Government-Shutdown-TSA-Workers/a098bd9b8e3d40748ce13b945e2383ec/38/0">AP Photo/John Raoux</a></span>
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<p>It also teaches people to recognize that to reduce their suffering they must also work to reduce the suffering of those around them. Often people don’t see it this way, but there is no injustice that affects someone else that does not also in some way affect each one of us too. </p>
<h2>Fighting injustice</h2>
<p>Ultimately, it is heart-warming to see Americans giving thanks, <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/How-to-Help-Federal-Furloughed-Workers-Impacted-by-the-Partial-Government-Shutdown-Donate-Volunteer-504540111.html">collecting donations</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/WCKitchen/status/1085941565783265280">providing food</a> to government workers affected by the shutdown. </p>
<p>But, true gratitude is a practice of recognizing our interconnectedness – that we are all in this together. If people practice the three rules of gratitude, perhaps they can also recognize the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/opinion/its-time-for-tsa-workers-to-strike.html">unfairness</a> of asking people to work without pay and pledge to fight this injustice together.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110138/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jeremy David Engels does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As people say thanks to those who are turning up for work without being paid, an expert explains what true gratitude really means.Jeremy David Engels, Sherwin Early Career Professor in the Rock Ethics Institute, and Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn StateLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1060652018-11-05T05:27:09Z2018-11-05T05:27:09ZHow to beat exam stress<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/243828/original/file-20181105-83641-1kf54i6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises can help students manage exam anxiety.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Young people around Australia are currently undergoing end of secondary school exams, which can be a very stressful time. Nearly half (47%) of Australian students report they feel very tense when they study, and <a href="https://www.oecd.org/pisa/PISA-2015-Results-Students-Well-being-Volume-III-Overview.pdf">67% report</a> feeling very anxious even if they are well prepared for a test.</p>
<p>All this stress can have an impact on <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14499305">mental health and well-being</a> as well as a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01443410.2010.513959">negative impact on grades</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yangyang_Liu/publication/272890203_The_longitudinal_relationship_between_Chinese_high_school_students'_academic_stress_and_academic_motivation/links/5b2117b80f7e9b0e374015fb/The-longitudinal-relationship-between-Chinese-high-school-students-academic-stress-and-academic-motivation.pdf">motivation</a>. It’s important to have some strategies to de-stress during this overwhelming time. Mindfulness-based practices have been shown to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28863392">reduce stress</a>, and make our negative thoughts seem less threatening. Here are some you can try.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/three-reasons-to-get-your-stress-levels-in-check-this-year-86764">Three reasons to get your stress levels in check this year</a>
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<h2>Meditation</h2>
<p>When doing a meditation, it’s useful to make sure you’re in a conformable environment. Try sitting in a quiet and comfortable place, perhaps crossed legged, or any position comfortable enough to remain still for a few minutes. A meditation session can be a long or short as you like. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/243839/original/file-20181105-83635-1obooq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/243839/original/file-20181105-83635-1obooq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243839/original/file-20181105-83635-1obooq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243839/original/file-20181105-83635-1obooq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243839/original/file-20181105-83635-1obooq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243839/original/file-20181105-83635-1obooq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243839/original/file-20181105-83635-1obooq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Studies from the US and India show mindfulness-based yoga programs in secondary schools have many benefits.</span>
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<p>Some people like to meditate with their eyes closed, but this isn’t a requirement. If you want to keep your eyes open, try to maintain a relaxed gaze, and avoid moving your gaze around for the duration of the meditation.</p>
<h3>Meditation apps</h3>
<p>There are a number of free apps that can be used to guide you through a meditation including ones made by <a href="https://au.reachout.com/tools-and-apps/reachout-breathe">Reachout</a>, <a href="https://www.smilingmind.com.au/">Smiling Mind</a> or <a href="https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app">Headspace</a>.</p>
<h3>Using the breath</h3>
<p>Paying attention to the breath is a widely used and effective <a href="https://smjournals.com/ebooks/anxiety-disorders/chapters/ANXD-15-01.pdf">meditation method</a>. This can be as simple as noticing the breath entering and exiting the body. It can be helpful to feel the belly rise and fall with the breath, or to pay attention to the sensation of the breath entering and exiting the nostrils. </p>
<p>It’s normal for your attention to wander. Every time you notice this happening, gently bring your attention back to the breath. Try to make your breath slow and steady. You might like to breathe out of the mouth for the first few breaths, and then continue by breathing both in and out of the nose.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/i-have-an-exam-tomorrow-but-dont-feel-prepared-what-should-i-do-105849">I have an exam tomorrow but don't feel prepared – what should I do?</a>
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<p>If you want to add to this, you might try counting your breaths. See how many you can reach before your mind wanders and you lose track, and then simply bring your attention back and start again. </p>
<p>Don’t be hard on yourself if your attention wanders. Noticing your attention wander and bringing it back is part of meditation. </p>
<p>Another option might be to count the length of your breaths. Exhaling longer than you inhale can help you relax. </p>
<h3>Four-seven-eight</h3>
<p>This is a breathing technique that can help you to centre yourself and calm down when you feel stressed. It helps by focusing attention on the breath and also tricks the body into feeling more relaxed by reducing an accelerated heart rate. You can use this any time, anywhere:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>exhale deeply through your mouth</p></li>
<li><p>take a deep breath through your nose for four counts</p></li>
<li><p>hold the breath for seven counts</p></li>
<li><p>exhale through your mouth for eight counts</p></li>
<li><p>repeat four to eight times.</p></li>
</ol>
<h2>Using mantras</h2>
<p>Using a mantra, which is a phrase repeated over and over, can be helpful to quiet the chatter of the mind. You might try repeating a phrase such as “I am here,” “I am safe,” or “I can do this”. The phrase can be as long or short as you like and can be repeated aloud or in your head. </p>
<p>It can be very useful to pair the repetition of the phrase with the breath. For example, you could say “I am” on your in breath, and “here” on your out breath. </p>
<h2>Mindfulness using the senses</h2>
<p>Using the senses can be a helpful way to pull your attention to the present moment no matter where you are, centre yourself and engage with your environment. You can practise throughout the day, especially any time you find yourself getting caught up in your thoughts and feelings.</p>
<p>Here is an exercise you can do to play with paying attention to things you might not usually notice. Try to notice five things:</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/243840/original/file-20181105-83638-1mx50tv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/243840/original/file-20181105-83638-1mx50tv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=624&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243840/original/file-20181105-83638-1mx50tv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=624&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243840/original/file-20181105-83638-1mx50tv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=624&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243840/original/file-20181105-83638-1mx50tv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=784&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243840/original/file-20181105-83638-1mx50tv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=784&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/243840/original/file-20181105-83638-1mx50tv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=784&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wes Mountain/The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<h2>Mindfulness using the body</h2>
<p>Going to a yoga class can be a great way to explore mindfulness of the body in a supported environment. </p>
<p>Studies from the US and India show mindfulness-based yoga programs in secondary schools can <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mbe.12107">improve grades</a> or <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2015/259814/">mitigate decreases</a> in grades across the school year, improve <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2015/794928/">emotional regulation</a>, improve <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3968701/">memory</a>, anger control and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21647811">fatigue</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22343481">improve mood and decrease anxiety</a>. Many local studios will provide free or heavily discounted offers for introduction classes. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-should-put-yoga-in-the-australian-school-curriculum-89962">Why we should put yoga in the Australian school curriculum</a>
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<p>Another option might be to try to some gentle mindful stretching on your own or with a friend. You can try any stretches you like, while paying attention to what is happening in your body as a result of the stretch. </p>
<p>Pay attention to how the muscles feel, both during and in the few seconds after the stretch. Be aware of how the stretch might affect your breathing. Try to maintain a steady, calm, breath throughout the practice. If you mind wanders, just bring it back to the sensations in your body.</p>
<p>You can practise these measures at home around exam time, while you’re lining up to enter your exam, or even in the middle of your exam if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed. Taking a moment to slow your heart rate and calm your thoughts will pay off in the long run.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/106065/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexandra Parker receives funding from NHMRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michaela Pascoe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The exam period can be a stressful time for students. Here are a few strategies to help students cope.Michaela Pascoe, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Exercise and Mental Health, Victoria UniversityAlexandra Parker, Professor of Physical Activity and Mental Health, Victoria UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.