Anxiety: How it shows up and why yoga and community are a remedy for it
We often hear from students and teachers at Humble Haven that starting and maintaining a yoga practice is one way to combat feelings of anxiety whether those be intermittent or long-term. If you’ve practiced yoga in some way, be it through movement, mindful breathing, or concentration and meditation, you’ve likely experienced the positive effects of this practice. To help us share a bit more about yoga’s power to combat anxiety, we turned to two of Humble Haven’s teachers, Margo Buchanan and Cynthia Nwarache, to share a bit more.
Margo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LSCW) and Registered Play Therapist (RPT) working as the Manager of Trauma Responsive Strategy for Richmond Public Schools. Cynthia is a macro social worker and in her role as a Program Administration Specialist, she works alongside the reentry/formerly incarcerated population. Margo and Cynthia shared with us how they utilize yoga, not only as teachers and students of Humble Haven and out in the Richmond community, but within their professional lives as well.
What are some of the ways that anxiety presents itself in day to day life or on occasion for people?
Anxiety can present itself differently from person to person. Margo shares, “anxiety symptoms fall on a spectrum, ranging from occasional bouts of worry, which are normal and even healthy for our stress systems to experience occasionally, to debilitating anxiety, which can affect one's ability to perform daily tasks and quality of life significantly.” A few common examples of how anxiety might present itself are “shortness of breath, rapid breathing, faster speech and thoughts, feelings of tension, wound-up or difficulty relaxing, difficulty concentrating, changes in mood, restlessness, stomach issues, increased or decreased appetite, fidgeting, decreased work/school performance, excessive sweating, nervousness,” Cynthia shared.
In what way(s) does yoga serve as a tool to combat feelings of anxiety?
There are multiple aspects of the yoga practice that contribute to alleviating feelings of anxiety. One aspect is the physical practice of yoga.
“Research suggests that physical movement is one of the best ways to both prevent and combat symptoms of anxiety. This is partially due to the release of cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones) when physical exercise is exerted. Mindful breathing, such as deep breathing and use of extended exhales, are the quickest, most accessible tools to combat anxiety. Practicing these types of breathing practices in conjunction with yoga, helps the brain to access them more easily when our stress responses take over during anxiety. Rhythmic breathing and movement are also very regulating for our stress systems,” Margo explains.
Cynthia adds that this kind of “mindful breathing can significantly reduce anxiety levels by calming the body and relaxing the parasympathetic nervous system,” the part of our nervous system in charge of calming our body’s activities.
Has yoga made a personal or professional impact for you when it comes to anxiety?
Cynthia: Yes to both. At times, I wake up feeling anxious due to the lack of control I have over my external environment. Yoga helps me consciously exist in both my inner and external worlds. I am a Black woman. I see the world through the lens of a Black woman. I constantly see images and subliminal messages that disempower the Black breath, the Black body, and the Black life. These images are anxiety inducing for me and for those I walk alongside in both my personal and professional life. So when I breathe unapologetically I am intentionally debunking this false narrative. When I take up space through yoga and other forms of unapologetic movement I am signaling to my mind and to my nervous system that I am okay, and that I am deserving of existing in peace, safeness, authenticity, and softness.
Margo: Absolutely. Yoga has served as a tool for me over the last 10 years in both my personal and professional lives. Personally, I use the practice of yoga as a tool both preventatively (by practicing at least three times a week) and acutely (when I am having a hard day or hard season of life). The practice has improved my sleep, my diet, my ability to pause before I react, my listening, my relationships with others and myself. Yoga, along with therapy, are my most valuable tools when it comes to my mental health. Professionally, I have used the tools of yoga working with my clients in individual therapy sessions, in training with professionals of education, health care and the justice system, as well as a way to combat secondary/vicarious trauma.
If someone was looking to get started with yoga, where could they start?
Margo: The best way to start doing yoga is simply to go to a yoga class. There are many ways, especially now, that we all now have access to yoga practices virtually, such as recorded on online classes. However, I suggest to interested practitioners to attend yoga in a physical space with other practitioners if possible. Practicing with a community of people offers another layer of support.
Cynthia: I invite you to take inventory of your breathing over the course of the next week. Start by sending your awareness to your breath. Take notice of the pace of your breath when you feel calm, supported, and safe, and then notice your breath during the times when you feel the opposite: frantic, uncertain, unsupported, unsafe. Notice if there is a difference in your breathing pattern. From there, begin to invite in the inquiry: How can I breathe with more intention for the next 5 minutes? Then, increase the duration as you begin to feel more comfortable and accustomed to mindful breathing.
How to get started at Humble Haven Yoga
A tip shared by Margo, “I would suggest to any new practitioner, especially if experiencing anxiety, to show up to a yoga class 15 minutes before the class start time to allow for time to integrate into the space, meet the teacher and familiarize yourself with your surroundings. Consider inviting a friend to join you and ask questions to yoga studio staff whenever they come up.”
We hope to see you soon!
Roll out your mat.
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Article presented as a collaboration between Suzanne Burns, teacher at and creator of Humble Haven Yoga, along with Cynthia Nwarache and Margo Buchanan.