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One of the big benefits of yoga is that it’s not just a physical exercise, it’s a mental and emotional workout, as well. As such, one of the biggest benefits of doing it is that it can help reduce your anxiety. However, there are some steps you can follow to empower its ability to fight stress and anxiety even further. Here’s how to supplement the power of yoga to calm your mind.

Take a breath

One of the big benefits of yoga and how it can help with anxiety involves moving from a state of activity to a state of rest, moving your thoughts to the parasympathetic nervous system. In this state, we focus less on the world around us and check-in with ourselves internally. To help you begin this journey, you can take the time to mentally warm up to your yoga session. Practice some deep breathing techniques and make sure that you slow yourself down and you’re going to feel those benefits of yoga even more fully.

Make sure you’re in your zen den

While building your ability to close off the outside world and focus on your own body and thoughts is something that yoga can teach, it can be difficult to get to that state if you’re consistently dealing with external distractions. Finding a place to practice yoga that is relatively free of external noises and sounds can be helpful. Using noise-cancelling headphones and creating a space that’s perfect for yoga can help you more easily get into the mood.

Supplement your journey naturally

We are what we eat. Foods can influence not just our physical health but our mental health, as well. Some foods like salmon, turmeric, and dark chocolate can genuinely aid with anxiety, such as by making sure we get enough vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, all powerhouses of brain health. There are types of natural relief for anxiety, such as herbal teas and CBD gummies that can relieve the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone in our body.) Taking the time to enjoy these natural remedies a little while before your yoga session begins can potentially help you maximize the stress and anxiety-busting potential of the exercise, as well.

Revisit your thoughts

There are multiple ways that keeping a journal can help you improve your yoga experience. For one, if your mind tends to be too busy thinking about your problems for you to practice mindfulness successfully, writing them down can help you externalise them, making sure that they’re not simply stuck bouncing around your head with nowhere to go. This way you can focus more on your breathing, your body, and the like when doing yoga. What’s more, if you write down your yoga process, it can help you build motivation to keep going, seeing your improvements along the way.

Yoga can be a practice that’s meditative and healing for the mind, not just the body. It’s not a cure-all by itself, so if you feel like you really need to relax, follow the tips above and take care of your head.