By Caroline Murray
Between hours of classes, overload of studying, lack of sleep, and meeting deadlines, there is no question that college students build up an overwhelming amount of stress each day of every semester.
Stress can be a gateway to the development of many unhealthy behavior patterns that are abusive and harmful to our bodies’ physical and mental health.
In the little amount of leftover time students have to put the books down, finding a way to relieve themselves from the pressure and tension that is hanging over their heads is important.
Yoga, a holistic practice helping to gain balance and focus, could be the key to success for students suffering from anxiety.
According to the Sangha Yoga Shala blog, a yoga studio in Brooklyn, New York, “Most students experience an increase in strength and flexibility, a decrease in stress levels, and tension in the muscles, and a feeling of mental clarity and peace.”
In addition to stress, yoga serves to be beneficial in other ways for students struggling with academic pressures. “I practice yoga on a regular basis because that’s when it’s at its most beneficial,” said, WPU junior, Nik Williams. “Yoga brings about a physical and mental balance which gives me an inner calm.”
Focusing in a classroom or on studies is often interrupted by distractions. These distractions can include thoughts running through your mind, television, music, people talking, or even weekend plans.
Yoga uses a meditative process to help soothe and clear the mind, which in turn can increase a student’s ability to concentrate. Students will be able to spend an adequate amount of time focusing on work without feeling anxious about other obligations.
“I enjoy yoga because it helps me escape from my everyday life,” said Maddie Fecko, William Peace University junior, “After I leave yoga class I feel much more relaxed and my body feels like it had a great work out.”
Through a consistent practice of yoga, your body will become more flexible. Yoga stretches and poses build strength, allow your body to move more freely, and reduce the risk of injury.
William Peace University is offering yoga classes for students on campus. There are also many yoga studios within walking distance of the WPU campus such as Evolve Yoga, Blue Lotus, and Open Door Yoga.
Many yoga studios in the Triangle also offer student discounts. If you can’t find time to leave campus to go to class, the neat thing
about yoga is, that you do not have to be in the studio to practice. The breathing techniques, hand and neck exercises, and stretches can all be done in your own dorm room, home, or gym.
Don’t let the stress of the semester bring you or your grades down. Do your mind and body a favor by allowing it to relax through the meditative practice of yoga!