Teenage life can be overwhelming, with a slew of mental roadblocks to cope with—academic tension, performance anxiety, peer and social pressures, and much more. In fact, according to an American Psychological Association survey, teen stress level (5.8) during the school year tops adults’ average reported stress levels (5.1 for adults).
However, despite the well-documented advantages of exercise in combating stress and maintaining good health, both mental and physical, there is an alarming percentage of teens that’s yet to adopt an active lifestyle.
A 2019 study produced by World Health Organisation (WHO), showed that “more than 80% of school-going adolescents, globally—aged between 11 to 17—did not meet the current recommendation of at least one hour of physical activity per day”. In India, 72% boys were found to be “insufficiently active”; the numbers were even worse for girls.
As concluded by the authors, and concurred by experts across the world, this inadequate physical activity in the young generation “compromises” their overall health, current as well as future.
The benefits of staying active:
The WHO lists several pluses of exercise, across ages—like improved cardiorespiratory function, better muscular fitness, bone and cardiometabolic health, cognitive development, among more.
There’s a plethora of gains for mental health, too, which may be particularly helpful for teens:
- According to experts worldwide, physical activity releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good, and also boosts your self-esteem, focus, concentration, and mood.
- Shows a detectable decrease in depressive symptoms and emotional difficulties.
- Improves symptoms of anxiety and distress across a wide range of populations.
- Can tackle stress and mental fatigue, besides a lot more.
How does yoga help?
You don’t have to necessarily tucker yourself out breathless to reap the rewards. All you need is just a simple-but-effective workout that will get you going. And that’s where yoga steps in.
One of the most effective mediums of exercise in stress-management, yoga has several tools—across its many styles and formats—that can significantly help. These include:
- Breathing exercises or Pranayama
- Stretching and loosening asanas
- Meditation
An effective stressbuster… and more
According to one study, an impactful way yoga yields results is by instilling mindfulness in young adults, and leading them towards healthier lifestyle choices. This includes being more conscious of their mind and body’s need to relax—and undertaking practices and poses that enable it. Adequate relaxation can be highly effective in stress management, as well as:
- Mitigate tension
- Improve sleep habits
- Increase one’s self-healing capacity, contributing to teenagers’ positive development, learning ability, and personal growth.
According to Psychology Today, with this increased awareness and the breath work, yoga also empowers teens to “step back and regulate their response to stress, in a calm and thoughtful manner”. Additionally, it can also:
- Instil more optimism
- Better performance
- Encourage creativity
- Develop self-discipline
Bodily, stress mostly manifests in parts like the neck, shoulders and back. Other than helping calm the mind, there are yoga asanas that can help release tension from the body, too, to relax you overall.
Some easy asanas to try
- Pranayama exercises like:
- Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhan)
- Deep Belly/Diaphragmatic Breathing
- Breath of Fire (Kapalabhati)
- Victorious Breath (Ujjayi)
- Humming Bee Breath (Bhramari)
- Other poses:
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- Child Pose (Balasana)
- Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana)
- Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
- Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
PS: Begin under expert supervision. If you have any underlying health problems, consult your doctor beforehand.
