Falling in love with yoga

There are very few instances now where we get the chance to ignore our phones and push away thoughts about deadlines. When friends recommended yoga to me during a bout of extreme pressure, I was extremely sceptical. I immediately assumed that it would be some kind of trend that people would forget about and start obsessing over some other anxiety-reducing fad.

Even though I had these initial misgivings, I reached a point where I needed to detox and thought it would be worth trying. I went with a friend to a 45-minute session in Leamington, and spent half the class on the verge of giggles. Something about the calm nature of the class made me overly entertained: after speaking to friends, it turns out that many of us feel the same way when starting yoga or mindfulness. Perhaps we aren’t used to being in such a peaceful environment.

Yoga became an enjoyable exercise that was different from the more intense gym classes I was used to

But soon, something clicked. As I became more aware of my body and presence in the room, I slowly settled into this calm state. My mind suddenly cleared from thoughts of deadlines and conversations and I began to notice how my body felt doing the different movements. I became focused on my breathing and the feeling of my feet on the floor. Developing this presence of mind made me aware of the fact that I was more than these stresses I was having at that moment.

My first session had me hooked. I walked out feeling utterly calm for the first time in a very long while. When I got home, I felt sharp and focused on the tasks at hand, to the point where taking time out for that session had made me more productive.

Doing this can help reduce anxiety and shift us back into perspective

Yoga became an enjoyable exercise that was different from the more intense gym classes I was used to. It gave me the opportunity to stretch my muscles and unwind after some more upbeat, high-intensity workouts. Soon, I was going to yoga classes straight after intense workouts as a cool-down session. As someone prone to injuries, this really helps my body recover quickly!

Like other gym sessions, yoga also gives you the opportunity to work on your form in an instructor-led class. As a beginner, I was able to follow the instructor’s guidance at my own pace, with the option of an easier or difficult manoeuvre depending on how comfortable I felt. The instructor was also happy to come around the class and check everyone’s form, which can be a great way to help improve posture and balance. This almost individualised way of teaching means they can accommodate any injuries as well.

Taking the hour out for yourself in a quiet environment, where you are the focus, can make such a difference to your mood

As well as helping my physical health, the classes made me feel more self-aware. I was able to understand how different parts of my body were feeling and give me some presence of mind. I could feel the muscle strains where I had pushed myself too hard in other classes, and knew when to take it easy. Often, when we have so many conflicting thoughts, doing an activity like yoga can help us get back into sync with our bodies. Doing this can help reduce anxiety and shift us back into perspective: something that as students, we don’t always get the opportunity to do.

Taking the hour out for yourself in a quiet environment, where you are the focus, can make such a difference to your mood. It is definitely worth stepping away from work to try a class, either on campus or close to home: it could be life-changing! With many different types of yoga to try, there are opportunities to go for a more intense class or something that could simply ease you in to this new form of exercise.