Yoga Exercise

Yoga Exercise at Pacific Bay Recovery of San Diego, California

Many yoga classes have popped up in gyms, studios, and parks across San Diego in the last 15-20 years. Yoga has also become an essential component of addiction recovery.  Men and women across the country use yoga to help them gain and maintain their sobriety. They combine yoga with other therapies, and the results have been clear. Yoga is an effective treatment option for people going through recovery.

What Is Yoga? 

Yoga is an ancient discipline with roots in Indian philosophy. While there are different types of yoga available, Hatha is the most popular in the United States. This form utilizes meditation, breathing techniques, and physical postures to create mental and physical well-being.

Each instructor is different, but generally, classes follow a basic format that begins with breathing exercises. Then you will move to pose while continuing to focus on breathing. You start with simple poses and then proceed to complex postures. Don’t worry about not being able to complete a posture in yoga. Instructors can modify postures so everyone can participate. Then, as you get more practice, you will be ready to tackle the complex postures.

Classes generally end with meditation. You might lie on your back during the meditation and listen to the instructor as he or she guides you through the process. This is calming and helps you center yourself before the class ends.

How Does Yoga Help With Substance Rehabilitation?

While everyone can benefit from yoga, it is immensely helpful to people in drug or alcohol rehabilitation. First, yoga increases the levels of the neurotransmitter GABA. If your brain has low levels of GABA, you can expect to feel stressed and anxious. By increasing the levels, you will feel at peace and relaxed, helping you combat substance abuse.

After you start yoga, you’ll also notice that your aches and pains are a thing of the past. Yoga reduces pain while promoting healing. This is helpful during withdrawal when you’re likely to feel some physical discomfort. Putting the aches and pains behind you will help you stay on track as you live a life of sobriety.

Yoga also helps you turn your thoughts inward and live in the moment instead of worrying about the future or the past. Living in the moment is a key component of overcoming addiction. When you are living in the present moment, it’s much easier to say no to drugs and alcohol.

This practice can also improve your self-discipline. You will become physically and mentally stronger when you practice yoga, and that will make it easier to say no if you’re offered drugs or alcohol. Also, you won’t seek drugs or alcohol out since substances are not a part of your new lifestyle.

Yoga also increases circulation. This causes more oxygen to flow to your brain. As your brain gets more oxygen, it will be easier for you to make wise decisions. It’s much easier to stay sober when your mind is performing at optimal levels.