10 reasons to practice yoga if you work in an office: shifting from distress to de-stress

I started practising yoga 15 years ago, which at the time was a supplement for my high intensity work-outs, including killer hill sprints and arduous marathons. I had heard that yoga would help me perform better in all my sports, which was a big motivator for me at the time. Interestingly, as I developed a more consistent yoga practice, I started noticing benefits far beyond a flat belly and toned butt.

Regularly practising yoga gave me a much calmer state of mind, which at the time was essential (though I didn’t realise it!) as I was working as a lawyer and under constant pressure. I would often go to yoga with a head full of racing, anxious thoughts and leave the room feeling completely relaxed and with increased mental clarity. I also began to notice improvements in my skin, aches in my upper back dissipating and an overall feeling of wellbeing.

Gradually, my weekly practice increased to daily and it became the best habit I had ever formed. I was hooked. There was no going back.

Yoga is used in offices worldwide to reduce stress and risk of injury at work

Fortunately, there is now plenty of research to show that yoga is not just some crazed fad suitable only for the wild hippy type. Yoga is now being rolled out in office spaces throughout the nation and worldwide.

The National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) USA published an article “Yoga for stress reduction and injury prevention at work”, which showed that practicing yoga at the workplace enables employees to use relaxation techniques to reduce stress and risks of injury at work.

The NCBI article discussed various studies on the effects of yoga at the workplace, which invariably showed that participants who took office yoga classes had fewer absentee days due to illness or physical problems. Employees practising yoga also experienced less tension and stress, and demonstrated enhanced company morale and improved communication skills at work. Overall, they had a greater feeling of wellbeing than those who did not participate in yoga.

10 reasons to get on the mat

If you’re contemplating yoga and not sure whether it’s for you, here are 10 great reasons to take the plunge and get involved:

1. Yoga will make you more productive: Often, an excuse not to practice yoga is that you don’t have enough time or there is too much work to do. However, once you get into the habit of practising yoga regularly, you will realise that yoga creates more time in your day as it increases your focus and ability to concentrate.

2. Yoga decreases stress in the mind and body: At work, employees face numerous psychological stressors that can undermine their work performance. These stressors, stemming from a variety causes, have enormous health and financial impacts on employees as well as employers. When an individual is practising yoga postures, deep breathing and stretching, s/he elicits the “relaxation response”, which is the opposite of the “Fight or Flight” response the body experiences during periods of stress. As a result, cortisol levels lower and heart rate decreases.

3. Yoga reduces muscular tension and body aches: Evidence shows that the pain and tension felt in the neck, shoulders and back are symptoms related to people’s feelings, their personalities and levels of stress in the body. Stress has been shown to be one of the primary factors leading to musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder or neck tension, eye strain and headaches. Yoga can significantly reduce pain in the body by lowering stress and tension in the body.

4. Yoga boosts your energy: As well as increasing your efficiency by keeping you relaxed and focused, yoga will energise you through a sequence of poses - deep stretching, twisting and back-bending. A combination of yoga postures stimulates blood flow to the brain and organs, expanding your oxygen intake and reinvigorating the mind.

5. Yoga alleviates anxiety: By linking movement and postures to your gradually deepening breath of inhale to exhale, the mind will begin to drop away from its anxious state and into a more peaceful state. The practice of yoga supports a more tranquil state of mind.

6. Yoga provides relief and restoration to the particular body parts that suffer from a sedentary lifestyle: A yoga practice will work on releasing stiffness in your whole body and particularly those parts that suffer as a result of sitting all day. Yoga will stretch out tight hamstrings, relieve tight hips and release tension and aches in the back. Through yoga, you will practice good posture on your mat, allowing you to create and sustain improved posture at your desk.

7. Yoga tones the body and increases the metabolism: Yoga is an exercise where you can expect to sweat, build strength and tone the body by simply using your own body weight. The best part is, when a consistent practice is established, it also feels really good while you’re doing it! With regular practice and a healthy diet, you will start to notice a leaner physique.

8. With a consistent practice, yoga will help you to sleep better. By decreasing the cortisol levels in the body and eliminating anxious thoughts that keep you up at night, yoga helps you to get to sleep more easily and enjoy a deeper, restful sleep for the whole night.

9. Yoga gives you a much needed break from your busy schedule. Everyone needs personal time and a break from their busy schedule. We all seek to take this “time” in different ways. Some of us surf the net, others grab multiple coffees, and others take regular kitchen breaks or indulge in constant snacks to slot in that downtime. Yoga is a healthy and beneficial way (for all of the reasons above!) to get in that “me time” during your day. It allows you that necessary time to download and create space in your mind for creative and intelligent thoughts.

10. It’s a great way to bond with your colleagues. I have formed some of the strongest and best friendships through yoga. Practising yoga with others fosters a warm, friendly community vibe and is a great way to bond and build relationships.

If you would like more information on implementing a wellness program in your office or for yourself personally, contact Dwana from Align Life on 0411 364 406.