The legal profession is one of the most stressed industries, according to the Health and Safety Executive's Work-related Stress, Depression or Anxiety Statistics in Great Britain 2017. The dangers of prolonged stress are known to include heart disease, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and diabetes. Stress impacts on our cognitive abilities, our physical and emotional health, and our behaviour. Emma Bland, Private Client Solicitor and part-time Kundalini Yoga and Meditation teacher, looks at 10 ways in which Yoga can help lawyers manage their stress levels.
- Yoga promotes a calm outlook and provides us with tools we can use to maintain our composure when the pressure starts to rise. Yogic breathing practices ("pranayama") can calm us almost instantly. The emotions are closely linked to the breath, and pranayama empowers us to control our emotional responses to stressful situations. We develop the ability to choose how we will deal with a difficult situation, rather than simply reacting on autopilot.
- Yoga balances the stress response system. This system, which sends either "go" or "relax" messages to all the organs of the body, comprises the sympathetic nervous system ("go") and the parasympathetic nervous system ("relax"). Stress triggers the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenaline starts flowing, causing damage if it happens too frequently. Through Yoga, we can consciously activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and minimise this damage.
- Yoga teaches us how to relax. Relaxation rejuvenates the parasympathetic nervous system, centres our emotional energies and helps us to switch off and let go. Relaxation helps reduce the impact of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
- Yoga lowers the blood pressure. Yoga postures increase the volume of the circulatory system and the efficiency of blood flow by increasing the number of small peripheral blood vessels. Pranayama lowers blood pressure, and research has shown that cortisol levels decrease quicker in regular meditators.
- Yoga gives us more energy. It also promotes better quality sleep and healthier lifestyle choices, all of which make stress more manageable. It reduces the stress-fuelled impulse for addictive substances such as nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and sugar, that deplete our energy in the longer term.
- Yoga improves concentration, so we can work more efficiently. Long, deep breathing boosts the flow of oxygen to the brain, facilitating a focused, intelligent and neutral state of mind. A flexible spine allows spinal fluid unrestricted movement to the brain. Stretching and movement counteract the negative effects of a largely desk-bound job in front of a screen and improve our posture, thus contributing to our overall wellbeing.
- Yoga can help with depression, which can be caused by prolonged stress, by stimulating the production of endorphins. Chanting can help to improve your mood as it stimulates meridian points on the roof of the mouth which are linked with the hypothalamus in the brain. One of the roles of the hypothalamus is to trigger the regulation of moods and emotional behaviour.
- Yoga relieves anxiety and irritability, common side effects of stress. Neuroscientists Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman have shown that just 12 minutes a day of meditation (specifically, a Kundalini Meditation called Kirtan Kriya) reduces anxiety and irritability.
- Yoga, and meditation in particular, releases subconscious fears and blocks. Core issues, lodged deep in the subconscious, lead to stress-producing patterns of thought and behaviour. Releasing these fears and blocks removes the triggers and makes us less susceptible to stress. We feel more confident in our ability to cope.
- Yoga promotes a feeling of connection. This makes us feel more emotionally secure and helps us to keep things in perspective. Yoga also helps us to approach life with more positivity, making stressful situations more bearable.
A regular Yoga practice is like saving for a rainy day: it is an investment in your mental and physical health so that when the pressure is on, you find you are calmer and more objective than in the past. Your resistance to stress becomes stronger, and you can tap into inner resources you didn't even realise you had!
