Why is yoga even more important for you now?

The year 2020 will go down in the history books as one of the most stressful and devastating we have experienced in our lifetimes. In whatever way you personally coped with the pandemic, unless you completely hid underneath a rock, your life was impacted – perhaps physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, or any combination of these.

As we prepare to reemerge into our post-pandemic lives, having wellness practices as part of our daily routine is extremely important. Both yoga and mindfulness practices have been scientifically proven to improve our overall well being. These practices are especially important in the reduction of stress and anxiety – something we are all way too familiar with thanks to COVID-19.

This list of nine benefits of practicing yoga comes from John Hopkins Medicine:

Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.

Yoga helps with back pain relief.

Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms.

Yoga benefits heart health.

Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.

Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.

Yoga helps you manage stress.

Yoga connects you with a supportive community.

Additionally, yoga breathing in particular is incredibly beneficial for the body and mind. The entire practice of yoga and mindfulness focuses on using the breath to create a state of peace and calm. Long, slow breaths trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as our relaxation response.

By learning to properly use the diaphragm for deeper breathing along with keeping the rib muscles, called the intercostals, supple and flexible, we can have a direct impact on our overall health and stress levels simply by breathing well.

The Be Well Therapy Yoga for Cancer Recovery Program utilizes the practices of yoga, mindfulness, and breathing to benefit the lives of individuals living with a cancer diagnosis. Our classes are specifically designed with the cancer patient's very specific needs in mind.

We are very proud to partner with the Fallbrook Regional Health District and Sage Yoga Studios, to bring our program to the greater Fallbrook and Bonsall community free-of-charge. During the pandemic, our program has been online via Zoom offering 11-weekly classes.

Starting June 1, we are bringing a few select classes back to our sponsoring studios. Sage Yoga Bonsall will be hosting a Monday 1:30 p.m. weekly class for us led by one of our Be Well-trained teachers. We will continue to offer several of our classes online to accommodate those unable to attend public class.

If you, or someone you know, is living with cancer and seeking a safe and accessible way to add more wellness into your life, check out our program details at www.bewelltherapy.net.

Whether or not your life has been impacted by cancer, it certainly has been impacted by COVID-19 and the past year's events. If you are seeking to begin a yoga practice, but aren't sure how, Sage Yoga Studios hosts a variety of classes and special events suitable for all levels. Find their information at www.sageyogastudios.com.

As you find your "new normal" we encourage you to remember to add simple and easy to stick to wellness activities to your daily routine.

Mary Baker is a co-founder of Be Well Therapy, Inc.