Corona Stress Can Be Reduced With Yogic Rituals

Corona stress manifests itself in the minds of millions of people worldwide. Living in a world where we are experiencing stress is not comforting by any means. Fortunately, corona stress will be put to rest with restorative yoga and natural rituals. Not only will these rituals relax your body and mind, but they can also release congestion and enhance overall well-being.

Now is the time to take advantage of being inside your homes. Use the opportunity to roll out your mats and get into your asanas. Corona stress will ease up with some deep breathing. You could even try using Ayurvedic herbs and rituals to stay calm, get the sleep you need, and boost your immune system.

It’s very important to keep your body relaxed at a time when we’re all at risk. The best way to keep the immune system strong is to reduce stress levels. Panicking will get you nowhere. Corona stress is a reality,  but we can’t be paranoid about it 24/7.

That’s why we put together some interesting things you can do to help self-soothe at home. You can all benefit by trying out some of these rituals to stay healthy and calm.

Corona Stress Is Not Healthy

These are strange times, there’s no doubt about that. Everybody is suspicious at the office if you so much as sneeze or cough. You will get a side-eye when you cough on the subway during rush hour. If you haven’t yet, you’re bound to get it soon. We are all starting to feel the effects of corona stress and if we succumb to it then it might just make us sicker.

I went to the store the other day, and I’ve never seen such madness. Everybody was stocking up on their trollies like it’s the Apocalypse. Corona stress is making people feel obligated to stock up their pantries with extra cans of food, pasta, rice, toilet paper, sanitizers, and oatmeal. It’s a good thing that we’ve been reminded to keep our hands clean, rest when we’re sick and keep a distance from people who are coughing.

The idea of the globe reaching the stage of a pandemic is pretty stressful. But we can’t stop living so we need to take extra care of ourselves physically and mentally. Despite the statistics, corona stress is not going to be healthy for us and won’t serve our health long term. So best be sure to prioritize yourself in this crazy time and keep your homes a safe and relaxed place.

Why Is Corona Stress Taking Over?

Before we get into how you can combat corona stress, let’s take a look at why it’s escalating.

You see, research says that the number of infections in the U.S. is going to rise. As you can imagine, this knowledge is causing our anxiety to skyrocket. However, it doesn’t have to be this way for you especially if you’re following the necessary ways to protect yourself from infection.

Unfortunately, corona stress, uncertainty, anticipation, and fear will wreak havoc on our health. Thankfully, there are incredible Ayurveda, yoga, and mindfulness teachers here to help us get a handle on how our practice can fortify our bodies and minds. Practicing these rituals regularly may help make us stronger and fight off the common cold, flu, and, of course, coronavirus.

The only way to do this is to relax. You cannot have high stress levels if you want to keep a healthy and strong immune system.

Yogic and Ayurvedic Ways To Combat Corona Stress

These are some of the rituals that Yoga and Ayurveda teachers practice, helping them relax and self-soothe. We feel that this is vital information for the whole world right now. Take note and start reducing corona stress right now.

Try Gargling Warm Salt Water With A Neti Pot.

All you need is approximately ½ tsp of Himalayan or sea salt in 8 oz. of warm water. Allow it to dissolve. This is ‘non-negotiable’ especially when you are trying to prevent sickness. Experts state that germs and bacteria live in your nose and throat 24 hours before digging into your bloodstream and affecting your immunity.

However, salt helps clear them out. You can use these saltwater washes as a preventative measure or when you start to feel sick. This might help you feel calmer when corona stress gets to you.

Sleep More To Reduce Corona Stress

We believe that sleeping is probably the most powerful tool you have right now. If you maintain a balanced circadian clock (your internal time-keeping for cycles of sleep and alertness) you will likely fend off anything that tries to harm you. The quality of sleep directly affects the strength of your immune system.

In fact, doctors suggest going to bed two to three hours after sunset and getting up in the sun to help maintain healthy circadian rhythms.

If you do struggle to fall asleep at night, then it’s probably wise to avoid blue light from your cellphone or laptop before bed. Try eating lighter at night, your digestion will strain if you eat a heavy meal before bed. Undigested food can also lead to a weakened immune system. Corona stress can also affect your sleep quality which means that you need to keep calm.

Teachers recommend using Yoga and Ayurveda to build a foundation for immunity. This means living your life in accordance with the rhythms of nature, sleeping enough, eating food full of prana (or life force), and building ojas, or overall well-being. Building a strong immune system is determined by how you live your life. Just try and live your own life as best as you can, especially in times of uncertainty. But corona stress is a fearful reality. It’s also true that we have the power to keep ourselves healthy which can influence whether we get sick.

Just remember that sometimes we have to accept what we cannot control.

Drink Lots Of Herbal Tea

Tulsi tea, to be exact, will help reduce corona stress.

Ayurveda teachers explain that tulsi is amazing at reducing stress, fever, and headaches. Ideal for reducing corona stress. It also clears the lungs. Keep it in your bag wherever you go. The coronavirus creates problematic respiratory conditions, which Tulsi may be able to help soothe.

Take Supplements

Yoga and Ayurveda teachers also recommend taking the super-herb Ashwagandha. This will help reduce corona stress because it can boost immunity and fight immune-compromising fatigue and anxiety. Turmeric is also a fantastic natural anti-microbial.

Train Yourself To Breathe

No matter what, you don’t want to stress out your central nervous system. Your lungs are your biggest lymph pump. This will help clear out clutter and toxins. You need to make breathing a part of your daily routine. Teachers recommend trying pranayama to reduce corona stress and boost immunity. Deep breathing, or complete yogic breath, will suffice. Try anything that opens your lungs and side ribs, and helps keep things moving.

Give Yourself A Massage

What better excuse have you got than your own health? Teachers explain that daily abhyanga, or self-massage, with organic oils like sesame, olive or coconut will help nourish, hydrate the skin and settle your nerves. This is a preventative measure only.

That means when you’re already sick don’t do this. Your metabolism is trying to process toxins and might get overwhelmed tackling sickness and heavy oils.

Take Vata-Balancing Breaks During The Day.

With the added corona stress, you need to prioritize rest. This means when you’re feeling frazzled and stressed, make sure to take a few minutes of rest. Try to get up to 20 minutes for mindfulness practice, walking, quiet sitting, or slow flow, or Restorative Yoga.

This is particularly important at the end of the day when you’ve put in hours of work and maybe pushing your limits.  Don’t skimp on Savasana after yoga, since it allows your nervous system to reset. Experts warn you not to try overly ambitious yoga when you’re in a state of fear and anxiety. However, when you’re fearful, Restorative Yoga is not going to work.

You first need to burn off anxiety with more energetic practices, and then you can get to the restorative. If you’re feeling anxious then try doing a strong practice for 20-30 minutes, then transitioning to more calming practices. This is also how teachers can help their students bring their nervous systems to a calmer place.

Want to know more?

Self-isolation and COVID-19 have got many of us on lockdown and stuck in our homes. It is a grim fact that we must face. However, just because you’re in self-isolation doesn’t mean you need to slack off on the exercise. 

References

15 ways to practice self-care in the time of coronavirus. Quartz. https://qz.com/1818622/how-to-practice-self-care-during-coronavirus/

Stressed About Coronavirus? Here’s How Yoga Can Help. Yoga Journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/ayurveda-and-yoga-for-flu-and-coronavirus

Grounding Tips for Vata Imbalance. Yoga Journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/earth-2

7 Sequences for Better Sleep. Yoga Journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/sequences-for-better-sleep

Yoga Poses for Boosting Immunity and Reducing Stress. Yoga Journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/poses-for-stress-relief-and-immunity#gid=ci025f034270002697&pid=larissa-hall-carlson-dolphin-pose