Reasons why you should encourage your teen to engage in regular yoga practice:

The teenage years set the foundations of behaviours and habits leading into adulthood, therefore it is extremely important for teenagers to connect to themselves and become mindful of what is happening internally and externally, forming an awareness of the mind-body-soul connection. This blog will discuss some of the physical and mental benefits of yoga,how it can counter the stresses of teenage life, improve sleep and performance at school.

Physical Benefits:

On a physical level, immense changes take place in the teenagers’ body’s chemistry and physiology, such as more activity in their chakras as they continue to develop. When imbalances in the chakras occur, the chemistry and hormones in the body are altered, often presenting as low energy, increased emotions, and mood swings. This in turn effects all aspects of their lives, from friendships to the ability to study and cope well at school, their self-esteem and self-image, and their general ability to move through life with ease and positivity.

Regular practice of yoga helps to balance the chakras, strengthening the soul and the spirit, and improving health, resulting in huge benefits for the mind and body. The physical component of yoga helps to strengthen and tone the body, increase flexibility (after sitting in a chair all day at school), assist with circulation, detoxify the body, promotes good posture and spinal health, among many other benefits.

Mental Benefits and School:

With a focus on the importance of breath, teenagers soon discover the correlation between correct deep breathing and the associated calmness in the body, which they can apply in all life situations if they are feeling stressed, worried or concerned. This in turn assists by reducing anxiety, depression and overall stress levels, thus further improving the health of the mind and body.

Regular yoga practice for teenagers promotes improved concentration and focus, better sleeping patterns, increased energy levels, and provides a strengthened internal perspective, helping self-image develop free of media and other cultural influences. Research has shown that students who practice regular yoga and meditation enjoy better recall and retention at school, perform better overall in exams, and are better equipped to handle the increasingly high demands of schoolwork during the teenage years. This practice assists with preserving energy levels so that they can better cope with other life areas and commitments away from school without feeling overwhelmed. The importance of maintaining a good balance of school, work, exercise and social connections cannot be understated.

Yoga and Meditation:

Our Thursday evening Teenage Yoga class runs for one hour and incorporates ten minutes of relaxation meditation which deeply assists this highly mentally active age group to completely detach from the busyness in their world, enabling them to self-connect and trust themselves whilst bringing their bodies down from a state of “fight or flight” to a clam and optimal state of “homeostasis.” It is from this place that the body activates its own innate healing process, strengthening the immune system, deterring colds, flu’s and allergies, regulating the digestive system, and eliminating the cocktail of chemicals that are released into the teens body during times of stress.

Sleeping Benefits:

It is common for teenagers to experience issues with their sleeping patterns such as broken sleep, inability to enter a deep sleep, and trouble switching off and falling to sleep; this is a huge issue as it effects their mental and physical health as well as their studies. Yoga and meditation help to alter the brainwave states making for a more effective night’s sleep and a more positive mood the following day.

Teenage yoga is highly recommended by many professionals as a great stress management program in addition to the many physical benefits that this physically sedentary group requires. No phones or texts, no iPads, laptops or Facebook, no beeps or notifications – absolutely no distractions, just one full hour of connecting to yourself, slowing your body and mind down through your breath, working your physical body and releasing stress and tension, creating a lasting state of balance for the week ahead!

So make a difference to the lives of the teenagers you know, share this link and be part of improving the well-being of future generations.

Contact Hawk Therapies Wellness Centre via the website enquiry page or email info@hawktherapies.com.au