How To Get Through The Pandemic And Beyond

Back in January 2020 nobody expected the year to roll out the way it did.  No-one was prepared for a full on pandemic to hit the world and no- one was prepared for it to still to be around, a year later. None of us were ready with the answer to,  "how do we get through the pandemic and beyond?" nor do we have ways to deal with the changes it's brought about. We have all had to draw upon the knowledge and experience we have, so, after practising for the last 25 years, I naturally turn to Yoga. I trust that the many benefits of yoga will help get me through the pandemic and take me far beyond it, so I'd like to share with you just what those benefits are and, how, by practising a little yoga everyday, we will all help ourselves to get through the pandemic and beyond.

Yoga improves your flexibility, mobility and balance and this is so important.  Good flexibility allows your body to move in whatever way you wish and it helps you to be generally more active.  To quote Bob Harper "yoga is the fountain of youth. You're only as young as your spine is flexible". Great balance makes you stronger which means you're less likely to fall and increased mobility means simple tasks like looking over your shoulder whilst driving or lifting patients will be made easier….these benefits are endless.

Yoga has more than just physical benefits for your body: The BBC television programme ‘Trust me I'm a doctor", although not a clinical trial, showed that yoga reduces blood pressure and anxiety in the same way and to the same extent as attending a hard core Gym session.  The most wonderful thing about yoga is that it calms and clears the mind, helping to centre feelings and ground yourself so enabling management of stressful situations. Yoga has been proven to reduce the levels of cortisol in the body, lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression.

Yoga improves your breathing. Yoga helps optimise the performance of your lungs and can lead to improving your lung function. When we focus completely on our breath we tap into the parasympathetic nervous system, letting the body know it's time to relax and enter into total and complete rest. Yoga helps improves sleep quality. Poor sleep has been associated with HBP and depression. Studies by sleepfoundation.org show that including a small amount of yoga into your routine will help improve sleep patterns. The more often you access relaxation through yoga the easier it is to access at bedtime, its like working and strengthening your relaxation muscle. Yoga may also reduce inflammation.

My personal experience of yoga is that it enables you to think in a clear and balanced way. I'm able to manage my monthly emotional fluctuations. I'm also strong in my body and in my immunity.

Ok, so now you know what practising a little yoga everyday can do for you, what else can you expect when you join in a yoga class with me.

Stilling of busy minds….again this takes practice but like a muscle strengthening it gets easier.

Physical activity (always to your own level)

Deep considered and controlled stretching

Reducing and easing the physical signs of tension.

Spending a moment in time just for you and to check in that you really are ok today.

Time to explore the amazing things your body can do in the privacy of your own home.

At this time of social distancing and staying at home you may be asking where can I find a class that I can attend whenever I am able. The good news is that you can find one right where you are now.  You can join me in my yoga and Pilates classes, daily live on Zoom and you can see the class timetable and book a class right here Checkout The Class Timetable 

If the class timetable does not suit you, then you can also join me online anytime, via Tabitha Yoga On Demand, where you will find a growing library of Yoga and Pilates Video Classes Relaxations and Meditations too.

Tabitha Yoga Online is our online video yoga and pilates channel where you can join me in my Yoga & Pilates Video Classes. Whether you want to wake up more and be energised, relax from a busy stressful day and fall asleep faster, gently stretch your body all over and relieve tension, or give yourself a tough all-over body workout and strengthen all your muscles, I upload Yoga & Pilates classes for all of these things and more. As well as all this, there's a range of Relaxation and Meditation to focus your mind and calm your anxieties.

I hope now, by being introduced to the amazing benefits of yoga you can see, and hopefully feel, if you've already started your practice, that yoga works to maintain your overall health, both bodily, mentally, and spiritually.  If you continue to practice yoga regularly,  it will help you to stay as healthy as possible and guide you on your own journey to get through the pandemic and beyond. By helping yourself you will be able to help those around you too, after all, "You can’t pour from an empty cup"