Yoga helps children to fight depression and overcome it easily. It helps in curing and preventing depression symptoms by keeping the mind fresh and clam. Learn about common yoga asanas for depression in children and how they work. It is unfortunate but true that with each passing day, children suffering from depression are increasing in numbers. Depression has already acquired epidemic status and with kids facing it early in life it becomes all the more important for parents to take measures that their kids lead a safe and happy life. The primary cause of depression these days is stress that has actually become a part of everyday life. So one has to think of means of coping and dealing with it; one cannot simply escape from it as it has rather become an environmental attribute. Yoga is one excellent mechanism that not only ensures the wellbeing of the mind but the body as well. It essentially induces an overall feeling of joy and fitness. In this articleHow Does Yoga Work?Balasana(Child Pose)Viparita Karani(Inverted Lake Posture)Marjariasana (Cat Pose)Shirsana (Head Stand)How Does Yoga Work? The positive effects of yoga on the most common depression symptoms are dramatic. Yoga asanas or exercises teach the child to focus on his mind and body simultaneously. It helps the young kids to study, understand and control their minds and thoughts. This fills them up with a greater strength to stay in control of excess emotions and induces calmness in character and attitude. As yoga teaches the learner to focus on his body, he becomes aware of his body too. He understands better how it acts and reacts and thereby gets to know how to keep it fitter and healthy. The main objective of yoga is strength building. Yoga Asanas for Childhood Depression Some of the common yoga asanas that are suggested to children suffering from depression are as follows. Balasana (Child Pose) – Also known as the child pose, this is a very comforting pose. The child has to kneel down on the mat and sit with a straight back. He must then bend forward with his open palm touching the floor and slowly extend them further forward. Slowly he should let his forehead touch the ground and arms stretched at the maximum length. Balasana is good for the digestive system and massages the internal organs. After about 30 seconds or a minute, he should slowly come back to the original kneeling position. This brings in a quiet groundedness and humility in the nature. Viparita Karani(Inverted Lake Posture) – While practising this yoga posture the kid must sit facing the wall and stretch his legs while he lays down. Slowly move closer to the wall and let his legs climb up the wall and hold it at 90 degrees to his body. As the legs are rested by the wall for a couple of minutes, it induces a grounded feeling and improves circulation, while at the same time helps in connecting with the present. It also induces good sleep too. Marjariasana (Cat Pose) – Also known as cat pose, one needs to stretch his body like a cat. It is a multistep exercise that makes the child aware of his breathing process and helps him to calm his nerves especially when he gets worked up. Gradually the tendency of being anxious waivers away and the child learns to relax. Shirsana (Head Stand) – This might be difficult for the child and this yoga asana should be practiced by the child in presence of certified yoga expert. The asana enhances the circulation in the brain making it more active. It reduces feelings of anxiety, nervousness and induces good sleep.The above mentioned yoga exercises are just a few. There are a lot more that can be prescribed by a trained yoga instructor and those that are best suited for your child should be practised. Yoga is not just a safe and effective way to help the child fight and come out of depression, but also good for others who are not depressed, so to say. They keep the mind active, energise the mind and body and bring in a feeling of freshness. All these are precisely the factors that fight, prevent and cure the most common of depression symptoms.
Yoga helps children to fight depression and overcome it easily. It helps in curing and preventing depression symptoms by keeping the mind fresh and clam. Learn about common yoga asanas for depression in children and how they work. It is unfortunate but true that with each passing day, children suffering from depression are increasing in numbers. Depression has already acquired epidemic status and with kids facing it early in life it becomes all the more important for parents to take measures that their kids lead a safe and happy life.
The primary cause of depression these days is stress that has actually become a part of everyday life. So one has to think of means of coping and dealing with it; one cannot simply escape from it as it has rather become an environmental attribute. Yoga is one excellent mechanism that not only ensures the wellbeing of the mind but the body as well. It essentially induces an overall feeling of joy and fitness.
How Does Yoga Work?
The positive effects of yoga on the most common depression symptoms are dramatic. Yoga asanas or exercises teach the child to focus on his mind and body simultaneously. It helps the young kids to study, understand and control their minds and thoughts. This fills them up with a greater strength to stay in control of excess emotions and induces calmness in character and attitude.
As yoga teaches the learner to focus on his body, he becomes aware of his body too. He understands better how it acts and reacts and thereby gets to know how to keep it fitter and healthy. The main objective of yoga is strength building.
Yoga Asanas for Childhood Depression
Some of the common yoga asanas that are suggested to children suffering from depression are as follows.
Balasana (Child Pose) –
Also known as the child pose, this is a very comforting pose. The child has to kneel down on the mat and sit with a straight back. He must then bend forward with his open palm touching the floor and slowly extend them further forward. Slowly he should let his forehead touch the ground and arms stretched at the maximum length.
Balasana is good for the digestive system and massages the internal organs. After about 30 seconds or a minute, he should slowly come back to the original kneeling position. This brings in a quiet groundedness and humility in the nature.
Viparita Karani(Inverted Lake Posture) –
While practising this yoga posture the kid must sit facing the wall and stretch his legs while he lays down. Slowly move closer to the wall and let his legs climb up the wall and hold it at 90 degrees to his body. As the legs are rested by the wall for a couple of minutes, it induces a grounded feeling and improves circulation, while at the same time helps in connecting with the present. It also induces good sleep too.
Marjariasana (Cat Pose) –
Also known as cat pose, one needs to stretch his body like a cat. It is a multistep exercise that makes the child aware of his breathing process and helps him to calm his nerves especially when he gets worked up. Gradually the tendency of being anxious waivers away and the child learns to relax.
Shirsana (Head Stand) –
This might be difficult for the child and this yoga asana should be practiced by the child in presence of certified yoga expert. The asana enhances the circulation in the brain making it more active. It reduces feelings of anxiety, nervousness and induces good sleep.
The above mentioned yoga exercises are just a few. There are a lot more that can be prescribed by a trained yoga instructor and those that are best suited for your child should be practised.
Yoga is not just a safe and effective way to help the child fight and come out of depression, but also good for others who are not depressed, so to say. They keep the mind active, energise the mind and body and bring in a feeling of freshness. All these are precisely the factors that fight, prevent and cure the most common of depression symptoms.
