IBy Lindsay Oppler magine a world where kids
had the tools they needed to
feel strong and confident in
their bodies, calm in their minds and be
able to easily navigate real life situations
on their own. A regular yoga and mindfulness
practice can have these effects on
children today.
Studies show that yoga enhances the
mind-body connection creating more balance
in the body, sparking confidence
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24 BC Health, Beauty & Fitness
and creativity and giving an overall sense
of calm. The other benefits of yoga and
mindfulness are improvement in children’s
executive functioning, overall
well-being and mood and reduction in
symptoms of depression.
A recent study by Reuters Health
News stated that yoga and meditation
were effective in helping kids and teens
with self-regulation. Self-regulation is
the ability for children to manage their
behavior and emotions in a given situation.
Researchers found consistent improvements
in self-regulation and
overall in 16 of 21 interventions that
were incorporated into school curriculums,
making this the most successful
approach. The impact of physical activity,
yoga being one of them, was
associated with kids adjusting their
behavior and emotional responses to
fit different situations. The most effective
approach involved training
teachers to incorporate mindfulness
and yoga activities into their
classroom routine.
Let’s face it, children today
have a lot on their plates with
the rising pressure to achieve
in school, social pressure to fit
in and overstimulation from
the exposure to technology. In
each of these areas, kids are
more vulnerable to stress, which can
sometimes impact their academic performance
and behavior. Breathing exercises
and yoga postures teach kids about
the mind-body connection and the ways in
which they can release stress and bring
their bodies back into equilibrium on their
own. With just a few simple breathing exercises
and yoga movements kids can start
to focus on their breath and release any
tension they feel in their mind or body.
Yoga and mindfulness have been
proven to increase both physical and
mental health in school-age children
(ages six to 12). Practicing yoga poses
not only improves balance, strength, flexibility
and endurance but it can also have
positive psychological benefits for children
as well. A growing body of research
has already shown that yoga can improve
focus, memory, self-esteem, academic
performance, classroom behavior and
can even reduce anxiety and stress in
children. There are many schools that
recognize the benefits of yoga and teachers
have started to implement yoga into
the classroom. If children are not learning
to do yoga in school, parents can incorporate
some mindfulness and yoga poses
with their children at home.
Here are some simple breathing exercises
and yoga poses to try at home or in
the school classroom:
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