We all know how it is to be a student. While it is fun discovering new things and adventuring into the world of independence, there is always a certain level of stress that comes with it. Lectures, study groups, thesis, deadlines, and a lot more - all these activities are stressing, and it can heavily affect the student's health, and eventually the way they perform in school. And so Yoga and wearing Yoga shoes had been introduced.

Students are living in a society under constant stress

Stress is caused by permanent, extreme tension and strain on the body and psyche. In today's meritocracy, where technical progress means everything has to work higher, further, faster, this is more the rule than the exception. Every area of life, be it work, family or leisure activities, is optimized in terms of time. Instead of using these free time windows for rest and relaxation, they are only filled with more to-dos. A bottomless pit when you look into the future, where household robots and self-driving cars await us.

Stress from school activities to fun-filled learning activities

The extent of stress depends heavily on personal assessment. Many people sweat and tremble when they have to go on stage, while others love nothing more. They feel up to the situation because they have the necessary experience and security. Your body reacts moderately accordingly.

Typical triggers (stressors) for stress are excessive performance requirements in school, part-time work, time pressure, and even family issues. Internal factors such as impatience, perfectionism or insecurity also trigger stress reactions. The constant feeling of having to do something to keep up with requirements also leads to leisure-time stress and dissatisfaction.

The good news is that there is also positive stress, the so-called eustress. Eustress occurs when you are under pressure to perform or work on things that excite you and bring you joy. The body is ready for maximum performance through the positive stress without suffering as it is the case with negative distress.

And so, Yoga had been introduced...

There had been many reports about stress-related events within university campuses. With increasing health related reports among the student body, most of them stress-related, it has caused an overwhelming concern to school admin, teachers, and parents. School administration has to come up with something good to protect their students and yet maintain that fun and healthy learning environment. And so, yoga had been introduced in campuses.

Yoga for more balance

One of the main reasons for practicing yoga is stress. Tens of thousands of yogis and many scientific studies convince that yoga can banish stress from life. Since most illnesses are triggered and exacerbated by stress and cortisol, it's only logical that relaxation, mindfulness, and exercise can counteract this.

But how exactly does yoga help you with stress? If we think back to the primeval times, it is actually quite plausible: Yoga brings you into balance. In medical terms: Yoga brings your vegetative nervous system back into its natural balance, because yoga stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system.

Consciously experiencing Asana to understand the body

Yoga can relieve stress on a mental and physical level. For this, an Asana should always be built up, held and released consciously. Through the slow and precise movements, you perceive every part of your body and localize areas of tension. You learn to study your body like a map and can carefully open blocked paths again. Each position you assume affects your organs and nervous system differently. There are calming and activating Asana. For example, some exercises are good for digestion, others for your spine or opening up your chest.
In order to experience complete relaxation, it is also important to quiet your mind. Therefore, another component of stress relief is breathing deeply in and out in harmony with your movement. Regular pausing, reflecting on oneself and short meditations also help against the merry-go-round of thoughts and inner tension.

Re-learning healthy body reactions

A yoga class and Asana are characterized by a constant interplay of tension and relaxation. The yoga teacher begins and ends his class with rest, in the form of deep relaxation, meditation or breathing exercises. Usually, after each Asana or strenuous sequence, there is a short break to relax and re-energize your body and its stressed regions. Even in each individual Asana, you find tension and relaxation, releasing pressure and weight to the earth and only tensing where necessary. Because the movements in yoga always follow the flow of conscious inhalation and exhalation, additional tension in the body is reduced.

Your body is capable of learning and will gradually adopt this new pattern beyond the yoga mat. You develop the ability not to let stress get to you so quickly, and to be able to relax again after moments of stress. In the long term, this new pattern of behavior can protect you from illness.

Conclusion

With the introduction of yoga and other healthy activities to school campuses, students could find their inner soul and meditate to gain more energy. Yoga can break the ice of hectic school schedules. School administrators are hoping that students will find these yoga activities useful and decrease the rising reports of stress-related issues in dormitories and in school campuses in general.