Yoga gives help for children's anxiety

Kids yoga can help children's anxiety. Recent research demonstrated that regular practice of yoga and mindfulness reduced anxiety and improved well-being of third-graders. The research from Tulane University was presented on Thursday 12 April 2018 to the Society of Behavioral Medicine's 39th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions. Read more

If you are looking for help for a child with an anxiety disorder then finding a kids yoga class near you will be worth a try.

Yoga helps a child with anxiety issues through the following mechanisms:

Breath

Regulating breathing is a fundamental yoga technique. Anxiety creates shallow breathing. It is a two-way situation though. Shallow breathing also creates anxiety. The good news is that deepening and lengthening the breath decreases anxiety. In children's yoga classes the fundamental yoga practice of deepening and lengthening the breath is not neglected. Children love to put a toy on their belly and breathe it to sleep.

No competition

Too much of a child's life is caught up in some form of competition. In kid's yoga classes there is no completing. Instead an atmosphere of mutual respect and helpfulness is encouraged.

Mindfulness

Kid's yoga, like adults yoga, is all about mindfulness. Away from screens and busy-ness, children are encouraged to feel how they feel in the present moment. This encourages them to recognise their feeling states and to self-regulate more successfully.

Strong poses to strengthen and sense the body

When the children do strong poses and are encouraged to hold them for a while, they can really feel their muscles. This increases their ability to sense their body feelings and feeds into their emotional intelligence. At the same time they are becoming stronger, and this is great especially for kids who maybe are not so sporty.

All in an atmosphere of story telling and fun

Children's yoga is nothing like therapy. It is all done in a sense of fun, often with a great story line being woven through the class. Kids will often be asked to contribute to the story or to create their own poses to help keep them engaged.

Children's yoga in Adelaide western suburbs

Yoga Spirit Studios offers children's yoga with wonderful teachers. Find out more here.

(Author, Tina Shettigara)