Yoga and the brain #BrainAwarenessWeek
It is Brain Awareness Week and I'm posting about the brain-yoga connection related to neurological disorders. And I'm sharing info on a yoga group a friend is starting up just for people with movement disorders. Please check out Nimbah Yoga's Facebook page for the details.
Movement disorders can be defined as neurologic syndromes in which either an excess of movement or a paucity of voluntary and automatic movements, unrelated to weakness or spasticity. The term movement disorders is used synonymously with basal ganglia or extrapyramidal diseases.
Yoga is a favorite non-medical therapy of many people living with a movement disorder for its functional and psychosocial benefits. Studies suggest modest benefits from yoga for:
Mobility. Yoga can improve functional mobility and how a person with walks.
Balance. Research shows yoga-related improvements in balance (tandem, one-leg) and an associated reduction in fear of falling.
Strength. Gains in lower-body strength occur following yoga practice and are associated with improved postural stability.
Flexibility. Improvements in flexibility and range of motion (ROM) are important since rigidity is a common clinical manifestation. Research shows improvements in flexibility/ROM of the shoulder, hip and spine.
Mood & Sleep. The calming effect of yoga (by enhancing parasympathetic output) may lessen perceived stress, enhance relaxation, and benefit sleep.
Read more:
- This Is Your Brain and Body on Yoga and Meditation: 4 Powerful Scientific Findings
- Sergey Brin’s Search for a Parkinson’s Cure
- Your Brain on Yoga (Harvard Medical School Guides)
- Exercise, nutrition, sleep aid brain
