When you suffer from a chronic illness, getting the vitality to exercise is hard, if not impossible. Sometimes, on top of being sick and tired, you also have day responsibilities that eave you feeling more unwell. I know exactly how this feels and why it is so hard to think any physical activity can really be different. This is why yoga for chronic illness can help!

You may wonder why it works and how you can get the most out of it?

Healing and treating your illness isn’t just about being vegan, or dairy-free, or taking your meds, or even restraining yourself from certain things. I have found that taking care of yourself is more about balancing all these things, and yoga can help you do that.

Let’s talk about the benefits of yoga on your health and your mind first, and then go into how you can get the most out of yoga without straining yourself and your body.

Yoga for Chronic Illness

Why It Works

Reduce stress

Practicing yoga and meditation reduces stress by calming down your mind. Because yoga requires focusing on specific body motions and thoughts, your pain and stress can be reduced progressively every day.

Muscle relieve and flexibility

When you begin doing yoga, your body adjusts to new demands. Though it is not recommended to push yourself too far when you suffer from a chronic condition, it is in fact, beneficial to do yoga so that your muscles and joints relax.

With time, you will find that you are more flexible and able to relax your muscles effectively. In time, when you are having a pain flare-up, you can at least loosen up your body.

Breathing

Even if it sounds silly when you practice yoga you truly learn to breathe. Those who suffer daily pain and symptoms tend to forget how important it is to take a few seconds to breathe and put your mind at ease.

Yoga focuses on healing and when you breathe there is a purpose to it. You breathe to heal yourself, and thus, you can learn to breathe deeply and more rhythmically when you feel sick, in pain, or uncomfortable.

Better posture

One of the most important benefits of yoga is how much it fixes your posture. Without noticing, as you start working on different poses, your body will adjust to elongating, tightening and relaxing when and how it should do it naturally.

How To Get The Most Out Of It

So by now, you know yoga is good for your body and mind when you suffer from a chronic illness. You must be careful on how much effort you put into it, as overdoing physical activity can have long lasting effects on your wellbeing.

Here is how you can make the most out of yoga for chronic illness while being safe and taking care of yourself:

Meditation

Allow your mind to be clear before you start your practice. Set a goal and stick to it throughout your yoga practice. Finish with a powerful meditation to remind yourself how much you matter; doing this will benefit your soul and make yoga meaningful for treating and managing your condition.

Stretch and rhythm

Even if you take group classes, yoga is about you and how you feel. Limit those poses that are hard, and spend extra time in those that soothe you. Take your time and remember to stretch.

Make time for yoga

If you don’t have much time, spending at least 10 minutes a day for yourself is highly positive. Use this moment to heal yourself by giving time for your body to unwind and for your mind to channel onto something helpful and curing.

Yoga works because it involves every aspect of your body and mind. Being chronically ill is a full-time job in itself, so make sure you spend some time on yourself. Eat healthily, drink plenty of water, meditate, do some yoga poses, and carry on!