Using Hatha Yoga to Soothe Symptoms of Fibromyalgia by Allison Gamble

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I would like to share this article written by Allison Gamble from psychologydegree.net. Allison has been curious student of psychology since high school. She brings her understanding of the mind to work in the weird world of internet marketing. I hope everyone enjoys reading information on Using Hatha Yoga to Soothe Symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia makes your entire body hurt. Your limbs become very difficult to move because of stiffness. Much of the pain is in the back, along the spine, often in both the muscles and in the nerves. Because the condition is chronic, it can last for years or even decades, and it affects every aspect of life. It doesn't take a psychology degree to see that people with fibromyalgia often find themselves in a catch-22. Exercise has been found to improve their condition, but being in so much pain, often along with crushing fatigue, exercise in itself is an agonizing endeavor. Hatha yoga allows you to set your own pace and intensity.

Hatha yoga is a form of yoga that was developed by a 15th century Indian sage. The term “Hatha” comes from the merging of two Sanskrit words: “ha,” which means “sun,” and “tha,” which means “moon.” It is traditionally known as a study in opposite forces, most significantly, the sun and the moon. In modern times it has been used to combine the use of force or pushing into and then holding a movement, as well as breathing and breath.

Unlike Pilates or ashtanga, hatha yoga focuses much more on the individual postures that are performed. The poses that are done and the shapes the body moves into are a primary focus. Other types of yoga focus more on controlling breathing, body movement or using props.

Hatha yoga is one of the few forms of exercise that fibro sufferers have been able to perform due to the fact that it is both gentle yet effective. Also, many people who have fibromyalgia find that their conditions worsen when performing cardio exercise, so hatha yoga fits the bill.

The Physical Side of Yoga

Hatha yoga places great importance on the breath itself, and utilizes oxygen coming into the body and reaching the extremities as a healing form of exercise. It is gentle, but at the same time it gets results. As the oxygen is breathed in, it oxygenates the blood. The blood then circulates throughout the body. By holding the different positions in hatha yoga, this oxygenated blood is directed to targeted areas in the body, depending on the location of the arms, legs, head, and torso. This also greatly improves the flow of lymph fluid. Whether you are moving or not, focusing on breathing helps your circulation, assists with body detoxification, and raises your level of energy.

One of the great benefits to yoga is that there are so many positions to choose from, so it never gets boring, which makes the exercise interesting and stimulating to both the brain and the body. Not only that, there are variations of the poses that are easy for those who may be unable to execute the more advanced positions. Some hatha yoga poses include:

• Yoga mudra – Kneel on your knees with your arms over your head on the ground and stretch.

• Child’s pose – This is also performed kneeling on the ground, but your arms are at your sides, pointing back, and your head is down.

• Corpse pose – This is intense relaxation – corpse pose involves breathing while lying on your back with the arms and legs relaxed.

The Mental Side of Yoga

Another wonderful aspect to yoga for those with fibromyalgia is that it is meditation. Often, the burden of the disease and lack of understanding, as well as not being able to perform daily tasks that unaffected people can, really takes its toll on the psyche. Hatha yoga provides an outlet and a way to meditate and clear the mind.

Meditation also helps with pain control. Those with fibromyalgia often deal with tremendous amounts of pain that conventional pain medication can't even touch. The meditative aspect of hatha yoga allows people to learn how to control their pain through calming the mind, stilling thoughts, and directing their focus.

Hatha yoga can help with sleeping problems as well. By helping to release toxins from the muscles and stretching out sore spots, the body becomes more relaxed and clean, and this in turn often lessens insomnia and makes sleep much easier.

Fibromyalgia is an obstacle, but it does not have to be the end of the road for you. Hatha yoga provides a safe, easy, low-impact method for exercising the body, stretching it, and becoming healthier. Always check with your doctor before performing any exercise to make sure that it is right for you.