For
many of us, modern life pulls us back and forth between appointments, creating
a sense of uselessness in the manner in which we live and spend our time. When
we block ourselves into chunks of the day, we start to feel like pieces of paper
scattered about. No union. No yoke. Yoga’s primary function is to yoke life
together, “yoke” being the translated root word of the Sanskrit word yoga. we want to know: does it really work? Studies have shown that a regular yoga
practice can promote the growth of neurons, the switching between nervous
systems and switching on of higher thinking. With philosophy from the East and
the technology available in the West, we can conclude results of what the
people of India, the birthplace of yogic thought, have known for years. A
life unyoked may not open us up to our full potential.
Neuroplasticity and
Neurotransmitter Function
When
you think of flexibility and yoga, what do you see? Nets of neurons entangled,
stretching out to one another like a mid morning plant reaching towards the sun?
Probably not but without you realizing it, your brain extends and changes based
on reports from your thalamus, the part of your brain that sends information to
other areas of your brain based on sensory input. Years ago it was believed
that your intelligence was set. It was thought that your experience grows but
your knowledge container has a cap. Research now suggests yoga can promote that
growth that we didn’t think was possible. A study done at the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine saw an increase in gray matter brain
cells, cells that contribute to the processing part of brain activity (versus
the white matter contributing to the transmitting of information) in people who
have established a regular yoga routine compared to control subjects. Yoga also
changes our mood and when there is an increase in sunny moods there is a
decrease in cortisol, the chemical released in times of stress. Cortisol
contributes to high blood
pressure, low immune function, and memory impairment.
Nervous System
The
autonomic nervous system which regulates heartbeat and respiration consists of
the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Sympathetic nervous system
controls the fight or flight modes of human responses. It increases heart rate
and blood sugar levels in times when we are making decisions when our lives are
at stake. So what are we doing to this area of our nervous system when we run
late out of the house every day, rushing to school or to work? We are tricking
it into thinking that we are in more serious danger, like fighting off an
animal attack. It tells our bodies that we need air racing through our lungs and a
jolt of blood sugar and to survive the everyday tasks that we have set up for
ourselves. In yoga, we activate the other autonomic nervous system, the
parasympathetic nervous system. It is the nervous system that “results in a
sense of calm, emotional balance, tranquility, and increased concentration”. It
is still a system of automatic responses but less threatening ones such as food
consumption, sleep and sexual arousal.
The Cerebral Cortex
This
is the area of the brain that is contributed to higher levels of mental
processing such as personality development, emotional responsiveness, memory,
and thinking. A regular yoga routine consisting of yoga, breathing, internal
cleansing practices, meditation, devotional songs, and relaxation can
stimulate the prefrontal cortex with the absence of extreme cortisol levels.
The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain in charge of decision making and
reasoning. The temporal lobes are activated in yoga due to an increased blood
flow. Frontal lobes are responsible for motor control, speech production, and
higher functions, such as thinking, personality, emotion and memory. All are
smaller parts of the cerebral cortex. Who would we be without these processes
to build our experiences from? A collection of automatic functions, although in
itself pretty amazing, but unable to put information together to see the art in
front of us.
Conclusion
Attending
a yoga class can be a daunting experience. Lots of thoughts could race through
your head as you unroll the mat you paid way too much for because you trusted
someone else’s experience. That demands me to ask, when are you going to trust
your own experience? Now can be the time when you slow yourself down enough to
feel what you are feeling, think what you are thinking and know you have an
entire network helping you along.
written by Pam Armendariz, RYT 200
Huffman,
K. (2012). Psychology in action (10th ed.). New York: Wiley.
Peck, H. (n.d.). Yoga as Intervention for
Children with Attention Problems. School Psychology Review, 34(3), 415-424.
Sutherland,
S. (2014) Yoga Brain. Scientific America,
25(2), 16-16.
White,
L. (2009) Yoga for Children. Continuing
Nursing Education Series, 35(5), 277-295.
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