Midterms are coming up once again and yes, this is another article about stress management; however, this one actually holds some validity. I honestly don’t care who you are, everyone has test anxiety of some sort, some worse than others of course. Even I, a self-proclaimed anxiety-free student, get the pre-exam jitters from time to time. We’ve all heard the lecture about getting enough sleep, eating a good breakfast and making sure to begin studying a few weeks prior. Some of us have probably heard about meditation from some ganga smoking hippy woman whose armpit hair could be braided. I realize it is hard to take advice from an individual like that and even though this is coming from another democratic granola kid, you will likely find it infallible.
There are many things that students do in order to get through midterms. Some people stay up for 24+ hours cramming for a test they put off for six weeks, others pump themselves with Vitamin C so they don’t get sick or cut their alcohol intake down to only two drinks a night compared to their usual five. However, most do not realize that there is a much simpler solution to coping with the stress of finals and it’s only a four-letter word: Yoga.
Now, don’t instantly wrinkle your nose at me and whisper bullsh-t under your breath. Give me a minute to explain. First of all, yoga has been a type of meditation that has been practiced for thousands of years—believe it or not—however, researchers are now beginning to discover why it works so well.
A study on medical students practicing pranayama (the art and science of yogic breathing techniques) to reduce stress levels was performed by researchers and documented in the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY).
According to the IJOY, “ the 56 medical students had reduced stress levels, as was evident by a decrease in total stress score, which was highly significant, at the start of the study.”
IJOY went on to find that the higher the test anxiety one has, the lower they will perform on their tests. On top of that, most people are ignorant to the fact that the feeling of the loss of energy/prana is attributed to improper breathing.
Nevertheless, IJOY reported that, “The positive effect of practicing pranayama in lowering test anxiety has been seen … The purpose of yoga breathing exercise is to supply the body with oxygen and cleanse it of carbon dioxide and other toxins.”
For those that would rather stay at home and practice relaxation techniques pranayama could be beneficial for you. However, for those that would preferably partake in an active yoga class this may be more beneficial.
There are positive numbers in correlation of the relief of stress/anxiety and the physical practice of yoga as well.
A study recorded in the Harvard Mental Health Letter, asked 24 women who were experiencing depression and anxiety to perform two 90-minute yoga classes for three months.
According to the Harvard Mental Health Letter, “Depression scores improved by 50 percent, anxiety scores by 30 percent, and overall well-being scores by 65 percent. Initial complaints of headaches, back pain, and poor sleep quality also resolved much more often in the yoga group than in the control group.”
So, whether you like to admit it or not the practice of yoga does significantly reduce stress levels and can aid in test performance, which are the two most pressing issues during midterms. As stated before, one can practice the art of pranayama at home, for tips and instruction visit www.yogajournal.com. For those who would prefer a more active take in relaxation there are yoga classes offered both morning and night on campus. The early birds can attend Morning Flow class on Monday and Wednesday in the Education Gym from 6:30-7:30 and the night owls can find tranquility at Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday in the Corbett Gym from 8:30-9:30.
Put down that seventh cup of coffee and roll out a makeshift yoga mat, whether you are a homebody, an early bird or a night owl there is a place and time for each of you to take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the ananda—bliss or joy—of stress alleviation.
