Physical health is just as important as mental health, but how can we maintain both? Traditional mindfulness practices help improve mental health as well as boosting your immune system and more, health professionals say.
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Australian Community Media spoke to a yoga and qigong instructor about how these practices help improve mental and physical wellbeing.
Yoga
Yoga is a form of meditation, breath control, and specific bodily postures practised for health and relaxation.
The traditional Hindu practice is often promoted as physical exercise, however, yogi Geraldine Johnson at Beyond Body Yoga encourages relaxation and practices yoga for gratitude.
"Yoga promotes total wellbeing, by working with not only the physical body but also emotional, mental and spiritual self," Mrs Johnson said.
"Yoga can improve flexibility and balance, improves breathing which helps the health of the lungs and heart and can help to increase strength. By calming the mind and relaxing the body, a regular yoga practice can also result in better sleep and reduced stress," she said.
"Yoga activates every part of the body - the muscles, joints, bones. It activates the cardiovascular and nervous systems, the digestive system, and the respiratory system. It also increases bone density and increases endorphin levels."
Yoga is about synchronising the breath with the bodily movements and focusing on this connection. It allows for a meditative practice.
"Better mental health can be achieved by regular meditation practice, breathing exercises, and practicing mindfulness," Mrs Johnson said.
"Being in a state of wellbeing, comfortable and happy, can have an impact on our physical health by alleviating stress which can suppress the immune system, upset the digestive system and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke."
The practice can be adapted for any level of fitness. For more information contact Beyond Body Yoga on 0447 921 976 or email beyondbodyyoga@yahoo.com, or visit the Facebook page.
Qigong
Doctor Kath Kovac, from Women's Wellbeing and Wisdom, explains the benefits of Qigong (pronounced 'chee goong')
Qigong is a simple yet profound wellbeing practice that relaxes and calms the body and the mind through simple, flowing movements. Like tai chi, qigong has its roots in ancient China.
The word qigong translates as energy cultivation, or energy work. The gentle movements help circulate energy throughout the body, breaking up any blockages or stagnant energy. These commonly occur in the joints, and in areas that hold a lot of stress and tension - such as the shoulders, neck and lower back.
By helping to circulate energy through these areas, qigong can help to reduce pain and enable the body to become more supple.
The practice of qigong can also be described as meditation or mindfulness in motion.
Like tai chi, yoga and traditional meditation practices, qigong helps us to be fully aware of the body in the present moment, instead of thinking constantly about the past or the future. When this happens, we enter a deep relaxation and the chemistry of our bodies measurably changes.
The levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, drop. At the same time, the levels of feel-good, health-giving hormones, such as serotonin and oxytocin, increase.
The immune system is given a boost as the lymph fluid is pumped more efficiently around the body, and oxygen and nutrient-rich blood circulate more freely to the brain, organs and tissues.
As the relaxation response kicks in, our bodies effectively begin to produce their own healing medicine. As well as boosting the immune system, it strengthens and balances the nervous system, reducing anxiety and stress.
Benefits of regular practise include better sleep, breathing, posture, cardiovascular health, blood pressure, circulation and balance. Joint flexibility can improve and the body has greater strength and vitality.
It is easy for beginners and the movements can be modified to suit a limited range of movement. Qigong combines gentle, soft, easy movements with deep, slow breathing, it allows the body and mind to completely relax.
Qigong classes are held in Dalton every Monday, and an 8-week online qigong and meditation classes will begin on October 15 via Zoom. For more information email womenswellbeingwisdom@gmail.com or call 0472 699 920, or visit the event page.
Mindful qigong movement guide
Follow along in this demonstration of a simple yet highly effective qigong movement to calm the mind and body, follow this link.
