8 Psychological Benefits of Yoga during Pregnancy

8 Psychological Benefits of Yoga during Pregnancy

We all have felt that blissful calm that follows a good meditation. Something about deep breathing and drawing one’s consciousness inwards truly uplifts and strengthens the mind. Pregnancy-related changes can sometimes put one on an internal roller coaster. Yoga helps you to harmonize your body and mind and provide a better sense of well-being.

30 -minutes of yoga a day keeps the mind and body happy and healthy for the baby on the way.
Here are 8 reasons why we highly recommend yoga for your psychological well-being:

  1. Yoga helps with breathing, relaxation and thereby mood elevation. Breathing exercises also have a positive affect on the foetal heart rate and movement.
  2. Stress during pregnancy can have adverse effects on the foetus and its overall development. Yoga regulates the stress hormone- Cortisol and helps reduce maternal stress and anxiety.
  3. Yoga harmonizes the body and mind and may initiate psychophysiological change in pregnant women. Yoga concerts behavioural alterations. It reduces the frequency of mood swings, pain responses and improves overall psychosocial functioning.
  4. Improved psychological functioning helps strengthen and maintain interpersonal relationships.
  5. Meditation helps overcome the various physical, emotional, and mental states that arise during pregnancy.
  6. Pain management through yoga is becoming more popular as women are seeking alternatives to analgesics and anaesthesia. Yoga offers relaxation therapies and self-soothing techniques.
  7. Strength training and resilience building through yoga has fitness benefits pre-and post-pregnancy.
  8. It promotes self-confidence, self-efficacy, and coping ability; aspects that are important for a positive labour experience.

30-minutes of Yoga at least a few times a week can have many physical and psycho-emotional benefits for both mother and baby. And therefore, we highly recommend it.

Fernandez Hospital has taken the initiative to offer online prenatal yoga classes. Our comprehensive yoga programme has been uniquely designed to uplift your mind and body throughout your pregnancy. Our main goal is to help you stay fit and prepare you for labour, expert style. To register with us for online yoga classes, please call +91 8008570465.

References

Curtis, K., Weinrib, A., & Katz, J. (2012). Systematic review of yoga for pregnant women: current status and future directions. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM, 2012, 715942. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/715942

10 Reasons to Practice Yoga During Pregnancy

 

10 Reasons to Practice Yoga During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, any physical exertion seems like a scary thing to do. Research has shown that 30-minutes of physical exercise a day can have several benefits for both the mother and the baby. An agility building, relaxation-oriented yoga routine can help prepare your body for labour and improve your overall well-being. After all, Happy Mothers make Happy Babies.

If you still feel on the fence about practising yoga during pregnancy. Here are 10 Physical Benefits of Yoga to help you make up your mind.

  1. Yoga helps with nervous system regulation and physiological system functioning(i.e., immune, endocrine, neurotransmitter, and cardiovascular).
  2. It is known to improve psychological well-being (e.g., frequency of positive mood states and optimism) and physical fitness (e.g., strength, flexibility, and endurance).
  3. Studies show that practising yoga promotes harmony between the mother and foetus.  
  4. It helps regulate heart rate and reduce inflammatory markers.
  5. Physical exercise of any kind improves prenatal and post-partum health variables.
  6. Pregnancy can be a stressful time for expectant mothers and yoga is excellent for stress management. It is known to reduce the production of the stress hormone- Cortisol. Stress can have adverse effects on foetal Development during critical periods, resulting in poor outcomes regarding the length of gestation, foetal growth, birth weight, foetal development, and the foetal nervous system.
  7. Breathing exercises or deep relaxation positively affect both foetal heart rate and foetal movement. 
  8. Lack of physical exercise can cause oedema, gestational hypertension, diabetes, mood instability, musculoskeletal discomfort, aches, and weight gain.
  9. Yoga calms the mind and body, providing the physical and emotional relief which your body needs throughout pregnancy. A lot of women also practice prenatal yoga for normal birthing.
  10. Yoga not only prepares your body for birth but also promotes self-confidence, self-efficacy, and coping ability; aspects that are important for a positive birthing experience.

To reap the maximum benefits of prenatal yoga, make sure to join a comprehensive yoga program. Fernandez Hospital’s online prenatal yoga classes have been uniquely designed to help you throughout your pregnancy. Our main goal is to help you stay fit and prepare you for labour, expert style. To register for our online yoga classes, please call: +91 8008570465

References

Curtis, K., Weinrib, A., & Katz, J. (2012). Systematic review of yoga for pregnant women: current status and future directions. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM, 2012, 715942. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/715942