Assistant Professor

Naturopathy & Yoga

Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University

 Devprayag, Uttarakhand, India 

Abstract

Stress is a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. It is a natural response to a perceived threat or danger. It is a survival mechanism that helps an individual to response for challenging situations. In today's modern world, stress has become a common problem. The fast-paced lifestyle, long working hours and constant pressure to perform works have led to an increase in stress levels. Negative thinking patterns, life events and daily hassles such as the death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, traffic, long lines and technology problems have added to stress levels in city life. Yoga is an effective way to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. It is a holistic practice that involves Asana (physical postures), Pranayama(breathing techniques) and Dhyan (meditation). Yoga can help to reduce modern stress by reducing cortisol levels, improving sleep quality, promoting relaxation, improving mood and increasing mindfulness. Yoga practices, such as the Surya Namaskar, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Restorative yoga, and Mindfulness meditation can be adapted to suit modern city life. By incorporating these psycho-spiritual tools in the daily routine, individuals can reduce stress levels and improve their overall health and well-being.

Introduction

Stress is a natural response to a perceived threat or danger. It is a survival mechanism that helps an individual to response for challenging situations. It is an organism’s response to stressor such as environmental conditions. Stress is the body’s method of reacting to a condition such as threat, challenge or physical as well as psychological barricade. Hans Selye (1979) is known as the founder of the stress theory. He introduced the concept of stress as underpinning the nonspecific signs and symptoms of illness. Selye's theory was the first that focused on stress as a biological function rather than the term used in physics to describe the interaction between objects. He hypothesized that stress is likely to be a manifestation of the body defending itself against overwhelming stimuli or demands and therefore is interconnected with inflammatory diseases and other physical diseases. Selye found that over time, resistance to stress can cause the body to become exhausted, and as a result of weakened resistance, the body is more susceptible to diseases (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK349158/).

The concept of stress has a long and complex history in psychology. It has evolved over time; its history can be traced back to the 19th century and researchers continue to study its impact on health and well-being.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, George M. Beard introduced the concept of "neurasthenia," which referred to a condition of nervous exhaustion caused by the stresses of modern life. Walter B. Cannon also introduced the idea of "homeostasis," which referred to the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment in response to external stressors. In the mid-20th century, Hans Selye (1979) pioneered the field of stress research and provided convincing arguments that stress impacted health. He defined stress as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change." Selye's theory was the first to focus on stress as a biological function rather than the term used in physics to describe the interaction between objects (https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=6090)

In the 1970s, Richard Lazarus introduced the concept of "appraisal," which refers to the cognitive evaluation of a situation as either threatening or challenging. This theory emphasized the role of perception in the stress response. Over the years, researchers have conducted experiments showing that although the type of stressors resulting in the release of stress hormones is different for everyone, there are common elements to situations that elevate stress hormones in everyone. Today, the term stress is used in different ways and for different purposes. It is a popular phenomenological term that is rarely defined. Stress is now understood as a complex interaction between environmental demands and individual resources (Jaggi, 1997).

 In today's modern world and specifically in city life, stress has become a common problem. The fast-paced lifestyle, long working hours and constant pressure to perform works have led to an increase in stress levels. With extreme workloads or personal issues, stress often becomes inevitable (Krishnamurthy, 1999). Negative thinking patterns, life events and daily hassles such as the death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, traffic, long lines and technology problems have added to stress levels. Technology and constant connection to social media and email can lead to information overload and a sense of being always "on." Poor lifestyle choices, such as relying on caffeine and sugar, making poor nutrition choices and neglecting exercise have also lead to stress. In the modern era, most people consider smoking or the intake of alcohol to be the ‘best’ stress-release mechanisms. On the contrary, these habits only worsen the situation and put you at risk of more physical and mental health complications. Thus, in today's modern world and city life, stress has become chronic. The constant pressure to perform work, meet deadlines and achieve goals has led to an increase in stress levels. Stress has also a negative impact on physical and mental health of individuals (Udupa, 2000). It can lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other health problems.

Stress in modern city life is caused by a variety of factors, including:

(1) Long working hours

(2) Financial pressures

(3) Relationship problems

(4)Traffic congestion

(5) Information overload

(6) Social media addiction

(7) Lack of exercise

(8) Poor diet

These factors can lead to a state of chronic stress, which can have a negative impact on our health and well-being of city dweller.

Thus, modern life causes stress in many ways and it is important to understand the underlying causes of stress to make more sustainable changes that lead to better mental health and well-being. By practicing spiritual techniques and finding healthy stress-release mechanisms, like yoga, individuals can reduce stress levels and improve overall quality of life. Yoga is an effective way to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Yoga is an ancient culture and is believed to have started with the very dawn of human civilization. It originated in India and has since spread all over the world. Patanjala Yoga Sutra, an authoritative treatise, holds a great promise in tackling stress and emotional disorders. The theory of Abhyasa-Vairagya of Patanjali can be very useful for stress elimination (Bhogal,2010,p.113  ).Besides, Kriya yoga is an excellent means of purification of mind in which emphasis is given on Tapas (austerity), Swadhyaya (self study) and Ishwara Pranidhana (surrender to God) (Bhogal,2010,p.114).  Kriya yoga basically helps to stabilize the mind, enhance judgement capacity and remove the mental afflictions that may cause stress. The cognitive stress is perceived due to mal-perception of the situation which according to patanjali is due to Avidya (ignorance) or absence of proper knowledge (Yoga Sutra-II/3). This ignorance can be removed when one practices Kriya Yoga which is specially recommended for lessening the mental afflictions as well as mental distractions (Bhogal, 2010, p.114).Thus, Kriya yoga can be treated as Stress management intervention. Similarly, Ashtanga Yoga is mainly useful for removing mental aberrations from mind (Bhogal, 2010, p.115). Yamas and Niyamas are also helpful to develop positive attitude towards life and living. Asanas are the physical posture for attaining psycho-physiological stability (Hathapradipika-I/17), Pranayama, the fourth limb of classical ashtanga yoga is increasingly being used as a therapeutic technique in various psycho-somatic diseases and acts to bring about mental stability (Hathapradipika-II/2). Earlier studies have reported the beneficial psycho-physiological effects of pranayama (Bhavnani, 2011). Meditation brings forth a stable mind, deep relaxation, mental tranquillity and equanimity (Ravindra, 2012). Thus, yoga is a holistic practice that aims to bring balance to the mind, body and spirit though its ultimate aim is to achieve the state of liberation. Keeping in view the above benefits of yoga, the present research problem was undertaken.

Objective of Study

The main objective of this study was to assess the causes of stress in modern city life and to suggest appropriate yoga techniques for alleviating stress of modern city life.

Methodology of the study

In this study, review process with analytical and descriptive methods has been adopted. Qualitative data, for the study, were collected from the findings of modern researches as well as ancient texts of yoga.

Role of Yoga in reducing Stress of Modern City life

Yoga is an effective way to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. It is a holistic practice that involves Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques) and Dhyan (meditation). These yogic processes can help to reduce city life stress in the following ways:

1. Reducing Cortisol Levels

Cortisol is a hormone that is released in response to stress. High levels of cortisol can lead to a variety of health problems, including anxiety, depression, and weight gain. Yoga has been shown to reduce cortisol levels in the body, which can help to reduce stress and improve overall health ( Katuri et al., 2016)   ).

2. Improving Sleep Quality

Stress can lead to insomnia and other sleep problems. Yoga can help to improve sleep quality by reducing stress and promoting relaxation (Mangesh et al., 2013). Relaxative asana like Savasana and meditative asana like Padmasana, Sawstikasana, and Vajrasana are very beneficial for mental and physical relaxation. Adwasana, Matsyakridasana (Swami Satyananda, 2001) can help in calming the mind and prepare the body for sleep.

3. Promoting Relaxation

Yoga is a practice that promotes relaxation and reduces tension in the body. Yoga postures, such as the Savasana (Gherand Samhita-II/20) and the Padmasana (Hathapradipika-I/44), Kayotsarg (Mahaprajna,1994,p.18) can help in calming the mind and reduce stress levels.

4. Improving Mood

Yoga has been shown to improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Yoga postures, such as the warrior pose and the tree pose, can help improve mood and promote feelings of well-being (Chris et al., 2010).

5. Increasing Mindfulness

Yoga is a practice that promotes mindfulness and awareness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and paying attention to one's thoughts and feelings. Yoga postures, such as the ‘Kayotsarg’ and the ‘Internal trip’ can help increase mindfulness and reduce stress levels (Mahaprajna, 1994).

Yoga Practices for Modern City Life

Yoga facilitates the functions of the body and mind in such a way that one may enjoy harmony and peace. It is a process of purifications of consciousness. All ripples of thoughts and feelings over consciousness are removed to bring out an attitudinal change and behavioural modifications. The negative emotions are to be done away with and positive emotions are to be facilitated. Emotional purification makes an individual mentally healthy and free from mental and physical stress. Yoga slows the pace of activity at body, mind and intellect level and increases the awareness about oneself by specially training one’s body, mind and intellect (Vaze, 2007). Yoga by amending the individual’s response to various stimuli from the environmental changes or relationships with own family members or people in place of work or coming across in other situations makes able to lead a stress free life (Vaze,2007, P.106). Yoga can be said to tackle stress by properly understanding body responses, slowing the pace of reaction and modifying the physiological changes by affecting the cleansing activity.

Yoga is a practice that can be adapted to suit modern city life to reduce modern stress are discussed in the following section:

1. Surya Namaskar

The Surya Namaskar is a series of yoga postures that are performed in a sequence. It is a great way to start the day and can help reduce stress levels. The Surya namaskar involves a series of postures that stretch and strengthen the body, while also promoting relaxation and mindfulness. Suryanamaskar, also known as Sun Salutation, is a yoga practice that involves a sequence of 12 postures (Swami Satyananda, 2000). Here are some of the psycho-physiological effects of Suryanamaskar based on the search results (Swami Satyananda, 2000): 

1. Relaxation: Suryanamaskar is effective in leading to relaxation dispositions like mental quiet, at ease/peace, rested and refreshed, strength, and awareness.

2. Reduction in anxiety: Suryanamaskar led to a reduction in the symptoms of anxiety.

3. Improved mental health: Suryanamaskar enhances the disposition of physical relaxation, mental quietness, awareness, and joy and reduces sleepiness and stress disposition of somatic stress.

4. Improved flexibility: Suryanamaskar shows an immediate impact on the flexibility of the muscles.

Thus, Suryanamaskar has several psycho-physiological effects, including relaxation, reduction in anxiety, physical and psychological benefits, improved mental health, and improved flexibility. These effects make Suryanamaskar an effective practice for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

2. Pranayama

Pranayama is a yoga practice that involves controlled breathing techniques. Pranayama is actually control of supply of vital energy to all parts of the body. It increases clarity of thinking and improves the concentration of the mind. Conscious deep, slow and rhythmic breathing may normalize autonomic cardiovascular rhythms co-related to both vagal and sympathetic activity. Bhavanani et al.(2011) reported that slow deep and rhythmic breathing of sukha pranayama reduced High blood pressure, stress and anxiety. Joseph et al. (2005) reported a fall in blood pressure and normalization of baroreflex sensitivity in hypersensitive patients following just 2 minutes of slow breathing. Pranayama (breathing techniques) such as the alternate nostril breathing (Anuloma-viloma) and the deep breathing can help to reduce stress and promote relaxation(Mahaprajna,1994). These techniques involve slow, deep breathing, which can help to calm the mind and reduce tension in the mind and body. Here are some of the psycho-physiological effects of Pranayama based on the search results (Telles, Singh and Bhardwaj, 2011):

1. Relaxation: Pranayama is known to induce meditative states and reduce stress, leading to relaxation.

2. Changes in heart rate variability: Pranayama can lead to changes in heart rate variability, increasing parasympathetic activity and decreasing sympathetic activity.

3. Improved mental health: Pranayama has been shown to decrease anxiety and increase mindfulness. It can also promote relaxation and support multiple aspects of physical health, including lung function.

4. Improved sleep quality: Pranayama can improve sleep quality and decrease snoring and daytime sleepiness.

5. Reduced high blood pressure: Pranayama can help to minimize the risk of high blood pressure by promoting relaxation.

6. Improved cognitive function: Pranayama has been associated with better auditory memory and sensory-motor performance. It can also decrease cravings in people who are trying to quit smoking.

Thus,pranayama has several psycho-physiological effects, including relaxation, changes in heart rate variability, improved mental health, improved sleep quality, reduced high blood pressure, and improved cognitive function. These effects make Pranayama an effective practice for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

3. Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation that promotes relaxation and reduces stress levels. It involves lying down and listening to a guided meditation, which can help calm the mind and promote feelings of well-being (Swami Mangalteertham, 2010). Yoga Nidra is useful to bring extraordinary improvements in both absorption and retention of information from external sources as well as tapping of knowledge within one’s own mind. It helps to deep dive into the realms of the subconscious mind, thereby releasing and relaxing mental tensions and stress and establishing harmony in all facets of individuals’ being (Swami Satyananda, 2001).Yoga Nidra is a relaxation technique that aims to induce complete physical, mental, and emotional relaxation through exercises that shift awareness away from the external world to one’s inner realm (Kamakhya, 2008). Here are some of the psycho-physiological effects of Yoga Nidra based on the search results (Swami Satyananda, 2001):

1. Relaxation: Yoga Nidra is effective in leading to relaxation and reducing stress and anxiety.

2. Improved sleep quality: Yoga Nidra can help to improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia.

3. Changes in heart rate variability: Yoga Nidra can lead to change in the heart rate variability by increasing parasympathetic activity and decreasing sympathetic excitation.

4. Improved psychological health: Yoga Nidra has been shown to improve psychological health by reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress.

5. Improved physical health: Yoga Nidra has been shown to improve physical health by reducing blood pressure, improving immune function, and reducing inflammation.

6. Improved cognitive function: Yoga Nidra has been associated with improved cognitive function, including attention, memory, and sensory-motor performance.

Thus, Yoga Nidra has several psycho-physiological effects, including relaxation, improved sleep quality, changes in heart rate variability, improved psychological and physical health, and improved cognitive function. These effects make Yoga Nidra an effective practice for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

4. Restorative Yoga

Restorative yoga is a gentle form of yoga that involves holding postures for an extended period of time. It is a great way to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Restorative yoga postures, such as the supported child's pose and the supported bridge pose, can help to calm the mind and reduce tension in the body (Sara Lindberge, 2020).

Restorative yoga is a style of yoga that encourages physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. Here are some of the benefits of restorative yoga based on the search results: (https://www.healthline.com/health/restorative-yoga-poses).

1. Relaxation: Restorative yoga is very effective in leading to relaxation and reducing stress and anxiety. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body to rest, heal, and restore balance.

2. Improved sleep quality: Restorative yoga can help to improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia (https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/why-restorative-yoga).

3. Improved psychological health: Restorative yoga has been shown to improve psychological health by reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. It can also increase subjective well-being and emotional regulation.

4. Improved physical health: Restorative yoga has been shown to improve physical health by reducing blood pressure, improving immune function, and reducing inflammation. It is also gentle on the body and often recommended for people with acute or chronic injuries.

5. Improved flexibility: Restorative yoga can improve mobility and flexibility by releasing muscular tension.

6. Balances the nervous system: Restorative yoga helps shift the balance from the fight-or-flight response (sympathetic nervous system) to the relaxation response, or the parasympathetic nervous system (https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/why-restorative-yoga).

7. Boosts the immune system: Restorative yoga can boost the immune system by reducing stress and inflammation.

8. Develops qualities of compassion and understanding toward others and self: Restorative yoga can help create the space to get in touch with the natural qualities of compassion and understanding of others and self.

In conclusion, restorative yoga has several benefits, including relaxation, improved sleep quality, improved psychological and physical health, improved flexibility, balancing the nervous system, boosting the immune system, and developing qualities of compassion and understanding toward others and self. These benefits make restorative yoga an effective practice for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

5. Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a form of meditation that involves paying attention to one's thoughts and feelings. It is a great way to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere, at any time, and can help increase mindfulness and reduce stress levels (Eberth and Sedlmeier, 2012).Mindfulness meditation is a practice that involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness refers to the self-regulation of attention to the conscious awareness of one’s immediate experience while adopting an attitude of curiosity, openness and acceptance (Bishop et al., 2004). Here are some of the psycho-physiological effects of mindfulness meditation based on the search results:

1. Improved psychological health: Mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve psychological health by reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. It can also increase subjective well-being and emotional regulation (Harinath and Choudhari, 2012, P.167).

2. Improved cognitive function: Mindfulness meditation has been associated with improved cognitive function including attention, memory and sensory-motor performance (Eberth and Sedlmeier, 2012).

3. Improved physical health: Mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve physical health by reducing blood pressure, improving sleep quality and reducing inflammation (Eberth and Sedlmeier, 2012).

4. Changes in heart rate variability: Mindfulness meditation can lead to changes in heart rate variability, increasing parasympathetic activity and decreasing sympathetic excitation (Eberth and Sedlmeier, 2012).

5. Relaxation: Mindfulness meditation can lead to relaxation and reduce perceived activation (Bishop et al., 2004).

6. Improved self-critical thoughts: Mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce self-critical thoughts and increase mindfulness (Bishop et al., 2004).

Thus, mindfulness meditation has several psycho-physiological effects including improved psychological health, cognitive function, and physical health, changes in heart rate variability, relaxation, and improved self-critical thoughts. These effects make mindfulness meditation an effective practice for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

Conclusion

Modern life can be stressful due to a variety of factors, but it is important to understand the underlying causes of stress to make more sustainable changes that lead to better mental health and well-being. Yoga is an effective way to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. It is a holistic practice that involves physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. Yoga can help to reduce modern stress by reducing cortisol levels, improving sleep quality, promoting relaxation, improving mood and increasing mindfulness. Yoga practices, such as the Surya Namaskar, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Restorative yoga, and Mindfulness meditation, can be adapted to suit modern city life. By incorporating these psycho-spiritual tools in the daily routine, individuals can reduce stress levels and improve their overall health and well-being.

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