The physiological and spiritual benefits of yoga are no secret. Yoga is no longer the preserve of the hippie elite – the masses are now recognizing the benefits of a regular practice. Young people are just as likely to benefit from a regular yoga practice, if not more so as the impact of mindfulness on developing brains is clear. Let’s look at some of the benefits that yoga can have to school
1) Pupil’s Physical Health
Yoga developed as a spiritual and physical practice and the benefits of both are still prominent in Western practitioners today. As the obesity crisis continues to unfold, the physical health of our youth is truly in doubt. Educators are well placed to intervene and encourage young people to develop habits of healthy movement that will last a lifetime.
Yoga is an excellent vehicle for this. It’s accessible to children of all shapes and sizes, and since each practice is undertaken individually it can be tailored to suit individual needs. Teachers will emphasize that children perform poses in a way that feels good to them.
2) Pupil’s Emotional Health
Randomized trials have revealed that just performing yoga several times a week enables young adults to regulate their emotions better than those without, and this is an essential skill for those in difficult transitional phases of their lives. Because of the meditative elements of yoga, a practice promotes mindfulness in a way that other physical education classes don’t.
Students need to learn to regulate their emotions to get ahead in life. Communication and cooperation are essential skills and a regular yoga practice can help young people develop these skills, enabling them to thrive at school and beyond.
3) Improved Academic Outcomes
For most academic environments, academic outcomes are the main measure of success. Schools, and head teachers, should note the value that the introduction of a yoga practice can have on academic outcomes.
“By relieving anxiety and providing space for young people to breath, a yoga practice can have a significant impact on the academic performance of school-age children,” says Kenneth Woodring, educator at Revieweal and Essay Services. “Yoga has also been demonstrated to have a positive impact on memory, which can improve performance in rote exercises.”
4) Reduction Of Anxiety
There’s a growing recognition that children’s mental health is in crisis as more academic pressure is piled upon them. Amongst children of all ages there’s the risk of anxiety building up and having a critical impact on both academic performance and personal wellbeing
A habitual yoga practice encourages mindfulness and offers an effective release of tension and anxiety. This can have a long term impact on the wellbeing of school students, where links have been drawn between anxiety in early years and the development of mental health problems later in life.
5) Increased Energy Levels
Although yoga can be thought of as a physical practice, and carries the accompanying health benefits, there have also been studies which demonstrate the positive impact on the energy levels of participants. Young people often struggle at school due to underdeveloped body clocks that leave them exhausted, and yoga is one tool to combat student exhaustion.
6) Building Team Spirit
“A yoga class taken as a group builds bonds between students (and teachers!) in a unique way that can have a positive impact on relationships throughout the school,” says Loren Lisenby, health writer at Ukservicesreviews and Eliteassignmenthelp. “Team building exercises have been common in schools for years and yoga practices developed together offer an additional opportunity to strengthen the community bonds that are essential to a healthy learning environment.”
7) Improved Behaviour In The Classroom
When behaviour gets in the way of learning it can be incredibly frustrating for educators and it’s detrimental to the education of the whole class. Through studies of high schoolers engagement with yoga, strong links have been drawn between regular yoga practices in schools and a reduction in bullying. This can foster a safe learning environment where students and teachers alike are able to thrive.
Namaste
Yoga can have a huge impact on the physical and psychological health of students, as well as laying the groundwork for a learning environment where students and teachers are able to cooperate and communicate. In an increasingly stressful world yoga creates the space for students to breathe.
Katherine Rundell is a writer at Essay Writing Services and BigAssignments. She has been a counsellor in several Los Angeles area schools since the early ‘90s and works to promote alternative practices that build healthy learning environments. She is also a proofreader at Essay writing services reviews.
