Yoga: The Antidote for These Times

This blog post is a digital reprint of my article in World Medical & Health Policy, an academic journal.

Yoga is a therapeutic tool that can address secondary trauma, such as that brought on by our collective experience with COVID‐19. In a previous issue of World Medical & Health Policy, I co‐authored an article entitled Trauma‐Informed Educational Yoga Program for Teens as an Addiction Prevention Tool (Ovissi & Hagaman, 2020, p. 71) in which I noted that “dysregulated trauma can propel people to abuse alcohol or drugs as medicine to feel balanced.” We have already seen that once pandemic stay‐at‐home orders began to be implemented within the United States, alcohol sales went up by 55 percent, according to the market research firm Nielsen (Bremner, 2020). There has also been a global rise in domestic violence (Taub, 2020).

There are things that we can do now to help mitigate the current spate of dysregulation associated with the pandemic. Supporting mental health well‐being is essential during this time. As we are now in the midst of collective trauma, it seems appropriate to bring yoga back to help us deal with what is called secondary traumatic stress (STS) (Figley, 1995). STS was first used to describe stress symptoms that were showing up for first responders, social workers working with extremely abusive populations and bystanders of crime. The symptoms of trauma can show up in people who are not directly experiencing trauma but are indirectly exposed to it. The term STS, which was first coined by Charles Figley and Beth Stamm in the 1990s, can be used interchangeably with the term “Vicarious Traumatization” (Baird & Jenkins, 2003).

A virus has hijacked our planet. COVID‐19 has shut down countries, governments, businesses, and schools. No one has been exempt from this pandemic. The macroconditions of widespread uncertainty are reflected in the microconditions of our internal turmoil and panic, and vice versa.

When it comes to the perspective we choose to adopt, we have two options. We can see this as a tragedy highlighting our powerlessness, or we can see it as an opportunity to claim the power that we have always had.

COVID‐19 is a traumatic experience, whether you contract the virus or not. We have all been irreversibly affected. Collectively, we are watching and listening to this global pandemic as it occurs in real time.

As a nation, we need to start acknowledging the signs of STS and offering an antidote to help minimize them. Awareness is building, as evidenced by its being mentioned in professional organizations supporting first responders (Varner, 2020).

Yoga is a practice, process, and philosophy that has been designed specifically to alleviate suffering and invite ease and peace. The main tools used in yoga are movement, breathwork, emotional regulation, observation of nourishment, and contemplative practices. Numerous studies have been done to show the efficacy of breathwork on the vagus nerve and parasympathetic stimulations (Gerritsen & Band, 2018). Yoga has been used to ease the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. It has been demonstrated that mechanisms underlying stress‐related disorders can be corrected by yoga practices and result in the amelioration of disease symptoms (Streeter, Gerbarg, Saper, Ciraulo, & Brown, 2012).

The vagus nerve is the main regulator of our parasympathetic nervous system, the aspect of your nervous system that invites rest, recovery, and rejuvenation. The vagus nerve picks up the majority of signals from our breath patterns and emotions. We now know that if we manage our breath, we have the power to influence our emotional state and to manage our nervous system. All of this can support us so that we do not fall prey to COVID‐19—both the virus and its effects on our physical and emotional well‐being.

Here is a guideline of best practices to consider. They are inspired by yoga and informed by science.

1. Cultivate a daily breath practice. This virus is especially focused on the respiratory system (Galiatsatos, 2020). Those with imbalances in the respiratory system are especially vulnerable (Garg et al., 2020). It has been suggested that quitting smoking during this time can increase the chance of recovery if you contract the virus (S. Eisenberg & M.J. Eisenberg, 2020). So especially if you are a smoker, you can do the following practice before you smoke—and you may even find that you gradually start to smoke less and less: Breathe using a 4:8 ratio: a four‐count inhale, a natural pause, and an eight‐count exhale. Lengthen your exhale so that it is twice as long as your inhale, as this cues your body to relax. Consider doing this three times a day, before mealtime or before you smoke, for one to three minutes, so that your nervous system can fully integrate the signals from your breath to relax.

2. Change your chemistry by saying thank you. Sometimes, thinking positive thoughts is not enough. Speaking is an expression and a gesture, and by saying positive thoughts out loud, we begin to feel their effects more deeply. Emotional responses often come about with a change of neurotransmitters in your body—that is, stress releases cortisol and feelings of happiness stimulate serotonin (Mayo Clinic, 2019; see also Harvard Medical School, 2019). A simple go‐to practice before you sleep and upon awakening is expressing gratitude. Affirmations, prayers, and expressions of gratitude are very impactful. So when you wake up, pause and name the smallest thing (i.e., your bed, ceiling, the sun, and breath) that you can feel grateful for right at this moment. Consider making it an external expression by saying out loud, “Thank you!” Before you go to sleep, reflect on the smallest thing from the day to express gratitude for, and then say “Thank you!” out loud once more.

3. Remove sugar, one teaspoon at a time. The immune system works with a mechanism called cytokine, cell‐signaling proteins that prompt inflammation. Overproduction of these cells can wreak havoc in your system. Cytokine production can be impacted by blood sugar levels. You can manage cytokine production simply by changing your diet, which could be impactful in managing the effects of illness (Giugliano, Ceriello, & Esposito, 2006). We are a society highly addicted to sugar, often due to no fault of our own. It is in so many things that we eat, and we just do not know it. So start reading your food labels. If sugar is listed as the main ingredient, try to avoid it. Eat naturally sweet fruits and vegetables, and avoid juicing. If you use table sugar, high‐fructose corn syrup, or agave syrup, start to gradually reduce your intake, one teaspoon at a time.

4. Move! Your immune system needs you! Your lymphatic system, an essential member of your immune system, depends on your movement to keep it circulating and healthy (Moseley & Piller, 2008). You do not need to be a marathon runner. A simple 20–30 minutes a day of joint articulation and breath‐oriented practices are effective and important. You can add yoga, qi gong, or tai chi to your daily routine, as they are practices that keep you both calm and healthy. Also, utilize diaphragmatic breathing, which naturally works as a pump for the lymphatic system. Alternatively, develop a routine of brisk walking, which is an excellent and easy form of exercise.

Globally, it is important that we be gentle with ourselves as we are in the midst of collective secondary trauma. There are real implications for recognizing one another's suffering. We are a resilient, adaptable, and compassionate species. Our ability to thrive as we start to integrate back into the rhythms of our lives depends on our whole‐self‐care right now. Yoga‐inspired tools can support you in your journey through COVID‐19 and also help you to navigate re‐entry into your life as we begin to emerge from the pandemic. Kindly consider these best practices and empower yourself and your communities—mentally, physically, and emotionally.