Becoming a Yogi
Working out with Dysautonomia is difficult and frustrating because most exercises only exacerbate symptoms. It feels like you are constantly battling trying to stay in shape and trying to not get sicker. About 4 years ago my practitioner suggested I try yoga as a more accessible workout. She told me it can help calm the nervous system, can reduce stress, improve my circulation and, of course, help me get stronger and more flexible. Sounds too good to be true? Well guess what, it’s not! It became immediately obvious that on the days I did yoga, I saw improvements in certain areas of my health.
1. I noticed I slept much better, fell asleep quicker and stayed asleep longer (and with Dysautonomia that can sometimes be the hardest thing you do all day). I know this is common with most exercise because it uses up your energy and helps you be sleepier at the end of a long day, but since working out was something I had not been able to achieve this was life changing.
2. Yoga is well known for its stress relieving abilities- and I can confirm that in my own life. If you didn’t know, Dysautonomia flare-ups can sometimes mimic what a panic attack feels like, and sometimes constant/severe stress can trigger symptoms on its own or make the ones you already have worse. After I started doing yoga, I noticed I would feel symptoms creeping up less often and I was able to control the occasional panic feeling easier with the breathing Yoga taught me. It has turned into a great way for me to disconnect from my day and truly get rid of built-up stress and tension. I definitely feel like it gives my nervous system a way to calm down, get itself back in order, and function better afterwards.
3. I also noticed improvements in my circulation. I have to take multiple supplements to help with my circulation issues as a result of a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system, but I consider Yoga an important part of that regimen too. Yoga stretches out your body, gently puts you into inversions (even a forward fold to touch your toes counts!) and switches between standing poses and sitting poses. All this variation helps me body move blood around easier and I am all for the extra help!
4. A fun side effect of Dysautonomia is dysfunctional digestion and Yoga helps get my digestion in better order. If you struggle with any of type of IBS-type symptoms I HIGHLY recommend talking to your doctor about giving yoga a try. The general practice, and some specific poses, target the digestive system, helping to relieve pressure and get things going. While not something I love talking about, it really improved a part of my life that I had been struggling with for so long.
5. There are also the obvious benefits of strength and flexibility. One day you’re falling over every time you go from plank to warrior, and the next you make a perfect transition while attempting the extra twist to make it more challenging. You notice that all of a sudden it takes you less time to get into down dog at the beginning of your practice and your forward folds are no longer parallel to the floor. I can see my body slowly getting more toned and flexible and it has helped me feel better in my own skin, something that I have really struggled with since being diagnosed.
Yoga has been incredible in helping manage my Dysautonomia and all the unique challenges it presents, but it also made me feel better about my body again. It gave me back some confidence in what my body can do, instead of all the things it can’t do, and we could all use some body confidence in our lives. If this is something you think could be beneficial in your life, I highly encourage you to talk to your doctor and see if it is right for you. Hopefully you end up loving it as much as I do!