We are deep into the second lockdown now, and there is lots of evidence to suggest that it is taking its toll on our health and wellbeing.

From anxiety about a second wave, to back pain from spending too much time on the couch, and stress about furlough and finances – we can feel this pandemic in our bones, and we all need a release.

Yoga could be the answer. And different styles of yoga could help you to tackle your specific lockdown ailment.

But if you don’t know your vinyasas from your pranayamas, we asked the experts at Yoga Mapp to explain the different styles of this ancient practice – and how each one could benefit your health.

Yin yoga

What it’s good for: Working from home burnout

Do you feel as if lockdown is a constant stream of emailing, texting and video calls over Zoom? Are you jumping from screen to screen, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and unable to turn down the volume on the ‘mind chatter’ going on in your head?  

Enter Yin Yoga. Originating from Taoist tradition, Yin is about relaxation, finding stillness and cooling down the body. As Yoga philosophy states, we need both Yin (cool) and Yang (hot) movement to come into balance in our bodies, keeping us in optimum condition. 

Movements in Yin activate the parasympathetic nervous system, making it a healing practice that will leave you feeling grounded, calm and revitalised after a hectic day WFH.  

Kundalini yoga

What it’s good for: controlling lockdown snack cravings

Have you been snacking more often to comfort, distract and relieve yourself of boredom during lockdown? Kundalini yoga is specifically designed to strengthen intuition and willpower, offering the ‘circuit-breaker’ to help you kick the snack-attack habit.

Through breath work, hand postures, yogic exercises and mantras (yes, that might mean some chanting), Kundalini yoga invites you to summon the physical and mental strength to perform repetitive movement – some of which may feel a little awkward at first, but trust the process. 

By committing to each movement despite the urge to stop, you are training your nervous system to resist temptation.

So, next time you reach for the biscuit tin, you’ll have the self-awareness and power you need to resist falling back on excessive snacking to self-soothe during lockdown.  

Vinyasa flow

What it’s good for: spending too much time on the sofa

Has the couch become the epicentre of life in lockdown 2.0? Snap yourself out of your new-found lifestyle with a Vinyasa flow class.

Vinyasa, also called ‘flow’ because of the smooth way that the poses run together, is one of the most popular contemporary styles of yoga.

Sequences of postures are done at a continuous and steady pace that will slowly wake your body up from inactivity by increasing blood circulation and strengthening your muscles. 

Women’s sharing circles 

What it’s good for: lockdown loneliness

Not strictly yoga, but a women’s sharing circle is the perfect antidote to feelings of isolation and loneliness during lockdown.

Sitting in circle, you are gently guided to connect with your inner self and are empowered to put your stories into words; all in a safe space and without fear of judgement.  

Sharing our experiences of post-Covid life and lockdown reminds us that we are not alone and hearing other people’s stories helps us gain inspiration too.

Pranayama  

What it’s good for: second-wave anxiety

Anxious about the rise in infection rates affecting you and your loved ones? Catch your worrisome thoughts before they spiral by making pranayama part of your lockdown routine.  

Pranayama, or breathwork, is one of the fundamental principles of yoga and engages students in controlling their energies (prana meaning ‘breath’, yama meaning ‘restraint’).

Focussing on the breath will bring your wandering, anxious thoughts back to the present, helping you to focus on the now and let go of things that are out of your control as the world acclimatises to the new normal. 

Yoga nidra

What it’s good for: coping with anxiety about finances  

Has furlough left your routine daily life uprooted and imbalanced? This, plus the additional financial worry that comes with it, could be keeping you up at night.

If so, put down your phone, turn off the TV and kick your bedtime routine into gear by incorporating a Yoga Nidra class into your evening.  

Described as ‘dynamic sleep’, Yoga Nidra will allow your body to enter into a state of deep relaxation while the mind stays inwardly alert. 

This Black Friday Week, Yoga Mapp is offering 20% off all classes booked between 23 – 27 November with promo code yogamappblackfriday.

Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.

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