How Can Yoga Help with Lupus?
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is an autoimmune condition affecting the joints as well as the internal organs. This progressive illness alternates between painful flare-ups and remission stages. While there is no cure for this disease, treatment involves preventing flare-ups, reducing organ damage, and improve an individual’s quality of life.
Moderate aerobic exercise, like yoga, has been shown to help individuals suffering with autoimmune illnesses like lupus. In fact, yoga can help reduce fatigue and improve joint pain and flexibility. Given the adaptable nature of yoga, it may be an effective, safe way to adapt to the ever-changing needs of someone dealing with lupus.
Yoga as a Lupus Intervention
The varied approaches of yoga can help those with lupus during both remission and flare-up stages of the disease. Yoga uses meditation, breathing practices, and deliberate, mindful movements to improve overall health.
During the remission stage, yoga can help with joint health and range of motion. The mind-body connection can also be strengthened at this time. This awareness can alert you to how stress and other issues are negatively impacting the body. As a result, you can change your habits to deal with daily life and this chronic illness.
When painful flare-ups occur, yoga can also help. When you are dealing with pain, inflammation, and other lupus symptoms, your body is often in a high-alert status triggering the sympathetic nervous system. This can put added stress on your already taxed body. Using yoga practices to activate the immunity-supporting parasympathetic nervous system can help reduce the severity and time of flare-ups.
You may think yoga involves contorting in a lot of strange positions that may not be comfortable or even possible given your current health. Those “strange” poses are just one aspect of yoga. There are other forms of yoga--just as beneficial--that are relaxing, restoring, and rejuvenating. Those dealing with lupus may benefit from a yoga instructor that can help them adapt poses and practices for their specific needs. Since yoga is a very adaptable practice, just about any ability level can find benefit in some form of yoga.
Ready to Learn More About How Yoga Helps with Lupus?
Are you a business owner or HR representative looking to use yoga as part of your wellness program? After all, yoga can help those of all ability levels live a healthier life. This certainly includes those living with Lupus.
So where do you start? The Rolling Mat mobile yoga studio can be an important first step in educating all your employees about the benefits of yoga. In fact, we can bring a powerful and uplifting yoga experience directly to your company or special event. Let us take some of the stress out of your employees’ everyday lives. The customized experience can be the positive change your employees need.
We had the pleasure of educating and leading chair yoga sequences at the 2019 Lupus Empowerment Summit this past weekend on 10/12 at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta.
