Benefits of Yoga When It Comes
to Treating Addiction 

Yoga has proven to be a very effective holistic method of managing the disease of addiction. As a means to long-lasting recovery, yoga helps individuals find inner peace while stabilizing them mentally and psychologically. Yoga is a natural way of releasing energy and calming the body and mind while also connecting with yourself on a deeper spiritual level. The art of yoga is a fantastic health practice that can be used in addition to regular counseling and therapy.  

There are countless benefits of partaking in yoga including:

• boosting stamina and strength
• relieving stress
• improving sleep patterns
• increasing self-confidence
• emotional healing
• increasing energy levels

Yoga, as a form of therapy, is being increasingly used as part of patient’s treatment programs for these and other inherent benefits. Yoga increases endurance and energy, but it also assists in relapse prevention, mitigating withdrawal symptoms, and reducing cravings while providing a healthy outlet to manage and cope with everyday triggers in temptation. Having healthy and constructive ways to exert energy helps in the overall healing process.  

Yoga can be done in the comfort of one’s home, and it does not require extensive equipment. This convenience makes it easy to continue practicing yoga even once individuals have left treatment. At WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab, we offer a full range of treatment types, including holistic methods like yoga that aid in overall recovery. We encourage all patients to continue their recovery journeys by maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle once they complete treatment. Our specialists can help set patients up with yoga sessions that work with their unique schedules. 

Benefits of Meditation 

Meditation allows us to connect with our body and mind and teaches us the benefits of steady breathing patterns as well as self-awareness. When individuals partake in meditation, they draw their attention inwards while becoming conscious of their breathing as they inhale and exhale.  

Yoga and meditation are designed to bring both the body and the mind closer to one another by leveraging breathing and exercise patterns. Some of the other benefits of meditation are focusing on the present, lessening negative emotions, boosting patience, increasing tolerance levels due to anxiety, and learning how to handle stressful situations. Knowing how to manage stress and anxiety can reduce the chances of relapse as individuals will know how to handle certain situations that bring on feelings of stress.

Meditation has proven to promote emotional health and well-being by improving self-image and allowing individuals to have a more positive outlook. Studies have shown that people who partake in meditation as part of their routine had reduced symptoms and side effects of depression than those who did not participate in meditation. This therapy’s health and emotional benefits cannot be understated and is a natural holistic method to enhance overall well-being.

Clear Minds Are Less Distracted 

When individuals have mental clarity, they are less likely to get distracted and think about drug or alcohol use. Many recovering patients struggle with emotional distress as well as depression. Studies have shown yoga improves these symptoms’ side effects after only a brief period. Meditation lessens the symptoms that come with generalized anxiety, and those who partake in meditation and yoga report having a heightened level of well-being.  

Holistic means that aid in addiction recoveries, such as yoga and meditation, have proven to lengthen the attention span for people recovering from addiction. Meditation also contributes to less wandering of the mind by lessening worrying and increasing critical thought. Even just a short and brief meditation session each day can have incredible benefits, including better memory retention. Certain poses that can be done during yoga have proven to clear the cluttered mind. Some of these poses include the mountain pose, warrior one, warrior two, the butterfly pose, downward dog, and savasana.  

All it takes to clear your mind is a 10-minute yoga session known to lessen stress, improve cognitive functioning and keep your brain active and engaged. Yoga not only relaxes your muscles and makes you feel stronger, but it also enhances mental clarity. Because yoga works to decrease inflammation, it also lessons chronic stress, which much of the population ensues daily. Since your brain responds to your body, when it is calm and relaxed, it translates the message to your brain to calm down as well. This process, in turn, eases anxiety and mitigates stress.   

Physical Benefits of Yoga 

WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab incorporate yoga as part of our holistic therapy methods. Trained yoga instructors will help guide patients through their yoga sessions as they learn how to breathe with intention as well as focus on proper posture and form.    

There are countless physical benefits of making yoga part of your weekly routine. Those who partake in regular yoga sessions have increased energy levels while also having a better sleep quality. Yoga also influences diet, and those who participate in yoga naturally tend to eat better, which provides them a better ability to perform with a more nutritious diet. All foods are good in moderation, and a balanced, healthy, and active lifestyle will benefit you both physically and mentally.  

Yoga increases flexibility, enhances muscle strength, tones muscles, improves cardiovascular health, boosts energy levels, helps maintain a balanced metabolism, promotes a healthy weight, and improves cardio health. Yoga has proven to build muscle strength, which safeguards us from certain conditions we are prone to as we age, such as chronic back pain and arthritis. When your muscles become stronger and build strength, you also incorporate flexibility, which can all be achieved with regular yoga.   

Yoga also increases blood flow, which, in turn, improves circulation throughout your body. Increased oxygen resulting from better circulation through yoga allows us to function better overall. During certain yoga poses, specifically inverted ones, the blood from areas such as from our legs can move to our heart more efficiently as blood is pumped through our bodies, oxygenating vital organs. 

How Yoga Positively Impacts Addiction Treatment 

When an individual is a chronic drug or alcohol abuser and is in remission from addiction, their brain’s chemistry is altered, and frequently this is permanent. Yoga positively impacts those in addiction recovery as it works to naturally balance areas of the brain and the body that were affected during the individual’s addiction.

When an individual is in active addiction, their whole life revolves around addiction. This means they are not in tune with their emotions as their addiction completely controls their lives. When individuals practice the art of yoga, they are becoming more aware of their bodies while learning to regulate breathing patterns and truly become attuned to their every movement. By this process, individuals become more self-aware and self-confident.    

By redirecting and refocusing our energy, participants can begin to control actions and their feelings. Thus, individuals become more independent and more self-sufficient, and they can rely on themselves to remain abstinent from substance abuse. Part of redirecting energy is learning to detect and recognize urges and cravings to use. When you realize your sobriety is possibly in jeopardy due to your current environment, you could better handle the situation and cope with it, which ultimately means you can better manage your feelings because you are more aware.   

Yoga and meditation contribute to the well-being and sobriety of patients. These forms of therapy are part of a ‘whole-patient’ approach that looks at all areas of an individual’s struggles to work toward mental and physical stability. When individuals are stable and confident, they are much more susceptible to long-lasting sobriety from substance abuse.  

Yoga Studios in Tampa  

Fortunately, Tampa has many great yoga studios that can help you stay active and healthy. Yoga also allows you to meet with a community of individuals who also value a healthy lifestyle. Some of the best yoga studios in the Tampa area include:

Kodawari Studios

Kodawari Studios is a top-rated yoga studio in Tampa, Florida that offers both on-site classes and virtual ones. Whether you are an expert yogi or new to the art of yoga and are just starting, the studio has classes for all levels. Focus on health and healing, and be sure to check out the different courses that Kodawari Studios has to offer.  

3965 Henderson Blvd Ste C, Tampa, FL 33629

Yoga Loft Tampa

If you are looking to put your yoga skills to the test, look no further than Yoga Loft Tampa. The contemporary yoga studio offers both group and private yoga lessons for all levels. Whether you are looking to perfect your tree pose or want to learn something entirely new such as the cobra pose, Yoga Loft Studio is just the place to do so.  

2002 E 5th Avenue #102 Tampa, FL 33605  

Gaze Hot Yoga

If you are looking for a real challenge, you must try out Gaze Hot Yoga. This form of yoga has proven beneficial for those who struggle with joint pain such as knee, back, and shoulder pain. The experienced staff members here help guests perfect their form to get the most out of their yoga session.  

1809 N Tampa St, Tampa, FL 33602 

Energia Yoga Studio 

Energia Yoga Studio is excellent for those who are just beginning to get into the art of yoga. They offer a variety of yoga classes here and meditation sessions so you can truly relax both your mind and body. The studio is open seven days per week, with classes available throughout the day.  

20437 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33647

 If you or someone close to you struggles with a drug or alcohol addiction, WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab can help them get their life back on track. We leverage holistic therapy benefits such as yoga, boxing, and meditation in many of our treatment programs. We individualize and personalize each treatment program to patients’ unique needs and never use a generic, one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. By tailoring each program to patients’ specific needs, we can uncover any sort of underlying disorder that may be at the root cause of the addiction. We can treat patients on all levels through dual diagnosis programs by leveraging different treatment techniques and medication-assisted treatment (MAT).   

 The time to get help is now, as the longer you wait to receive support, the worse your addiction will continue to accumulate. If you do not get into treatment today, there are imminent addiction outcomes. Call now; help is closer than you think. 

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.