Written By: Upneet Pansare | Updated : October 17, 2018 9:55 AM IST
Postpartum depression can be harrowing for young moms © Shutterstock
Yoga has the ability to help you keep calm, balance the functioning of your organs and help your health get back on track with a combination of a few asanas and breathing techniques. Yoga can definitely help you deal with the symptoms of postpartum depression. Postpartum depression refers to the period of the first year after childbirth which presents a high risk of depression for women. Postpartum depression symptoms are similar to those of clinical depression. Postpartum depression may affect the mother's abilities and skills to engage in normal interaction with the child, and thus impair the development of an attachment relationship possibly affecting the child's later development and well-being. The risk of postpartum depression is said to be the highest after the first child's birth.
Some of the symptoms include sadness or anxiousness through the day that often worsens in the evening; crying spells; low self-esteem; lethargy and sleeplessness, usually within or right after 30 days after childbirth. Here are some yoga techniques that can help new moms deal with postpartum depression in a better way:
Pranayam: Pranayam can help new moms deal with a range of issues including negative emotions, sadness, anxiety and frustration. All you need to do is sit in sukhasana or vajrasana and inhale slowly and continuously in a relaxed manner. Once the inhalation is complete, hold your breath for a few counts, and exhale in the same manner and to the same count. The idea is to equalise your inhalation and exhalation. Concentrate on the slow, continuous and uninterrupted flow of breath. You can practise this technique once in the morning and once before retiring to bed.
Meditation: Research studies have shown that deep breathing and meditation 'affects the levels of a natural chemical messenger in the brain called noradrenaline which is released when we are challenged, curious, exercised, focused or emotionally aroused and, if produced at the right levels, helps the brain grow new connections, like a brain fertiliser.' The way we breathe, in other words, directly affects the chemistry of our brains in a way that can enhance our attention and improve our brain health. This undoubtedly can help moms keep calm.
