| Yoga practice has realistic solutions for | | | | much information, but they also suffer from |
| stressed-out teenagers. Young people need to | | | | information overload. On top of this, high |
| take time out for non-competitive and | | | | expectations are placed on teens for social status, |
| wholesome activities, such as Yoga. When teens | | | | academic performance, athletic performance, |
| have a chance to explore themselves from within, | | | | performance in the entertainment industry, etc. |
| this is time well spent. | | | | So how can Yoga help teens to cope with stress? |
| There has never been a time when teenagers | | | | Regular teen Yoga sessions, or classes, should |
| were subjected to more stress than right now. | | | | contain physical posturing (asanas), Yogic breathing |
| Reuters Health reported, "One third of US teens | | | | (pranayama), laughing, positive affirmations, and |
| say they feel stressed-out on a daily basis." This | | | | learning to create an automatic relaxation |
| was based upon a study of over 8,000 teens, | | | | response on a daily basis. |
| and young adults, at the University of Michigan, | | | | Teens must learn to reserve regular "Yoga time" |
| Ann Arbor. | | | | for themselves. Working part-time, studying for |
| For adults who lack compassion, for young people | | | | SATs, getting a date for a prom, and preparing |
| trying to cope in our society, consider this: The | | | | for college, are part of becoming a young adult, |
| leading cause of death in teens and youths, ages | | | | but there needs to be time to constructively |
| 10 to 19 years old, is "teenage suicide." Stress can | | | | "unplug" from all of it. |
| place young people at risk. According to the US | | | | Yoga delivers mental clarity to all practitioners. |
| Department of Justice, "It is estimated that | | | | Teens can learn to pursue one short-term goal at |
| 500,000 teenagers try to kill themselves each | | | | a time. This will make daily life much more |
| year." | | | | manageable. Teens should learn various Yogic |
| The sources of the reasons for teenage stress, | | | | relaxation techniques, such as body scanning, |
| on such a massive scale, is subject to theory, but | | | | stage-by-stage relaxation, and progressive muscle |
| let's take a look some of the reasons why so | | | | relaxation. |
| many young adults and teenagers are at risk. | | | | Physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health, can |
| Family units are challenged, because many teens | | | | be restored by learning to accept oneself, as is. |
| live in single parent families. | | | | Teens can condition and prepare themselves to |
| Parents work so much that "bonding time" is | | | | realize that they will not be in control of every |
| compromised. Peer pressure has always been | | | | situation life throws at them. Open discussions |
| part of the back drop in finding one's self as a | | | | with their peers, after a Yoga session, in support |
| teenager. Technology also plays a role in pushing | | | | groups, teen meetings, after school activities, or a |
| teens further than ever before. | | | | public speaking class, will strengthen teen social |
| Sure they are privileged to have access to so | | | | skills and character. |