Advantages of Practicing Yoga and Meditating Post-COVID

If COVID’s got you down, hit the yoga mat.

Date 10/19/22
Author Megan Grant

Fitness Yoga Meditation

We all know someone who’s gotten COVID-19. And exiting the pandemic never meant that our risk was eliminated. The virus is still out there, and will certainly continue to mutate into different strains.

Everyone’s experience is different. You might contract it and not even feel it. Or maybe it feels like the common cold. And there’s a chance that it completely knocks you on your butt.

One thing is for certain: Coming down with COVID can take a physical, mental, and emotional toll. Long after testing positive, you might still be dealing with the ramifications. What can you do about it? How can you take better care of yourself post-COVID? Let’s talk about how yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can be beneficial.

The Mental Health Impact of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on both our physical and mental health. The World Health Organization says it triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. Financial concerns and political unrest (which 74% of adults surveyed said was a significant source of stress) only made things worse. It’s been a rough few years for the entire world.

Think about the incredibly drastic changes we all underwent. Everyone was sent home to quarantine, meaning parents suddenly had to learn how to work while caring for their families 24/7. Massive layoffs sent people scrambling while trying to pay their bills. At the same time, people were dealing with the stress of loved ones falling ill and, in some cases, never recovering. Hospitals were on lockdown, meaning patients were left without the support system that a family can provide, and loved ones couldn’t be there to lift up someone who was sick.

No wonder the pandemic sent us into a mental tailspin.

Why Yoga and Meditation Can Help Feelings of Anxiety

Self-care has always been important, but in times of extreme stress, pressure, and anxiety, it should be even more of a priority. And regularly practicing yoga and meditation can be powerful lifestyle changes to improve your mental health.

Why? Well, for starters, research repeatedly shows that yoga can effectively combat feelings of stress. One review published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research said that yoga can decrease your blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone), and cytokine expression. ( Cytokines trigger your immune system and can tell your body that it’s sick.) Another study in the Journal of Nursing Research found that 90 minutes of Hatha yoga can significantly reduce your perceived stress. Regular practice will compound the effects further.

What about meditation? It’s a similar story. Information published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine says that meditation—even if you've never done it before—can produce a physiologic relaxation response without eliminating the positive effects of stress such as improved memory. Another report shares that mindfulness meditation can reduce symptoms of anxiety and panic. And it can even improve the well-being of people with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and panic disorder with agoraphobia.

So, if COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on your mental well-being, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can go a long way in helping set things right.

Why You Should Start

The benefits of yoga and meditation are vast. Let’s dive deeper into why they’re so powerful for your mental and physical health.

1. Positively Affects Immunity

In order to bounce back from COVID-19 and protect yourself from future illness, you need an immune system that runs like a well-oiled machine. Research on students noted that yoga and meditation had a positive effect on their psychological, emotional, and immunological parameters.

Another review looked at studies spanning a variety of forms of yoga to address a number of health problems, including HIV, cancer, and heart failure. Across the board, the studies found that yoga improved the immunological profile of the participants, regardless of the type and state of the disease.

Also bear in mind that excessive stress can weaken your immune system, which means the benefits are twofold: Yoga and meditation can directly improve your immunity, and they can also decrease your stress, further supporting your immune system.

2. Decreases Inflammation

What is inflammation? When your body triggers your immune system, your immune system sends out inflammatory cells. These cells attack bacteria and help heal damaged tissue. In the case of COVID-19, science has found evidence of inflammation long after the virus can even be detected. While research is ongoing, there are studies suggesting that mindfulness meditation can improve specific markers of inflammation (along with cell-mediated immunity).

3. Lowers Cortisol Levels

Research has demonstrated that yoga can act at the level of the hypothalamus to trigger anti-stress effects by reducing your level of cortisol.

4. Can Decrease the Chances of Long-COVID

Long-COVID—also called Post-COVID Syndrome—is when people experience symptoms and side effects of COVID-19 weeks and even months after infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) has suggested that managing stress and anxiety can help you rehabilitate after COVID-19.

How Can You Apply What You’ve Learned?

Here are a few practical tips for making these practices work for you.

➤ If you feel overwhelmed trying to incorporate these practices into your daily life, start small. Set a timer for five minutes and do some light stretching, a breathing exercise, or simply sit quietly in a comfortable position.

➤ Be consistent, even if this means following these practices in smaller doses.

➤ Take a holistic approach. Incorporating yoga and meditation into your daily life will pay off tenfold. But you’re going to get much better results if you also get enough quality sleep and fuel your body with nourishing foods.

Remember, the changes you make to your life don’t have to be earth-shattering to be impactful. Instead of trying to do a complete 180, start with small but consistent baby steps.

Getting Started with Tempo

Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation have the power to change your life. Maybe you’re recovering from COVID-19. Or perhaps you’re experiencing severe stress due to work. Yoga and meditation are safe, natural ways to improve both your physical and mental wellness. With Tempo, you can practice yoga and meditation anytime, day or night, without ever leaving your home. Even if you have only 5 minutes to dedicate, your body and mind will feel the difference.