Imagine the sensation of breathing through your whole body, as if the body were gently expanding as you inhale and contracting as you exhale. Feel, or imagine, the flow of energy through your whole body. Restorative yoga turns on the healing relaxation response by combining gentle yoga poses with conscious breathing.

Below you will learn four restorative yoga poses that may be practiced on their own or in a sequence. There are several factors that make restorative yoga so relaxing. First, each pose is meant to be held for longer than a few breaths. You can stay in a restorative pose for 10 minutes or even longer.

The stillness allows the body to drop even the deepest layers of tension. Second, restorative poses use props to support your body. Props can include the wall, a chair, a couch, pillows, blankets, towels, or bolsters designed especially for restorative yoga practice.

The right support in a pose will make it feel effortless, so your body can fully let go. Stretching and strengthening, although healthy, are both forms of tension in the body.

They are a kind of good stress on the body, asking the body to adapt to the challenges of a pose. But restorative yoga is all about letting go of tension and stress.

Although these poses may look as though you are doing nothing, this is far from the truth. Restorative yoga rests the body but engages the mind. The breathing elements of each pose make restorative yoga an active process of focusing the mind on healing thoughts, sensations, and emotions. The order of poses presented here is just one possible sequence.

As you explore the poses, you may find that your body prefers a different sequence or that you would rather stay longer in one pose than practice several poses for shorter periods. You can also integrate restorative poses into an active yoga session.

Nesting pose creates a sense of security and nurturing. It may also be a position you are comfortable sleeping in, making it an excellent posture to practice if you have insomnia or other difficulty sleeping.

Lie on your side, legs bent and drawn in toward your belly. Rest your head on a pillow, and place a pillow or a bolster between your knees.

Rest your arms in whatever position feels most comfortable. If available, another bolster or pillow may be placed behind your back for an extra sense of support. Rest in the natural rhythm of your breath, observing each inhalation and exhalation as it moves through the body.

Take comfort in the simplicity and effortlessness of this action. This pose relaxes tension in the belly, chest, and shoulders that otherwise can restrict the breath. Lean a bolster on a block or other support such as telephone books.

Sit in front of the bolster with your legs in a diamond shape. Place a pillow or a rolled blanket under each outer thigh and knee, making sure that the legs are fully supported without a deep stretch or strain in the knees, legs, or hips.

Lean back onto the bolster so that you are supported from the lower back to the back of the head. Rest your arms wherever is most comfortable. Now notice the whole front of your body relax and gently open as you inhale.

Follow this sensation and feel the ease in the front of the body as you breathe. Supported backbend is a heart-opening pose that reinforces your desire to embrace life and not let challenges—including pain—separate you from life. This pose also works magic to release chronic tension in the back and shoulders, undoing postural habits that come from spending too much time at a desk, at a computer, or driving.

Sitting, place a bolster or a stack of pillows or blankets under slightly bent knees. Place one folded pillow or rolled blanket or towel behind you; when you lie back, it should support the upper rib cage, not the lower back.

If you need extra support underneath the lower rib cage and lower back, roll a small towel to support the natural curve of the spine. Place a rolled towel or a small blanket to support your head and neck at whatever height is most comfortable.

This pose improves the flow of the breath in the upper chest, rib cage, and belly. Allow yourself to feel this movement as you inhale and exhale.

Imagine breathing in and out through your heart center. Visualize the movement of breath from your heart to your lungs as you inhale, and from the lungs back out through the heart center as you exhale. This pose relaxes the hips and back, unraveling the stress of daily activities on the spine.

Hugging a bolster and resting your head on its support provides a natural sense of security and comfort. Sit cross-legged on the floor. It can help people who have many pain-related conditions, such as: Arthritis Joint pain Fibromyalgia Migraine headaches Chronic fatigue syndrome Here are some specific poses that can help with joint pain: Chronic back pain — Daily yoga can help strengthen the back and alleviate or prevent back pain.

Some poses that can be used for back pain relief include cat pose, dolphin plank pose, cow pose, cobra pose, and downward-facing dog pose. Shoulder pain — Several poses can help with shoulder pain, including bow pose, eagle pose, cat pose, dolphin pose, half moon pose, and plow pose.

Knee pain — Yoga for knee pain relief may include poses such as big toe pose, bound angle pose, bridge pose, and extended triangle pose. Pain Management at Beaumont Beaumont's Centers for Pain Medicine use the latest technology and pain management procedures to help patients with all forms of pain.

To schedule an appointment, call Beaumont Integrative Medicine at Next Steps. People Also Viewed. Figure 6. Simplified functional map of neurobiological effects of yoga practice. The efficacy and operational pathways of yoga are sufficiently documented to allow comparisons to the established pathways of the pain response system.

A review of existing literature suggests that both pain stimuli and the practice of yoga interact with many of the same systems in the peripheral and central nervous system, with the therapeutic effects of yoga often addressing the most detrimental side-effects of pain responses.

From a systems perspective the evidence overview supports the case that pain responses and yoga practices are each complex adaptive systems.

Each system involves a range of physiological and neurological interactions that lead to reactions exhibiting all the defining characteristics of a complex adaptive system. Pain responses have been well established as a complex adaptive system, the evidence overview confirms this.

Due to the multimodal nature of yoga, this definition appears to apply both in connection with pain management and in isolation.

From a functional perspective this information indicates yoga to be a complex system that is an effective method of treating pain. Given the complex manifestations of pain in neurological, psychological, and inflammatory contexts, a systemic intervention could be of particular value.

The network analyses of the selected body of studies and their associated keywords sought to identify patterns in the findings relating to pain, yoga, and complex systems. The frequency of keyword use in studies across various topics will be used to extrapolate the predominance of different topics in the research.

Findings from the network analysis were compiled into a cluster graph and the relevant metrics emphasized. Predictably the highest values are clustered near the center of the graph, close to the highest concentration of connections.

Many of the leading values in degree involved irrelevant terms and keywords, but the fact pain responses and management still ranked highly reinforces their importance to this network.

This metric reveals the parts of a network that have the greatest nonlinear representation, suggesting topics that may not be the dominant trends but underpin and amplify them. Much like complex systems themselves, studies about complex systems are often disproportionately influential and relevant to multidisciplinary fields.

A notable observation is that nodes related to yoga and pain responses are equally represented, despite pain response nodes being far more common across each individual metric.

Network analysis showed pervasive patterns connecting pain responses, yoga, and complex system research. The most prevalent keywords in all three fields of study have numerous, strong associations. Figure 7. Betweenness network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS.

Nodes with higher values are larger and darker in color. Figure 8. Closeness network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS.

Figure 9. Degree network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS. Figure Eigenvector network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS.

Reach efficiency network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS. The functional mapping of pain responses and yoga practice was conducted to identify whether there were functions possessed by either system analogous to the minimum requirements to be considered a complex adaptive system.

Any potential CAS should possess elements that fulfill every one of these functions and operates at a net energy loss. a Multi scalar interactions. b Stochastic dynamics. a Feedback loops. b Energy loss. Both the practice of yoga and the pain response system met every major definition of a complex adaptive system.

Three distinct investigative methods were used to examine the potential of yoga as a complex system of pain management. All three demonstrated evidence that the practice of yoga for pain is effective and behaves like a complex system.

Both pain responses and yoga practice demonstrate complex system behaviors. No metric demonstrated isolated values or a lack of connection.

This suggests an interconnected, complex system. Yoga as pain management fulfills every requisite function to be considered a complex system, and regulates many of the same mechanisms affected by pain responses. The study of complex systems is necessarily nuanced and multifaceted.

There are numerous aspects of complex systems that were not examined due to either a lack of data or expertise. This includes determining the presence and significance of strange attractors, functional systems models or modules, and detailed statistical analysis.

Further examination of this topic by specialists in the field of complex systems is warranted and necessary to verify this study's broad implications. Further, the practice of yoga is varied and cannot be generalized. Any metrics tracking the effects of yoga are informed by the particular tradition being practiced, the adherence of the practitioner, and the amount of time spent practicing.

These factors make interpolation of the discrete features of yoga problematic. Evidence overviews established the practice of yoga as a viable pain management therapy that shared many of the characteristics of a complex adaptive system.

Network analysis of studies and 1, keywords identified pain responses and yoga-related topics as comparable across numerous metrics, suggesting a strong relationship and interconnected system. The greatest concentration of highly influential keywords indicate complex systems are the dominant, if indirect, connecting feature across studies, providing further evidence that pain response systems and yoga practice are both complex systems.

Mapping the essential functions of complex adaptive systems onto pain responses and yoga practice demonstrated that both systems met every requirement of operational complex adaptive systems. It is notable that the functional mapping of yoga demonstrated interactions with nearly every one of the body's systems that pain impacted.

Recent reviews have supported the role of yoga as a pain management intervention, but since most research has focused on isolated, usually physical components of yoga rather than systemic mind-body effects, multiple forms of analysis were considered necessary to examine the novel hypothesis of this study These diverse methods all support considering yoga a complex adaptive system that exhibits unique interactions with the pain response system.

Much like the consequences of pain can have pervasive, unpredictable effects on homeostasis, it should be considered that the practice of yoga could likewise have systemic, indirect impacts.

This is especially relevant when considering chronic pain, long-term interventions, and quality of life. Designation as a complex adaptive system entails significant changes in how the effects of an intervention are tracked and interpreted. Complex adaptive systems are emergent phenomenon that cannot be reduced to simple, linear interactions.

In regards to research, an understanding of this dynamic could significantly improve study of mind-body therapies like yoga, shifting the attention from the presumed mechanism in isolation to the emergent effect on the total health of the patient. This nonlinear perspective may address the often-cited unpredictability in yoga research and shift methodologies from short-term metrics to measuring long-term systemic changes.

The wide-ranging benefits of yoga for pain management and similarity in function to broader behavioral health interventions suggest a similar approach to other mind-body therapies is warranted. At the level of direct patient interventions, this study provides an overview of the evidence indicating yoga is a viable option for pain management.

Further, yoga may be uniquely suited to treat systemic chronic issues as a result of operating as a holistic rather than discrete intervention. Another intervention-centric benefit to this may lie in reorienting recommendations by health professionals away from simple calisthenics and focusing on broader multimodal approaches like yoga.

Ethical review and approval was not required for this study in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. DC: conception or design of the work, drafting the article, critical revision, final approval.

ES: data collection, drafting the article, final approval. WB: data analysis, critical revision. RC: design of work, data collection, data analysis, drafting the article, critical revision, final approval. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers.

Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher. Nachum D, Pain Principles Section 2, Chapter 6. In: Neuroscience online: An electronic textbook for the neurosciences. Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy.

Houston, TX: The University of Texas Medical School at Houston Gupta S, Gautam S, Kumar U, Arora T, Dada R. Potential role of yoga intervention in the management of chronic non-malignant pain.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. doi: PubMed Abstract CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar. Yam MF, Loh YC, Tan CS, Khadijah Adam S, Abdul Manan N, Basir R. General pathways of pain sensation and the major neurotransmitters involved in pain regulation.

Int J Mol Sci. Motilal AJ. Self: realization through vedanta and yoga. Anc Sci Life. PMID: PubMed Abstract Google Scholar. Lokeswarananda S. Katha Upanishad. The Ramakrishna Mission of Culture, India Thau L, Reddy V, Singh P. Anatomy, central nervous system.

In: Statpearls. Treasure island FL : StatPearls Publishing Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G. Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders. Front Psychiatry. Tripathi V, Bharadwaj P.

Neuroscience of the yogic theory of consciousness. Neurosci Conscious. Ramanathan AA, Pandit SV. Subrahmanya Sastri and Radha Burnier of the Adyar Library and Research Center, The Theosophical Society, Adyar, Madras 20, India.

Park C, Braun T, Siegel T. Who practices yoga? A systematic review of demographic, health-related, and psychosocial factors associated with yoga practice.

J Behav Med. Groessl EJ, Liu L, Richard EL, Tally SR. Cost-effectiveness of yoga for chronic low back pain in veterans. Med Care. Kachan D, Olano H, Tannenbaum SL, Annane DW, Mehta A, Arheart KL, et al. Prevalence of mindfulness practices in the US workforce: national health interview survey.

Prev Chronic Dis. Hartfiel N, Clarke G, Havenhand J, Phillips C, Edwards RT. Cost-effectiveness of yoga for managing musculoskeletal conditions in the workplace.

Occup Med. CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar. Bali P, Kaur N, Tiwari A, Bammidi S, Podder V, Devi C, et al. Effectiveness of yoga as the public health intervention module in the management of diabetes and diabetes associated dementia in South East Asia: a narrative review.

Yi L-J, Tian X, Jin Y-F, Luo M-J, Jiménez-Herrera MF. Effects of yoga on health-related quality, physical health and psychological health in women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Palliat Med. Büssing A, Michalsen A, Khalsa SB, Telles S, Sherman KJ.

Effects of yoga on mental and physical health: a short summary of reviews. Evidence-Based Complementary Altern Med. Cramer H, Lauche R, Haller H, Dobos G. A systematic review and meta-analysis of yoga for low back pain.

Clin J Pain. Sun W, Zhang H, Lv C, Tang L, Tian S. Comparative efficacy of 12 non-drug interventions on non-specific chronic low back pain in nurses: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. Schumann D, Anheyer D, Lauche R, Dobos G, Langhorst J, Cramer H.

Effect of yoga in the therapy of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol.

Meister K, Juckel G. A systematic review of mechanisms of change in body-oriented yoga in Major depressive disorders. Simon NM, Hofmann SG, Rosenfield D, Hoeppner SS, Hoge EA, Bui E, et al. Efficacy of yoga vs cognitive behavioral therapy vs stress education for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

JAMA Psychiatry. Cramer H, Lauche R, Anheyer D, Pilkington K, de Manincor M, Dobos G, et al. Yoga for anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Depress Anxiety. Panjwani U, Dudani S, Wadhwa M. Sleep, cognition, and yoga. Int J Yoga. Prabhakaran D, Chandrasekaran A, Singh K, Mohan B, Chattopadhyay K, Chadha DS, et al. Yoga-based cardiac rehabilitation after acute myocardial infarction.

J Am Coll Cardiol. Thomas RJ, Balady G, Banka G, et al. Bhagel P, Saha M. Effects of yogic intervention on pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength parameters: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. J Biosci. Thind H, Lantini R, Balletto BL, Donahue ML, Salmoirago-Blotcher E, Bock BC, et al.

The effects of yoga among adults with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Prev Med. Mróz M, Czub M, Brytek-Matera A. Heart rate variability-an index of the efficacy of complementary therapies in irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review.

Briani RV, Ferreira AS, Pazzinatto MF, Pappas E, De Oliveira Silva D, de Azevedo FM. What interventions can improve quality of life or psychosocial factors of individuals with knee osteoarthritis?

A systematic review with meta-analysis of primary outcomes from randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med. Jiang T, Hou J, Sun R, Dai L, Wang W, Wu H, et al.

Ann Behav Med. Uddin Z, Woznowski-Vu A, Flegg D, Aternali A, Wideman TH. A cumulative impact of psychological and sensitization risk factors on pain-related outcomes.

Pain Pract. Bar-Yam Y. In: Kiel LD, editor. Knowledge Management, Organizational Intelligence and Learning, and Complexity - Volume I. Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems EOLSS Thomas-Vaslin V.

Understanding and modelling the complexity of the immune system: systems biology for integration and dynamical reconstruction of lymphocyte multi-scale dynamics.

The most prevalent keywords in all three fields of study have numerous, strong associations. Figure 7. Betweenness network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS.

Nodes with higher values are larger and darker in color. Figure 8. Closeness network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS.

Figure 9. Degree network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS. Figure Eigenvector network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS. Reach efficiency network analysis visualization, demonstrating nodes and connections between TOPICS, STUDIES, and KEYWORDS.

The functional mapping of pain responses and yoga practice was conducted to identify whether there were functions possessed by either system analogous to the minimum requirements to be considered a complex adaptive system. Any potential CAS should possess elements that fulfill every one of these functions and operates at a net energy loss.

a Multi scalar interactions. b Stochastic dynamics. a Feedback loops. b Energy loss. Both the practice of yoga and the pain response system met every major definition of a complex adaptive system. Three distinct investigative methods were used to examine the potential of yoga as a complex system of pain management.

All three demonstrated evidence that the practice of yoga for pain is effective and behaves like a complex system. Both pain responses and yoga practice demonstrate complex system behaviors. No metric demonstrated isolated values or a lack of connection.

This suggests an interconnected, complex system. Yoga as pain management fulfills every requisite function to be considered a complex system, and regulates many of the same mechanisms affected by pain responses.

The study of complex systems is necessarily nuanced and multifaceted. There are numerous aspects of complex systems that were not examined due to either a lack of data or expertise.

This includes determining the presence and significance of strange attractors, functional systems models or modules, and detailed statistical analysis. Further examination of this topic by specialists in the field of complex systems is warranted and necessary to verify this study's broad implications.

Further, the practice of yoga is varied and cannot be generalized. Any metrics tracking the effects of yoga are informed by the particular tradition being practiced, the adherence of the practitioner, and the amount of time spent practicing.

These factors make interpolation of the discrete features of yoga problematic. Evidence overviews established the practice of yoga as a viable pain management therapy that shared many of the characteristics of a complex adaptive system.

Network analysis of studies and 1, keywords identified pain responses and yoga-related topics as comparable across numerous metrics, suggesting a strong relationship and interconnected system.

The greatest concentration of highly influential keywords indicate complex systems are the dominant, if indirect, connecting feature across studies, providing further evidence that pain response systems and yoga practice are both complex systems.

Mapping the essential functions of complex adaptive systems onto pain responses and yoga practice demonstrated that both systems met every requirement of operational complex adaptive systems.

It is notable that the functional mapping of yoga demonstrated interactions with nearly every one of the body's systems that pain impacted. Recent reviews have supported the role of yoga as a pain management intervention, but since most research has focused on isolated, usually physical components of yoga rather than systemic mind-body effects, multiple forms of analysis were considered necessary to examine the novel hypothesis of this study These diverse methods all support considering yoga a complex adaptive system that exhibits unique interactions with the pain response system.

Much like the consequences of pain can have pervasive, unpredictable effects on homeostasis, it should be considered that the practice of yoga could likewise have systemic, indirect impacts. This is especially relevant when considering chronic pain, long-term interventions, and quality of life. Designation as a complex adaptive system entails significant changes in how the effects of an intervention are tracked and interpreted.

Complex adaptive systems are emergent phenomenon that cannot be reduced to simple, linear interactions. In regards to research, an understanding of this dynamic could significantly improve study of mind-body therapies like yoga, shifting the attention from the presumed mechanism in isolation to the emergent effect on the total health of the patient.

This nonlinear perspective may address the often-cited unpredictability in yoga research and shift methodologies from short-term metrics to measuring long-term systemic changes. The wide-ranging benefits of yoga for pain management and similarity in function to broader behavioral health interventions suggest a similar approach to other mind-body therapies is warranted.

At the level of direct patient interventions, this study provides an overview of the evidence indicating yoga is a viable option for pain management. Further, yoga may be uniquely suited to treat systemic chronic issues as a result of operating as a holistic rather than discrete intervention.

Another intervention-centric benefit to this may lie in reorienting recommendations by health professionals away from simple calisthenics and focusing on broader multimodal approaches like yoga. Ethical review and approval was not required for this study in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements.

DC: conception or design of the work, drafting the article, critical revision, final approval. ES: data collection, drafting the article, final approval. WB: data analysis, critical revision. RC: design of work, data collection, data analysis, drafting the article, critical revision, final approval.

All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Nachum D, Pain Principles Section 2, Chapter 6. In: Neuroscience online: An electronic textbook for the neurosciences.

Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy. Houston, TX: The University of Texas Medical School at Houston Gupta S, Gautam S, Kumar U, Arora T, Dada R. Potential role of yoga intervention in the management of chronic non-malignant pain.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. doi: PubMed Abstract CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar. Yam MF, Loh YC, Tan CS, Khadijah Adam S, Abdul Manan N, Basir R. General pathways of pain sensation and the major neurotransmitters involved in pain regulation.

Int J Mol Sci. Motilal AJ. Self: realization through vedanta and yoga. Anc Sci Life. PMID: PubMed Abstract Google Scholar.

Lokeswarananda S. Katha Upanishad. The Ramakrishna Mission of Culture, India Thau L, Reddy V, Singh P. Anatomy, central nervous system. In: Statpearls. Treasure island FL : StatPearls Publishing Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.

Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders. Front Psychiatry. Tripathi V, Bharadwaj P. Neuroscience of the yogic theory of consciousness. Neurosci Conscious. Ramanathan AA, Pandit SV. Subrahmanya Sastri and Radha Burnier of the Adyar Library and Research Center, The Theosophical Society, Adyar, Madras 20, India.

Park C, Braun T, Siegel T. Who practices yoga? A systematic review of demographic, health-related, and psychosocial factors associated with yoga practice. J Behav Med.

Groessl EJ, Liu L, Richard EL, Tally SR. Cost-effectiveness of yoga for chronic low back pain in veterans. Med Care. Kachan D, Olano H, Tannenbaum SL, Annane DW, Mehta A, Arheart KL, et al.

Prevalence of mindfulness practices in the US workforce: national health interview survey. Prev Chronic Dis. Hartfiel N, Clarke G, Havenhand J, Phillips C, Edwards RT. Cost-effectiveness of yoga for managing musculoskeletal conditions in the workplace. Occup Med. CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar.

Bali P, Kaur N, Tiwari A, Bammidi S, Podder V, Devi C, et al. Effectiveness of yoga as the public health intervention module in the management of diabetes and diabetes associated dementia in South East Asia: a narrative review. Yi L-J, Tian X, Jin Y-F, Luo M-J, Jiménez-Herrera MF. Effects of yoga on health-related quality, physical health and psychological health in women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ann Palliat Med. Büssing A, Michalsen A, Khalsa SB, Telles S, Sherman KJ. Effects of yoga on mental and physical health: a short summary of reviews. Evidence-Based Complementary Altern Med. Cramer H, Lauche R, Haller H, Dobos G. A systematic review and meta-analysis of yoga for low back pain.

Clin J Pain. Sun W, Zhang H, Lv C, Tang L, Tian S. Comparative efficacy of 12 non-drug interventions on non-specific chronic low back pain in nurses: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil.

Schumann D, Anheyer D, Lauche R, Dobos G, Langhorst J, Cramer H. Effect of yoga in the therapy of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. Meister K, Juckel G. A systematic review of mechanisms of change in body-oriented yoga in Major depressive disorders.

Simon NM, Hofmann SG, Rosenfield D, Hoeppner SS, Hoge EA, Bui E, et al. Efficacy of yoga vs cognitive behavioral therapy vs stress education for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

JAMA Psychiatry. Cramer H, Lauche R, Anheyer D, Pilkington K, de Manincor M, Dobos G, et al. Yoga for anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Depress Anxiety. Panjwani U, Dudani S, Wadhwa M. Sleep, cognition, and yoga. Int J Yoga. Prabhakaran D, Chandrasekaran A, Singh K, Mohan B, Chattopadhyay K, Chadha DS, et al. Yoga-based cardiac rehabilitation after acute myocardial infarction. J Am Coll Cardiol. Thomas RJ, Balady G, Banka G, et al.

Bhagel P, Saha M. Effects of yogic intervention on pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength parameters: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. J Biosci. Thind H, Lantini R, Balletto BL, Donahue ML, Salmoirago-Blotcher E, Bock BC, et al.

The effects of yoga among adults with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Prev Med. Mróz M, Czub M, Brytek-Matera A. Heart rate variability-an index of the efficacy of complementary therapies in irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review.

Briani RV, Ferreira AS, Pazzinatto MF, Pappas E, De Oliveira Silva D, de Azevedo FM. What interventions can improve quality of life or psychosocial factors of individuals with knee osteoarthritis?

A systematic review with meta-analysis of primary outcomes from randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med. Jiang T, Hou J, Sun R, Dai L, Wang W, Wu H, et al. Ann Behav Med. Uddin Z, Woznowski-Vu A, Flegg D, Aternali A, Wideman TH. A cumulative impact of psychological and sensitization risk factors on pain-related outcomes.

Pain Pract. Bar-Yam Y. In: Kiel LD, editor. Knowledge Management, Organizational Intelligence and Learning, and Complexity - Volume I. Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems EOLSS Thomas-Vaslin V. Understanding and modelling the complexity of the immune system: systems biology for integration and dynamical reconstruction of lymphocyte multi-scale dynamics.

Rej A. A dynamical similarity approach to the foundations of complexity and coordination in multiscale systems. Castle R. Factors for identifying non-anthropic conscious systems. Cosm Hist. Google Scholar. Pokrovskii VN. Thermodynamics of complex systems; principles and applications.

In Thermodynamics of Complex Systems. Moscow, Russia: Russian Academy of Sciences Ahmed E, Elgazzar AS, Hegazi AS. An overview of complex adaptive systems. Baker S. Kuziemsky C. Decision-making in healthcare as a complex adaptive system.

Gomersall T. Complex adaptive systems: a new approach for understanding health practices. Health Psychol Rev. Özkan S, Zale EL, Ring D, Vranceanu A-M. The appropriate poses can relax and strengthen your body. Practicing yoga for even a few minutes a day can help you gain more awareness of your body.

You can use this awareness to bring yourself into balance and alignment. This gentle, accessible backbend stretches and mobilizes the spine.

Practicing this pose also stretches your torso, shoulders, and neck. This traditional forward bend can be restful and rejuvenating. Practicing this pose can help relieve back pain and sciatica.

It helps to work out imbalances in the body and improves strength. This classic standing posture may help alleviate backache, sciatica, and neck pain. It stretches your spine, hips, and groin, and strengthens your shoulders, chest, and legs.

It may also help relieve stress and anxiety. This gentle backbend strengthens your spine and buttocks. It stretches your chest, shoulders, and abdomen. It may also help relieve stress. This gentle backbend stretches your abdomen, chest, and shoulders. Practicing this pose strengthens your spine and may soothe sciatica.

It may also help to relieve stress and fatigue that can accompany back pain. This gentle backbend may help relieve lower back pain and fatigue. It strengthens the back torso, arms, and legs.

This is a backbend and inversion that can be stimulating or restorative. It stretches the spine and it may relieve backaches and headaches.

This twisting pose energizes your spine and helps to relieve backache. It stretches your hips, shoulders, and neck. This pose can help alleviate fatigue and stimulate your internal organs. This restorative twist promotes movement and mobility in the spine and back.

It stretches your spine, back, and shoulders. Practicing this pose can help relieve pain and stiffness in your back and hips. This gentle forward fold is the perfect way to relax and release tension in your neck and back. Your spine is lengthened and stretched.

Practicing this pose can help relieve stress and fatigue. One small study from assessed the effects of either yoga practice or physical therapy over the course of one year. The participants had chronic back pain and showed similar improvement in pain and activity limitation.

Both groups were less likely to use pain medications after three months. From dynamic presenter programs and workshops to virtual healing arts offerings, explore all Kripalu has to offer you in the comfort of your home.

Kripalu experts and visiting faculty share their views on yoga, health and wellness, nutrition, relationships, creativity, and spirituality. Explore upcoming programs led by Kripalu faculty and expert presenters on topics ranging from yoga to societal and personal transformation.

Do you suffer from back pain or neck pain? Most pain is foundational, resulting from imbalances in a musculoskeletal system that is not aligned. Join expert yoga therapist and instructor, Lee Albert , and explore an effective way to deal with these conditions through yoga.

L earn how to use yoga and neuromuscular techniques to align the body by identifying muscle imbalances that cause many painful conditions.

By selecting the proper poses to stretch or strengthen targeted muscles, the body will start to come back into balance and out of pain. This program is suitable for all levels. Lee Albert, NMT, creator of Integrated Positional Therapy, is an author and a neuromuscular therapist and yoga instructor trained in orthopedic massage, positional therapy, and yoga therapy.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR VISIT. VIEW COVID SAFETY PROTOCOLS. Need help? Call Us: Give Now Kripalu is a c 3 nonprofit. Donate Now. Learn More. How to Give to Kripalu Explore the different ways to support Kripalu. Ways to Give. About Us For more than 50 years, Kripalu has been a leader in yoga- and mindfulness-based education.

Patients with chronic pain are often intimidated to walk into a yoga studio. They can even be hesitant to try a beginner class. The patients who were part of the HealthPartners Institute study, however, had access to yoga classes that were specially created for them.

Traditional poses were altered so everyone could take part. And they focused on breathing exercises and meditation, too. Throughout the study, patients used a log to record what exercises they did.

They jotted down how the poses made them feel, as well as the overall daily pain level they felt. Now, researchers are analyzing the feedback to come to a conclusion about just how effective the yoga was in treating and relieving pain. And I am sure it will continue.

Hall says plans are in the works to continue group yoga classes for patients who are seen in the HealthPartners Pain Management Clinic at our Neuroscience Center. And Jenny says she recommends other people who are suffering from pain give adapted yoga classes a try, too.

TRIA has a variety of yoga options available , including chair yoga. Patients, as well as community members who are not patients, can take these classes for a small fee.

Given its history, several types of yoga have developed The most popular form practiced in the United States is hatha yoga — of which there are numerous variations. Yoga can help people with arthritis, fibromyalgia , migraine, low back pain, and many other types of chronic pain conditions.

A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that among people with chronic low back pain, a weekly yoga class increased mobility more than standard medical care for the condition. Another study published at nearly the same time found that yoga was comparable to standard exercise therapy in relieving chronic low back pain.

A meta-analysis of 17 studies that included more than 1, participants concluded that yoga can improve daily function among people with fibromyalgia osteoporosis-related curvature of the spine.

Practicing yoga also improved mood and psychosocial well-being. Yoga sessions typically last from 45 to 90 minutes. But you can also benefit from practicing yoga at home for 10 to 20 minutes a few times a week. Video recordings with yoga instruction are widely available. A session generally begins with breathing exercises to relax the body and help free the mind of worries and distractions.

Breathing deeply through the nose is a vital component of yoga. The session then proceeds through a series of seated, standing, and prone yoga postures. These postures are known as asanas.

Some asanas are held for a few seconds to a few minutes. Holding the body correctly in the various postures and breathing into them to stretch farther is important. But don't push your body farther than it wishes to go. And stop if you feel any pain. The sessions typically end with breathing and meditation.

Asanas can be modified to accommodate your strength and experience, as well as any health conditions. People with multiple sclerosis, for instance, can do yoga on a chair rather than the floor, as is traditional.

Be sure to tell your instructor about any limiting health problems. That way, he or she can warn you against certain positions that may aggravate your pain and instruct you in appropriate modifications. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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