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Originally Posted by Anika.
I do yoga a lot. I started over a year ago. When I started I was on 6 meds and quite the zombie. About 6months in I was no longer on any meds. I have stayed off medications and have not had any episodes either. I have had a few hard times but mostly pertaing to stress or physical health problem, which seems like a normal response.
I do hot yoga, my aim is usually for 5 days a week, 90 minutes a day. I was going daily and never felt better than I did at that time. Now I have been having a hard time going as much because of health problems, and my mood is slipping. Soo that tells me I really need to get back to practicing more again. Before yoga I was a pretty big mess most of the time. Bad mania that would lasts for monthes with psychosis, pretty dysphoric, anxiety, depression, low self esteem and self worth. Yoga has helped change my entire life, that is for sure!! 
It is such a wonderful thing. I am glad you like it and are also receiving benefits. I have not been manic so I am not sure how that would play out. I have felt a bit hypo at times. I think going to the studio tho helped me maintain my focus, soak up the calming energy from others there and keeps me even.
Are you doing yoga at home, or at a studio? If at home maybe a studio would be an option especially when you are hypo/manic? |
I do it at home. I have never been to a class, although I would LOVE to. I live in a small town type of place and there aren't any that are locally available to me. If there were I would go for sure.
I use a DVD and have have several books. I read and taught myself the poses which was very difficult at first because I really needed a live instructor to make sure I was doing things correctly. The DVD helpd that some bc I could mimic what I saw. Then it started coming together with practice. I could feel the difference between doing the poses correctly and incorrectly.
I know that I can still use guidance. And I am not very advanced at all.
Hot yoga sounds fun. I would really enjoy the feeling of warmth and heat and a more challenging routine.
Mostly I do yoga that is targeted to anxiety which tends to be less strenuous than other types. I get a good workout that tones me, but I would like to work up to a more advanced routine.
I try for 45 min to an hour every day, but I allow myself to miss a day here and there if I just can't fit it in. I don't like to miss it though. It helps me so much. Much more than any medications I have taken before. I really notice when I miss. I can feel my muscles becoming tense and I notice myself clenching my jaw and forgetting to breathe. If I had the time to do it twice a day I think I would love to immerse myself in it even more than I do now.
I'm glad it helps you too. I hope that you get back into a good routine so that you can get your good mood back. I find that if I slack off for more than a few days I will get into a "lazy rut" and it will be EXTREMLY hard for me to get the discipline and motivation back to return to my consistent schedule. Maybe this post will give you the extra little mental boost you need to get back with it.
Good luck!
Doc