College of Communication junior Nina DiMaggio said she often rolls out her yoga mat and practices a few poses at night before studying.
“This really helps to focus my mind and release the stress from the day, and then I’m much more productive with my work,” DiMaggio said.
A number of Boston University students said they practice yoga as a physical activity and as a source of meditation and stress relief.
Chetanya Pandya, a founder of the Holistic Yoga Club, said the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of yoga work together toward relieving stress.
“One misconception is that yoga is just a bunch of physical exercises,” Pandya, a fourth-year graduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering, said. “The mental and spiritual exercises are more important for mental and physical well-being.”
The Holistic Yoga Club focuses on poses as well as breathing exercises and meditation, said CAS sophomore Ashley Jones, vice president of the club.
A study published in Medical Hypotheses in early March, led by School of Medicine associate professor Chris Streeter, suggested yoga could be an effective treatment for patients with stress-related conditions.
Stress exacerbates many chronic diseases, Streeter said.
“Yoga, by decreasing stress, has a beneficial effect on a number of diseases such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, hypertension and cardiac disease,” she said in an email interview.
DiMaggio said she uses yoga to relieve stress, though she never considered its potential impact on diseases and health issues such as heart problems.
“I definitely practice yoga to relieve stress, but I’ve never considered that it could lower the likelihood of diseases and health issues such as heart problems,” DiMaggio said. “That’s an even greater incentive for me to practice yoga now that I know there are such amazing health benefits.”
Jones said the club members meditate for the last 15 minutes or so, which is meant to help members relax.
“I’ve even seen people fall asleep during this pose, which is called shavasana,” Jones said. “This is probably what helps the most with stress relief.”
Hatha yoga focuses on relaxation practices, Jones said.
“It is supposed to be practiced slowly and calmly at an individual’s own level, with no competition,” she said.
DiMaggio, who takes yoga classes at Back Bay Yoga and its sister school Sweat and Soul in Allston, said she enjoys the exercises more when instructors focus on spiritual aspects such as meditation and mantras.
“I’ll walk out of class feeling relaxed and balanced,” DiMaggio said.
When Pandya began to practice yoga seriously, he said he found meditation not only improved his studies, but it made him a more focused individual in general.
“All three aspects are equally important – mental, spiritual and physical,” he said. “Yoga is a way of living, not just an exercise, though.”
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