Felecia FDNY poseExercise, including yoga, has been proven to reduce stress, but yoga specifically has been proven to reduce symptoms of PTSD. This is because yoga “encouraged mindfulness, which fortifies the body-brain connections and helps rebuild senses of control and safety after a traumatic experience,” an article on yoga and PTSD reports.
An ongoing study by Harvard Medical School of those suffering from PTSD shows that more than half of participants saw reduced symptoms as a result of practicing yoga. The same article from above also states that although yoga is not the cure-all, “it has already become an important part of the toolkit used to treat PTSD effectively and efficiently.”
Yoga has a long laundry list of benefits, not just for those suffering from PTSD. Here are 38 from Yoga Journal to get you started.
Yoga is one part of the toolkit you will find here at Friends of Firefighters for active and retired FDNY firefighters and your family members. Classes are free, all levels are welcome, and mats are provided.
Yoga with Felecia in Staten Island: Wednesdays, 10:15AM at Limitless Fitness Studios at 81 New Dorp Plaza North
Yoga with Cecilia in Rockaway Park: Thursdays, 7:30PM at Mrs. Elaine’s Dance Studio at 181 Beach 116th Street