Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels
This study aimed to examine students' experiences with yoga interventions in school. The findings revealed that practicing yoga made young people more aware of their need to relax and positively impacted their mental health and wellbeing. We explored the emphasis on relaxation among our study p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1083028/full |
| _version_ | 1797825462761684992 |
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| author | Ingunn Hagen Solbjørg Skjelstad Usha Sidana Nayar |
| author_facet | Ingunn Hagen Solbjørg Skjelstad Usha Sidana Nayar |
| author_sort | Ingunn Hagen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to examine students' experiences with yoga interventions in school. The findings revealed that practicing yoga made young people more aware of their need to relax and positively impacted their mental health and wellbeing. We explored the emphasis on relaxation among our study participants and how relaxation is related to other aspects, such as their experience of stress and sleep habits. This article is based on qualitative data gathered from teenagers in Norway who participated in the Norwegian part of the European research project “Hippocampus: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing among Young People through Yoga.” The project introduced yoga to young people in schools with an emphasis on those who were disadvantaged, including those with mental health issues and other challenges related to their background. Data were collected from nine individual, semi-structured interviews and 133 logs collected in the spring of 2019.1 The major themes identified through the interviews and log material included becoming more relaxed and aware of the need to unwind. Thus, the focus on relaxation is based on the importance of the participants assigned to this theme. The study results suggest that yoga enhanced the students' awareness and skills and empowered them to make healthier lifestyle choices.2 We viewed the importance of relaxation from a salutogenic perspective, focusing on the factors that contribute to good health in contrast to a pathogenic perspective, where curing diseases is the goal. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:54:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-763c07dba5a44ed3905a5f6293506cd9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:54:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-763c07dba5a44ed3905a5f6293506cd92023-05-17T05:34:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-05-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.10830281083028Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levelsIngunn Hagen0Solbjørg Skjelstad1Usha Sidana Nayar2Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, NorwayStabilisati Counseling Service, Psychological Counseling, Yoga and Meditation Guidance, Levanger, NorwayDepartment of Psychology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, IndiaThis study aimed to examine students' experiences with yoga interventions in school. The findings revealed that practicing yoga made young people more aware of their need to relax and positively impacted their mental health and wellbeing. We explored the emphasis on relaxation among our study participants and how relaxation is related to other aspects, such as their experience of stress and sleep habits. This article is based on qualitative data gathered from teenagers in Norway who participated in the Norwegian part of the European research project “Hippocampus: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing among Young People through Yoga.” The project introduced yoga to young people in schools with an emphasis on those who were disadvantaged, including those with mental health issues and other challenges related to their background. Data were collected from nine individual, semi-structured interviews and 133 logs collected in the spring of 2019.1 The major themes identified through the interviews and log material included becoming more relaxed and aware of the need to unwind. Thus, the focus on relaxation is based on the importance of the participants assigned to this theme. The study results suggest that yoga enhanced the students' awareness and skills and empowered them to make healthier lifestyle choices.2 We viewed the importance of relaxation from a salutogenic perspective, focusing on the factors that contribute to good health in contrast to a pathogenic perspective, where curing diseases is the goal.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1083028/fullyogic relaxationyoga in schoolyoung peoplemental health and wellbeingyoga for stressyoga and sleep |
| spellingShingle | Ingunn Hagen Solbjørg Skjelstad Usha Sidana Nayar Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels Frontiers in Psychology yogic relaxation yoga in school young people mental health and wellbeing yoga for stress yoga and sleep |
| title | Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels |
| title_full | Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels |
| title_fullStr | Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels |
| title_short | Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels |
| title_sort | promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools the impact of yoga on young people s relaxation and stress levels |
| topic | yogic relaxation yoga in school young people mental health and wellbeing yoga for stress yoga and sleep |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1083028/full |
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