Research shows how yoga can help individuals with special needs improve in various areas such as relaxation, concentration, self-confidence, muscular flexibility and strength, sensory integration, motor planning and body awareness, among others.
Yoga practice can be individualized to suit the individual's needs and ability level.
Families living with a differently-abled individual experience a lot of unique and often challenging situations.
Carers of individuals with special needs often experience stress levels comparable to those of persons with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Families not only have to deal with neurological and developmental concerns. For some, there are coexisting medical conditions that need to be managed as well.
Caring for an individual with special needs is a 24-hour undertaking. There are no weekends, no holidays.
Yoga and mindfulness can help special needs family members deal with the demands of caring for an individual with special needs.
Teaching is a highly demanding job and one where a balanced state of mind is key to achieving effectiveness and maintaining overall health and well-being.
Unmanaged stress has the potential to lead to lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure, heart conditions, obesity, diabetes and other ailments.
Teaching professionals, whether in special education or not, may benefit from yoga and mindfulness by learning tools to address work-related stress.