The Best Styles of Yoga for Healthcare Workers

If you’re a healthcare worker experiencing lots of stress, it’s time to get into yoga. Occupational stress can have huge impacts on healthcare professionals, and a study on the ‘Physical Relaxation for Occupational Stress in Healthcare Workers’ recommends yoga as a great solution to counter any prevalent stress-related issues. The research discovered that yoga is particularly beneficial in relieving stress among healthcare workers because it relaxes the muscles and mind.

While any type of yoga is great for relaxation, certain types of yoga can be more beneficial than others. Here are a few types of yoga that you should try:



Hatha Yoga for Helping Health Professionals

Helping Health Professionals (HHPs) are healthcare workers who promote mental and/or physical health through their advanced training and specific expertise. While they play significant roles in saving the lives of patients, they are among the highest risk occupational groups for compromised mental and physical health. Without proper interventions, HHPs are at a huge risk of suffering from burnout and mental health issues.

Researchers from the University of Calgary highlight that hatha yoga is the most common yoga practice mentioned in studies that have significant benefits for healthcare workers. Practicing this gentler form of yoga can help HHPs manage their stress levels, mental health illnesses, and even musculoskeletal pain.


Virtual Flow Yoga for Telehealth Workers

Virtual services have increased over the past few years, so it’s no surprise that more physicians are pursuing careers in virtual healthcare. With physician burnout rampant throughout the country, telehealth platform Wheel states that lots of physicians now want career opportunities that offer a better work-life balance. Remote work allows medical professionals to cater to diverse treatment areas, while designing a schedule that allows them to make room for rest and relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of modern day healthcare facilities like hospitals.

The good news is that you can extend your schedule’s flexibility to your yoga sessions. After you finish your telehealth sessions, you can join a virtual Flow Yoga class through NuPower Yoga+Barre. This class is designed for mindfulness, and allows you to release your worries and focus on your body.


Yin Yoga for Hospital Workers

Hospital duties are fast-paced, and you may be handling several patients with complex issues during your long workdays. Every second counts in the workplace, so hospital workers may not be able to find enough time to slow down and relax during their duties.

In this case, our article on the ‘8 Yoga Poses to Do Before You Go to Bed’ recommends Yin sequences for you to do at home. Yin yoga slows you down so that you can maximize your rest, thus allowing you to find solace and relaxation in your busy day. Through Yin's gentle poses and breathing exercises, you will find yourself relaxing in no time.


Yogic Sukshma Vyayama for Nurses

It’s not easy being a nurse in a hospital setting, especially if you’re handling emergency cases or lots of patients. Since nurses tend to have heavy workloads, you may experience chronic physical pain, fatigue, and stress after each working day.

To improve your physical and mental health, do Sukshma Vyayama exercises to loosen up your joints and remove any energy blockages within your body. 45-minutes of this yoga practice per day has been found to significantly reduce muscle fatigue and emotional exhaustion that hospital nursing professionals experience on a regular basis. On top of that, it can help with better sleep quality and reducing overall stress and fatigue.


There are many different types of yoga that have a range of different benefits, especially for professionals under a lot of stress. So, which of the yoga practices that we have listed above are you most excited to try?

 

 

Article contributed by,

Resha James

Linda Fenelon