Benefits Of Yoga For Nurses
Updated: May 29, 2019
The benefits of yoga are understood well by yoga practitioners, but for people who have never practiced this therapy, the poses and techniques of yoga are intimidating. If you are a nurse, a nursing student, a nurse practitioner, or CNA, or basically anybody that is working in healthcare dealing with people, you will have stressful shifts. The type of work healthcare practitioners have is rewarding, but very demanding on any given nurses patience. Yoga is known to help with healing the mind, body, and soul, and for nurses these three things are constantly being stretched thing while at work.
Nursing can be mentally draining with the high amount of information overload during each shift. Nurses bodies are worn down with the high demands of seeing multiple patients and being on your feet for long hours. Lastly nurses have long shifts requiring them to be away from family and loved ones. Nurses who learn how to balance work life and their personal life will find that they are able to perform better in each area of their life. Yoga is a way to help nurses find this balance, and here are three reasons why nurses should practice yoga.
#1. Nurses need exercise.
Nurses are people with a very different type of job. While there are jobs where nurses might work a 9 to 5 schedule, most nursing positions require 12 hour shifts. The long shifts are nice because nurses are able to have more days off in a row, but on the days that nurses work, 12 hours will take up the majority of their day, leaving little time for any personal time. Nurses need exercise that is both consistent, and useful.
Yoga is a type of exercise that will fit with nurses schedules, but it is also a form of exercise that nurses can be consistent with, and find that the poses and stretches are good for any day that a nurse works. Nurses that do yoga find that their bodies are more relaxed and energized when at work. Nurses also find that if they have back pain, or other physical pain, yoga is proven to help naturally aid in pain relief.
#2. Nurses need mental clarity.
Nursing is a mentally demanding job. Nurses are working with people during sickness and pain. It is absolutely horrible to think of the mental demands pediatric oncology nurses face when dealing with terminally ill children. Yoga helps teach you how to clear your mind, and remember to have simplicity and clarity in your thoughts.
Yoga can help nurses dealing with the stress of their jobs, but it can also help nurses before they go to work to have a relaxed and peaceful mindset before clocking in. Starting your shift off with a good attitude, and having a good mindset will help get your day going in a good direction. Good yoga guides will help you to prepare your day, and to wind down when your day is finished.
When you have an overworked day, and nurses usually do after every shift, spend a few minutes to yourself to relax, and find clarity through yoga. You will be able to relax and go to sleep with a clear and de-stressed mind.
#3. Nurses need strength.
Not only do nurses have long shifts, there are many times where nurses need to use their strength. Lifting patients, or carrying heavy boxes is a normal daily activity for nurses. While yoga may not seem like it will help your strength as well as hitting the gym would, there is an increase in strength when you practice yoga. Yoga will help you position yourself in a way to increase your core muscles. The way that you strengthen yourself with yoga is a perfect way to help you prevent hurting yourself while on the job.
Getting started with yoga is easy and you do not need much to get going. You do not need an expensive membership, or need to buy a ton of material. Simply watching videos and reading up on different yoga plans for beginners will help you get started, and from there you can build your knowledge and understanding of how yoga will help you in your nursing career and life.
Key Points.
#1. Nurses need exercise.
#2. Nurses need mental clarity.
#3. Nurses need strength.