As a student athlete with a demanding schedule, finding time for myself is often a hard task. Recently, I have taken on yoga as a way to restore my physical and mental body.

At first, I was very skeptical, but after around a month of practicing, I have started to feel and see results. I have noticed that my anxiety has lessened and my ability to ground myself and restore my breath has gotten easier. I have also noticed my nightly tossing and turning has started to slowly diminish, and falling asleep has gotten easier.

One of my favorite parts of starting yoga was experiencing all the different types that the studio has to offer.

Over my month of practice, I have participated in hot, yin, strength, and restorative yoga. Each practice has its own benefits, and each one I love for a different reason.

Restorative yoga was my favorite out of the four. The class was held in a dark studio and required the use of a blanket, two blocks, a small boulder, a large boulder, and a weighted eye mask.

Restorative yoga is designed to restore the body’s nervous system and to help with relaxation. This class was far different than the typical class, focusing on breath-work.

The first time I practiced restorative, I fell asleep and I left feeling so light and relaxed. That experience showed me how important it is to rest and heal the body. Before starting my yoga practice, I rarely allowed myself time to unwind, and after that experience, I realized how much my body needed it.

Beyond relaxation, yoga has helped me become more in tune with my body. I have learned to recognize when I am holding tension or letting my brain wander. I also noticed an improvement in how I handle my stress and anxiety levels in sports or at school, and it has given me another outlet outside of those two areas.

Moving forward in my journey with yoga, I am excited to branch out and try different forms, possibly even aerial. I want to get more comfortable being uncomfortable.

I look forward to seeing where my yoga practice will continue to take me.

For those who struggle with the demands of school, sports, or everyday stress, I highly recommend giving yoga a try. You can join a nearby studio or follow an at-home tutorial.