I just read the one about swimming and it sounds great!! I was wondering if water aerobics would have the same effect. Have any of you ever tried yoga? I am doing that now but because of the holidays we are taking some time off. I find that after a day of doing yoga I "sleep like a baby" that night. Let me know what you think?
Thanks

Hi Geri,

I attended a yoga class twice a week for a while years ago. In the beginning, it seemed like just a way to unwind and meet some new folks. At some point I found it somehow opened me up emotionally and let some uncomfortable emotions come up (discontent, sadness, anger, etc.) That's not a bad thing if that's the goal, but I stopped the Yoga because I wasn't doing it with the intention of dragging out all the emotion that arose after each practice. I guess at the time I was more interested in a little soothing comfort than opening a can of worms. About a year later, I heard the Yoga instructor was experiencing full blown panic symptoms on a regular basis. Think about that! I sure did. But hey, if it works for you, then that�s what matters. On the other hand, if you find your self becoming emotionally uncomfortable with it, then at least you have some idea that others like me have experienced that too.

Anyway, as you may know, I eventually stumbled into a YMCA pool and discovered the benefits of swimming (flopping around under water) and now I endeavor to Get Into the Water and Out of Anxiety-Panic-Depression!

I've done water aerobics, but only as a fun way to socialize in ADDITION to swimming. Water aerobics wasn�t effective because the key to getting ALL the benefits in the pool is simply making sure to exhale with the head in the water: Blowing the air out against the force of the water is the key; that�s why no other activity will provide the kind of help swimming will for anxiety-panic-depression.

If you really love the water aerobics, then try asking the instructor to at least consider including some time for jumping jacks into the water: Inhale on the jump up, and exhale under water on the jump down! You may want to consider doing this on your own as a warm up, or cool down. If a pool weren�t deep enough, then I'd consider just bending my knees. Also, I'd consider just throwing in a light flop (lap) across the pool at the beginning or end of a class. I've found even that tiny amount really helps!

It doesn�t have to be perfect to work!

~ Dolphin

[This message has been edited by Dolphin (edited 12-26-2001).]

Thanks for your response. The yoga instructor is good but the one thing that I don't like about it is that she only does one thing once and then moves on to something else. Facial massages for example--she only did them once in the class and I thought this would be something she would do every class and I was wrong. I did ask her one day to show the excises to me which she did so I do do them on my own. I will also try the jumping jacks in the water-------sounds like fun. I am going to stick with the yoga for a while and see what happens.

I do yoga at my gym at least 3 times a week and I feel so mcuh better after each class. I don't know the names of the different styles, but I do know that I have been to classes that are at least three different styles. Once was a lot of chanting and weird poses and meditation- I did not like that one. it freaked me out! The second was very VERY relaxing, breathing and very little physical exertion. Excellent for relaxing after an anxious or panic-y day. The third, and the one that I attend regularly, is a mixture of the breathing/relaxing, and poses that work the body majorly! I feel sore today after a class last night, but the feeling that i got while in the class, and all night afterwords, was the best feeling! I can't explain it, but it is like I feel healthy and emotionally sound- no anxiety, no panic tendencies, no scary thoughts. I feel like myself. I love yoga and am so glad that I discovered it. I THINK the style that I like is called kundalay (probably wrong spelling!). I highly recommend everyone at least try to find a yoga studio and take a free introductory class. Most studios offer them, and if not, the YWCA or YMCA offers classes for $2-$5. Give it a shot!!