PHYSICAL CAUSES We all have experienced common bouts of fatigue as a normal response to over-exertion, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep.This common experience of low energy and/or motivation can usually be alleviated through proper rest, exercise, stress reduction and nutrition. Yoga is an especially effective treatment for fatigue as it combines movement, rest and stress reduction with the cultivation of prana (life force energy) and the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and renew response). The remedy for some cases of fatigue can be quite obvious, while other types of fatigue will require much more self-observation and self-inquiry to find the proper mode of treatment. Yoga is an optimal healing modality for fatigue not only because it addresses the physical, emotional and energetic causes of fatigue, but also because it fosters and facilitates the self-observation and self-inquiry required to understand the roots of this disharmony.
Physical Causes While the physical causes of fatigue are the most obvious, they are also the least common. A lack of sleep will certainly cause fatigue, and while getting more sleep is the obvious solution, yoga can also help. Yoga is not a substitute for sleep, but yoga’s calming and regulating effects can help you get a longer and deeper night’s rest. A deep sense of rest can also be experienced from extended holdings of restorative poses, such as child, supine bound angle, knee down twist, and shavasana. Physical over-exertion can deplete the body’s energy and cause muscle fatigue. Gentle yoga poses will help to regulate, nourish and replenish the energy and muscles of the body. The restorative poses mentioned above will also provide rest and renewal to these centers. The poor circulation of blood, oxygen and nutrients can also create fatigue. Yoga’s whole body movements and stretches increase the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients through the body, helping the cells of the body to access the proper materials for producing energy. Flowing movements and sequences, such as the sun salutations, as well as inversions will be the most effective in improving circulation. A nutritionally poor diet can also be the blame of physical fatigue. A yogic diet of simple, fresh, and organic foods will allow the body to easily digest and assimilate all of the proper nutrients that the body needs to produce energy. Overeating should be avoided as this can overtax the digestive system, reducing its ability to assimilate nutrients, making one feel heavy and sluggish.
