Practiced in ancient India since time immemorial, yoga has been gaining traction worldwide again in the last few decades. The word yoga means to unify in Sanskrit. And just as the name signifies, yoga aims to unify the body, mind, and soul to help an individual become whole.
Several pieces of research have been done on the benefits of yoga, and all studies unanimously accept the many positive health impacts of yoga on our day-to-day life.
There are different techniques of yoga with different health benefits, but mostly three methods are combined in regular yoga, namely – Asanas (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques), and Dhyana (meditation and relaxation methods). All these methods include various exercises and body movements designed for specific purposes.
The wide variety of movements, from slow and easy to physically demanding, in different kinds of yoga is especially beneficial for people with restricted mobility, including cancer survivors and patients.
Today, we will dive deep into the effects of yoga on cancer patients.
Studies have shown the many benefits of yoga for cancer patients, from psychological and emotional to physical ones. This is in alignment with several other therapeutic methods that provide relief to patients recovering from cancer.
Here's how yoga can help people with cancer both physically and mentally.
Prolonged therapies such as radiation and chemo, surgeries, and cancer symptoms can compromise physical movements in cancer patients, leaving them bedridden and weak. In such situations, yoga can help cancer patients by:
Helping manage pain – When used with pain management medications and other therapies, yoga can effectively help in controlling and managing pain.
Fighting tiredness and reducing insomnia – Most cancer patients complain of extreme fatigue, and studies show how yoga can significantly help improve tiredness in people living with cancer. One of the main reasons for tiredness is insomnia, and yoga helps reduce insomnia, thereby enhancing energy levels in cancer patients.
Increasing appetite – Loss of appetite is a common side effect of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy. However, yoga during chemotherapy can assist in increasing the appetite.
A cancer diagnosis comes with a lot of emotional distress as well. Yoga is one of the proven ways of taking care of the mental health of people living with cancer. Here are how yoga benefits cancer patients in staying mentally healthy:
Helps with stress and anxiety - Several studies have shown how breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation and relaxation (dhyana) help in reducing stress and anxiety in cancer patients.
Improve emotional health - Yoga calms the mind and relaxes the body, thus helping improve emotional well-being in cancer patients.
Related Article: How Cancer Patients Can Manage Depression and Anxiety
Do note that yoga is an alternative therapy for coping with cancer symptoms and the physical and mental repercussions associated with cancer treatments. It does not ‘treat’ or ‘cure’ cancer.
Although there have been many research studies that prove the immense benefits of yoga for people living with cancer, it is important to consult your doctor before you start. However, there are certain yoga poses that can strain your muscles and exert pressure on your joints.
A few basic yoga poses you can try are:
This pose is easy and has therapeutic effects on mental health. It helps with digestion, insomnia, depression, anxiety, breathing problems, migraine, and many more.
Lie down flat on your back close to a wall and put your legs up the wall. Make sure your buttocks touch the wall.
Use a pillow or a mattress below your hip so that your buttocks are a little higher than your head and shoulders.
Spread your arms to your side and stay like this for about five minutes, then slowly increase the duration over days to 20 minutes.
This pose relaxes the mind and body and helps relieve stress, anxiety, and depression.
Stand with your back straight, shoulders back, and feet together.
Slowly bring one foot to rest on the inner thighs of the other leg.
Bring the palms of your hands together in a ‘Namaste’ pose and stretch the arms over your head.
Repeat with the other foot on the inner thighs of the other leg.
This pose improves cardiovascular health and relieves mental health issues such as stress and anxiety.
Sit comfortably with your legs folded and keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
Close your eyes and use your thumb to close one nostril and breathe in deeply with the other nostril.
Use your index finger to close the nostril you breathed in through and breathe out the other nostril.
Breath in from the same nostril you breathed out from.
Repeat this breathing cycle till you feel comfortable.
These yoga poses can prove beneficial in cancer treatment and recovery, but we recommend consulting an expert yoga trainer and your doctor before starting any such activity.
Also Read: How Can You Benefit from Exercise During Cancer Treatment?
Whether you need a cancer diagnosis, or a cancer treatment and recovery plan, our team of professional oncologists and therapists at Chesapeake Oncology and Hematology Associates can help you with anything. You can contact us for information on different methods of coping with cancer symptoms and the side effects of treatments, including yoga. We strive to help you manage your cancer while offering world-class cancer treatment.
