Written by: Caitlin Vandiver

Breathe in…breathe out,” Elizabethtown College yoga instructor Gayle Gearhart says as she demonstrates the warm-up exercises using sweeping arm movements with feet set wide apart on the mat.

Students follow along in synchrony by slowly moving their arms from side to side and then into an arc above their heads.

After several minutes of waving the arms and then pushing the air into a press on each side, Gearhart moves into balance and strength poses to tone the muscles.

PE100 Yoga & Pilates is a bi-weekly class offered in the spring semester with sessions held in the Royer Residence Hall basement.

The majority of the students are seniors who take the class as a way to simultaneously fill up their schedules and manage stress.

The practice of yoga started in northern India over 5,000 years ago by Vedic priests known as Brahmans.

According to the New York Times, they used yoga as a form of spiritual development to train the body and mind to self-observe and to become aware of their own purposes.

Now, individuals practice yoga for more of the physical and mental health benefits in a fast-paced and deadline-controlled world.

“I was looking for a workout that incorporated stretching and strength training,” Gayle Gearhart answered as to how she discovered yoga.

Gearhart is a physical education professor who teaches PE100 Yoga & Pilates along with PE120 Aerobics.

In addition to increasing strength and flexibility, The Yoga Journal lists a number of other physical health benefits, such as improving posture, preventing joint breakdown, increasing blood flow, bettering bone health, dropping blood pressure and boosting the immune system.

Most importantly, yoga helps the body to de-stress.

Cortisol is a hormone released in reaction to a stressful event. According to the Journal of Psychoneuroendocrinology, practicing yoga reduces the release of cortisol and therefore decreases stress.

Yoga helps relieve stress by controlling the stress-inducing pathways, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA Axis) and sympathetic nervous systems.

These pathways are responsible for the release of cortisol that heightens stress levels.

Yoga shifts the balance from the sympathetic nervous system, or the fight-or-flight response, to the parasympathetic nervous system that is calming and restorative. Lowering blood pressure and resting heart rate also allow for peace of mind.

“[Yoga] gives me a chance to focus on my physical well-being and escape the stressors of being a student. Sometimes I feel like I could just fall asleep in a favorite pose,” said Alexandra Charnigo a senior.

Charnigo took yoga classes in the past and sometimes practices on her own for further stretching and relaxation.

There are also many mental health benefits. These include improving focus and mood, decreasing feelings of anxiety, depression, frustration, regret, fear, and anger and increasing self-esteem. Senior Mary Kondash finds the practice to be a great way to relieve stress.

“It’s an hour that I don’t have to worry about anything but relaxing . . . the ability to not have to worry about the outside world is the most relaxing part,” Kondash said.

Gearhart relishes the calming effects of yoga.

“I can never get enough of it…our lives are so accustomed to the go, go lifestyle that it does take some discipline to fully receive the benefits that yoga provides in regards to stress relief,” she said.

Gearhart has been teaching yoga for 10 years.

With a slew of health benefits, it is no wonder that the practice continues to be popular.

“The popularity and the interest in yoga in the United States has really taken off in recent years, and there has been an increased acknowledgement of the benefits for both mental and physical health,” assistant professor of psychology Dr. Elizabeth Dalton said.

A 2016 survey conducted by Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal found that 36.7 million people in the U.S. practice yoga.

There are many reasons why individuals start yoga. Some practice for the physical health benefits, while others focus on mindfulness and stress relief.

Senior Erich Holtzer took yoga for the positive effects on strength training, while seniors Grace Troyer, Liz DiBiase and Jess Mauro mainly signed up to decrease emotional and physical stress.

Yoga is especially beneficial for students juggling the rigors of classes, extracurricular activities, jobs, internships and a social life.

According to Forbes magazine, more schools are adding yoga as a part of their curriculum, since it helps students learn how to center themselves and remain calm.

The structure of the typical PE 100 yoga class starts with slow warm-up movements to ease the muscles into action. Then, the instructor moves on to standing strength and balance moves.

For instance, Tree Pose involves standing on one leg with the other foot resting on the inner thigh with the hands held as if in prayer. This pose helps increase focus and improves mental clarity.

Stretching poses follow balance moves and work the muscles. The Warrior poses are essential for building stamina while stretching the hips and thighs and strengthening the entire lower body and core.

Warrior 1 is a gentle backbend that stretches the front of the body while strengthening the legs, hips, core and upper body.

On the other hand, Warrior 2 pose is an external hip opener and opens up the inner thighs and groin.

Core poses then amp up the intensity. Poses such as the Plank and the Three-Legged Downward Facing Dog strengthen the abdominals and are held for several seconds at a time to build muscle.

To calm the body down, the class ends with relaxation. This is when students can angle their bodies in a way that is comfortable to them and helps them meditate.

Some drag their mat along the floor and prop their legs against a wall to increase blood flow, while others lay in Corpse pose, which looks just like it sounds.

This is when students take the time to meditate and focus inward.

“This is your time,” says Gearhart to the class.

After several minutes of peaceful meditation, students take a collective deep breath and then class dismisses.

Students in the PE 100 class said that they would definitely practice more yoga in the future.

They want to continue improving their physical and mental health while practicing stress management.

“I have started doing some of the poses outside of class to work out/stretch and I plan to continue,” DiBiase said.

“I’ll always do yoga,” Charnigo exclaimed.

Now, take a deep breath in…and out.

Namaste.