The science is in! Tai Chi is great for stress management and stress reduction.
A recent neurological study began with people who had no meditation experience. Their brains were measured before and after an eight-week meditation regimen.
The post-eight-week brain scans revealed the science behind the stress reduction benefit of tai chi class. They found thickening of gray matter in the parts of the brain responsible for learning, memory, emotional regulation and regulatory neurotransmitter creation, and shrinking of the area of the brain where fear, anxiety, and aggression reside.
What does this mean?
Regular meditation (tai chi, yoga, or meditation) helps you better manage stress.
First, stress management is about your internal reaction to outside stressors. With the increased emotional regulation – a physiological response in your brain to tai chi – you’ll experience better control over your response.
While tai chi classes won’t remove the over-bearing boss in your life, or the busy schedule your family has, it does indeed help you better deal with it.
Tai Chi can reduce stress too!
Secondly, your improved focus, attention span, and memory will improve your ability to avoid creating stressful situations. Improved brain functions can improve work performance, time management, and inter-personal relationships – areas of life where stress can often reside.
Tai Chi classes make you feel better.
Lastly, by experiencing shrinking of the amygdala – where fear, anxiety, and depression reside in the brain – you’ll have an overall improved sense of well-being. By feeling good, you’re better able to react positively to whatever life throws your way. You’ll have more energy, be more active, and participate in more activities that bring you more happiness and joy.
Gaining an overall sense of well-being is often part of a cycle of taking better care of yourself. Feeling good is a great first step in making life changes that make you feel even better. Better eating habits, better lifestyle choices, and more can become yours by taking that first step into a tai chi class.
What makes tai chi a great choice for everyone is its accessibility. Where some may be stuck in a rut of having been too inactive or maybe injured to partake in more rigorous activities, tai chi can be practiced by virtually anyone. It is gentle on joints and focuses on slow steady moves that increase strength and balance while practicing important breathing techniques. Tai Chi truly is moving mediation, all the benefits of meditation as well as increased strength, flexibility, and balance.
If you’re ready to take control over the stress in your life, we recommend you give tai chi at The Peaceful Dragon a try. To help you do just that we are offering a free introductory class and tour, so you can find out if tai chi is a good fit for you. Call today to get started! 704-504-8866
Incredible! I’m impressed by your blog I too will take classes of Tai Chi to channel my stress internally through my body. I think yoga, meditation is the best way to reduce your stress and it is important to channel the stress out of your mind and body as it will harm you if it stays in. Thank you for posting this wonderful blog.