The Mental Yoga of Driving: 10 Tips For A Stress-Free Ride
A lot of us need to use a car for various reasons – commuting to work, visiting relatives or getting supplies from a store. The problem is, as roads get more congested, tensions can rise along with our blood pressure. In this article, Scott Pine looks at 10 ways you can use Yoga to make your car journey much more relaxed.
Driving can be one of the tasks which demand a lot from an individual. However, with the right guidelines, it is quite simple to gain composure over stress while still in the driving seat.
If you’re a regular commuter, have to drive a long distance to see relatives or even just popping to the shops once a week, most of us will come across situations in our car that make us see red from time to time. It’s all too easy for other people’s actions to cause you to raise your middle finger to someone and call them all sorts of names, but with yoga, it is possible to elevate your mind and be mindful when you are driving. With yoga, it is possible to transform every traffic nightmare into a joyful experience.
Here are ten tips that can help you make this possible:
1. Get Rid of Interruptions
This is close to the withdrawing of senses. By getting rid of your interruptions, you get to be alert to your environment. Pay attention to the road only and place your phone somewhere it cannot distract you like the back seat or the glove compartment. If it is essential to make a call or text, pull over before doing so.
2. Uniform Breathing
Pay attention to your breathing while driving. This may not seem crucial but if you are not aware, how you breathe is a mirror that reflects what is on your mind. To master this, breathe in a relaxed manner, you will find out that you are calm and alert while driving. This is one of the techniques used to perform yoga while driving.
3. Be Loving
Every being should be treated with compassion and love according to the teachings of yoga. As we’re driving, we get to interact with other road users, who are human beings of course, and deserve our love and compassion.
Just like the way you show your friend respect, you need to do the same for other drivers. In doing so, you get to apply the principles of yoga to reduce mental stress of the driver.
4. Practice Yoga to Reduce Stress Before Driving
Just before you board your vehicle, take about 2 to 3 minutes to stand in the mountain pose. As you close your eyes and breathe, spend a few moments by moving through the cat or cow pose. This yoga technique will help you to be centered so that your alertness can be heightened.
5. Have an Objective
Most yoga practices have the main intention, and it is to redirect interruptions and anger towards a positive entity. An example is for you to be a driver with no ill intentions towards motorists especially while driving. If driving indeed is a cause for you to be stressed, ensure that you remain calm and set loose the wrong intentions.
6. Pay Attention to Your Body
Your body, according to research in stress and yoga, proves that it manifests your emotions. An example can be when you’re in traffic, and you are late to your destination. Anger or stress can build up, and here the connection between the mind and body will be evident as your body reacts to your mental state.
How can you tell? Check your shoulders while holding the steering wheel. If they are close to your ears, it means that you are tensed that is why you need to draw them away from your ears so that you can get to relax.
7. Side Extend
This is a method designed to keep your spine healthy. All you need to do is keep both hands on the wheel, inhale and exhale deeply and slowly. To extend your spine, lean on one side and just by doing this stunt, you will be a driver who is both calm and alert.
8. Sit Up Straight
This is a question which many people ask: how does yoga help with stress while driving? Be vigilant with your posture as you drive. Don’t lean forward because if you do, there are high chances where your breathing is shortened.
When you are in traffic, ensure that you are seated in an upright posture in a way you can easily take long and deep breathes without straining yourself. With this, you can use yoga to reduce stress.
9. The Twisting Technique
This is one of the methods used in mental yoga of driving. Especially when you are changing roads, this is the best time to perform the twist by raising your spine and adjusting to look over your shoulder. Its benefit is that you both get to have a better analysis of your blind spot and extending your back without any stress.
10. Regular Practice of Yoga
All the methods that have been mentioned earlier on are useful and practical. If you practice yoga each day, then there is a chance that it might come naturally for yoga to reduce stress and anxiety. Therefore, keep in mind always that practice makes perfect.
Conclusion
Have you ever experienced tension while driving? The tips highlighted here will be of great benefit to you in such cases. Research has proven that having a relaxed mind helps you to be aware of your surroundings as you drive and also reduces the chances of accidents to occur. Also, having the best dash cam gives you the peace of mind that no matter what happens on the road, you have evidence to defend yourself.
What do you think are the major sources of stress for drivers? We’d like to hear from you, comment below.
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