Yoga

[SOC]

I always to use this yoga exercise for my good health. Yoga is one of the best exercise with can do regular so you can get better result from that.
There is a so many yoga exercise are available for different illness. Its not a heavy exercise so every one can do it.

[my bolding]

I have to disagree on this. Many ME/CFS patients are not able to do yoga, possibly because of POTS or OI symptoms. It may be that only those toward the severe end of the scale are unable, but they're still someone.

That said, I think yoga and tai chi may be some of the best forms of exercise for ME/CFS who are able to do some exercise. When I have more mental energy (not today), I'll have to look into the recumbent-only, and sitting-only forms. From where I am today (noticeably improved from a year ago), I might be able to work up through recumbent, to sitting, to mild yoga, which would be a big benefit, I imagine. :Retro smile:

 

[bee33]

This may have already been posted elsewhere on the forum. A new study found that tai chi can improve fibromyalgia symptoms by as much as 90%. Since many people have both CFS and fibro, it could be a significant finding.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/health/19taichi.html

I've been to tired to call... but there is a Tai Chi center not too far away from me. I'm thinking of giving it a try.

 

[carolwxyz99]

[my bolding]

I have to disagree on this. Many ME/CFS patients are not able to do yoga, possibly because of POTS or OI symptoms. It may be that only those toward the severe end of the scale are unable, but they're still someone.

Nearly everyone who can breath can do yoga. It just depends on what type of yoga. Yes, many people with ME/CFS would struggle in an ordinary yoga class, but yoga can be adapted to suit the activity level. I help with a yoga for ME/CFS group and we do most of the class lying down with no standing, therefore orthostatic intolerance is not a problem. Quite a few standing yoga poses can be adapted so they are done lying down, such as the tree. For the more severely affected who are bedridden and cannot do gentle postures then there are yoga breathing and/or relaxation techniques that can be done. I managed to do yoga nidra (yogic sleep) when I was very severely affected and it helped a lot - I was bedridden and was so weak I could not even cut my food up on a plate.

There are some reviews of specialised Yoga for ME/CFS tapes/CDs/DVDs and relaxation/yoga nidra CDs/tapes on the information page of our website www.sheffieldyogaforme.org.uk . We also have a link to a few photos up on our website now showing the sorts of things we do in the classes.

 

[Becky]

The Yoga routine I USED to follow was a series Namaste (also on cable tv) because of the continues flow of movement, balance and stretching. However, after I discovered I have degenerating discs is all of my neck and other places in my spine, I have been told by the surgeon, my pain management doctor, and chiropractor, no bending or anything that hyper-extends my neck or back. I still find the breathing exercise to the very helpful even on really bad days when I am confined at home.

Thank you for the links. These are very helpful

 

[SOC]

For the more severely affected who are bedridden and cannot do gentle postures then there are yoga breathing and/or relaxation techniques that can be done. I managed to do yoga nidra (yogic sleep) when I was very severely affected and it helped a lot - I was bedridden and was so weak I could not even cut my food up on a plate.

I won't disagree with you there. :Retro smile: Breathing and relaxation techniques can probably be done by the vast majority of PWCs.

 

[taniaaust1]

I was doing tai chi (and yoga too) when I first became ill. Strangely.. I suddenly found I was getting painful knots in my back from doing the tai chi. Nowdays I couldnt do it due to that form of exercise would trigger off my POTS. Its not an exercise for anyone who has issues with standing.

I havent gone back to doing yoga (I did try going to seniors yoga class for a while..with over 60s but even that was way too much.. Im in my 30s) but I guess it would help if i did start going again as I developed injuries due to my weakness.... and muscles protect things such as your back.

Even yoga thou, can be way to much for some with CFS/ME (except for the meditation and breathing) but I do think yoga would have to be one of the best exercises for us due to it can be done laying. Also pilates is a good exercise... or floor exercise with stretch bands (resistance training)

 

[river]

Can you please tell me more about doing Yoga in a CFS-friendly way and the right session length and poses to avoid PEM?
I tried Yoga in the past but it tired me excessively, expecially poses like the downward dog, tree or cartwheel.
I have POTS, OI and NMH but would love to find a way to tolerate Yoga done a certain way while getting all the benefits it provides.

 

[*GG*]

Can you please tell me more about doing Yoga in a CFS-friendly way and the right session length and poses to avoid PEM?

I tried Yoga in the past but it tired me excessively, expecially poses like the downward dog, tree or cartwheel.

I have POTS, OI and NMH but would love to find a way to tolerate Yoga done a certain way while getting all the benefits it provides.

I don't have POTS/ OI or NMH but I would say do less than you did in the past, unless of course you are better of now than in the past? I go to a place that does it by Donation, so I feel even less inclined to push myself beyond my limits!

 

[carolwxyz99]

Can you please tell me more about doing Yoga in a CFS-friendly way and the right session length and poses to avoid PEM?
I tried Yoga in the past but it tired me excessively, expecially poses like the downward dog, tree or cartwheel.
I have POTS, OI and NMH but would love to find a way to tolerate Yoga done a certain way while getting all the benefits it provides.

Hi river,

I wrote a review of yoga for ME audio tapes, CDs and DVDs and books designed for those with ME/CFS which can be found on the information page of www.sheffieldyogaforme.org.uk . There are also some photos which show you the sort of things done in the classes.

It is difficult to generalise for an individual as everyone is different. The golden rule is to do only half of what you think you can do and never try and push yourself. If you don't know how much you can do, start with a few minutes if you are able and build up according to your health. A normal yoga class is far too strenuous for most people with ME/CFS - the postures need to be adapted. Standing postures can be adapted for lying down e.g. the tree and mountain pose can be done lying down. Quite a few standing breathing exercises, can be adapated for lying down too. In Iyengar yoga for ME/CFS classes we do the downward dog bending over a chair for support - some piccies will be put up sometime.
Gentle poses like the pose of child are very good for ME - stretches the spine, massages organs and good for hypothalamus/pituitary and gets blood to the brain. The bridge, which is more strenuous, but good if you can do it - gets blood to brain. Lying down with feet up against the wall or feet on a chair is a good substitute for the shoulder stand - helps lymph drainage and more blood to brain.

If you are not up to postures, then yoga nidra (yogic sleep) is a favourite amongst members. There is also a review of yoga nidra and relaxation CDs on the information page of www.sheffieldyogaforme.org.uk . Many of the CDs, tapes and DVDs mentioned in the 2 reviews were put in our local ME/CFS group library and yoga nidra came out tops.

 

[river]

In your experience, what yoga poses someone with CFS and POTS should be wary of or avoid enterily?

 

[Astrocyte]

In your experience, what yoga poses someone with CFS and POTS should be wary of or avoid enterily?

I found 'Beat Fatigue with Yoga' helpful, a book by Fiona Agombar. It has a chapter specifically on yoga for ME. The author had ME and was wheelchair bound for a year and credits yoga with helping her progress. Many poses in the book are very simple and you can adapt the program to your level. I do the standing poses lying down but they still seem to help.

 

[MarkBenson]

There are lots of benefits of yoga. Daily i am starting my day with yoga.It's giving me relief from all pain.I am not feeling tired whole while doing any work. It's just help me to release negativity of my mind. I have just stage fobia from my life with help of meditation.

 

[Hugo]

Im doing yoga once a week. Its yoga with a mindfullness focus but it still have some standing exercises and that is problematic for my POTS. But I can do this exersises sitting down instead. Its several medidation on one session and the main one is a yoga nidra.

Before Ive also done a light kundalini yoga and when I was better I could even do Ashtanga and Hatha yoga. In my resent condition I probably could do "mindfullness" yoga, yin yoga, and medical yoga.

Yoga Nidra (yogi sleep) is infact rather helpful. The state when your "body" feels asleep but your mind is clear awake is a powerfull mental exercise.

 

[ChrisD]

I use the Daily Yoga App on Iphone and try to use it most days although I haven't for a while now, I find its just like any other activity we partake in, it still requires pacing. My preference in the morning is definitely to do floor work rather than the standing poses, although usually when I do the full routine i do tend to feel a bit more energised for the day. The app has many different 'classes' including 'energy booster' and 'vitality enhancer' and you can also just skip past any move that is too intense.

I have definitely found Yoga an important tool for keeping my body conditioned and maintaining core body strength, but my only concern is with such tight and stressed muscles that sometimes even soft stretching can be over stretching and perhaps do damage to the muscles and joints/? Some times after many days of yoga in a row, despite the fact that I may nnot have over-exerted myself, the way that I have stretched core muscles that are required for support when standing and 'calibration' while walking, i find that I can get very badly coordinated due to over stretched muscles and a lack of coordination throughout the body - if that makes sense?