Today, there are many alternative approaches to help people in addiction recovery stay sober and thrive, no matter what life throws their way. Exercise is one of the best tools to promote sobriety, balance mental health, and improve physical health. Yoga therapy programs are one of the most popular exercise programs to help with addiction recovery. Whether or not someone has tried yoga, a yoga therapy program can help clients reduce stress, gain mind-body awareness, and reduce addiction triggers.
If you or someone in your life is struggling with addiction, exercise programs can help. The team at A Better State is here to help you and your loved ones with holistic addiction treatments, including yoga therapy. Call us now at 781.412.1488 to learn more about our outpatient treatment programs serving New Hampshire and the connection between exercise and addiction recovery.
How Can Exercise Affect Addiction Recovery?
Any type of physical movement reduces stress, releases endorphins, and promotes calm. Exercise can immediately lower stress levels and help people reconnect their minds and bodies. For many people, exercise can help with drug or alcohol cravings as well as promote healthy coping mechanisms. When someone exercises, they process adrenaline and cortisol, reducing anxiety, increasing calm, and reducing impulsive behavior. Many addiction treatment centers now include specific exercise programs to help clients reduce stress, practice mindfulness, balance hormones, and recover.
These programs can include:
- Rock climbing
- Yoga
- Physical therapy
- Group sports
- Swimming
- Dance
- Group movement
- Wilderness therapy techniques
Most treatment plans pair exercise therapy with CBT or DBT, the leading evidence-based behavioral therapy for addiction recovery. By pairing exercise and addiction recovery, clients can work through trauma, harmful self-talk, and belief systems in healthy and productive ways. This holistic approach can help clients recover at the rate that works for them.
Incorporating Exercise and Addiction Treatment
Mindfulness, also known as “present moment awareness,” is shown to reduce addiction triggers. Stress, unprocessed trauma, people, places, thoughts, and smells can trigger drug or alcohol cravings. Addiction triggers push the nervous system into a state of dysregulation. For many, this causes anxiety, nervousness, sweating, higher heart rate, and reactionary behavior. When the nervous system is dysregulated, it’s hard to return to a calm state. Exercises like yoga can help promote regulation and help clients return to a regulated state.
Yoga engages the brain and body while encouraging clients to focus on breathing. This ancient art of physical endurance and meditation calms the nervous system and can reduce the intensity of addiction triggers. During yoga, a client holds various poses while practicing deep breathing. During many forms of yoga, a client is challenged to hold a pose for an extended period. By physically and mentally challenging the brain and body, a client becomes more resilient, more in touch with themselves, and less likely to relapse during times of stress.
Learn More About Addiction Treatment and Exercise in New Hampshire
The benefits of exercise for addiction recovery are endless. Like any exercise program, exercise for addiction treatment can improve physical fitness and health. Depending on the client, some may experience weight loss, improved sleep, improved bone density, and various other health benefits.
If you or someone you love is ready to try yoga and other exercise therapies for addiction recovery, Better State is here to help. Our outpatient treatment programs help the people of New Hampshire recover from trauma, mental health conditions, substance abuse, and addiction. With a range of holistic services, including yoga therapy, our team believes in treating the root cause of addiction. We have the yoga therapy program with partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) to meet your needs and schedule.
Get Started Today at A Better State
Don’t wait. Begin yoga therapy for addiction recovery today. Incorporating exercise into an addiction treatment program can benefit a person. At A Better State, our experienced treatment team works with you to create a personalized plan to address your addiction, mental health issues, and physical well-being. Exercise and addiction recovery go hand in hand.
If you are struggling with addiction and need help recovering, consider enrolling in a yoga therapy program at A Better State. Our experienced team understands the unique needs of individuals getting sober, and we provide holistic treatment options to help you on your recovery journey. Contact us at 781.412.1488 to learn more about exercise and addiction recovery benefits.
