Yoga for autism
When I am not teaching yoga, I work for an autism charity tackling inequalities within health services, specifically working with autistic adults.
Autism is bound by stereotypes and misconceptions; viewers of Rain Man assume that’s what autism looks like, for many years there was a belief that only boys and men could be autistic, some people still believe autism is caused by vaccinations (a complete myth and very much disproved).
But the world is starting to understand a lot more about autism. You may have heard the term neurodiverse that began to be used in the late 1990s - a term that describes the difference in the way the brain works for autistic individuals and other similar conditions (ADHD, dyspraxia and dyslexia to name a few). Autistic people’s brains work differently, they see the world differently and process things in a different way. This makes functioning in a world that is set up for neurotypical people challenging - neurodiverse individuals are more likely to experience anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts as they try to navigate through a pretty scary world.
With all of this in mind, when I was presented with the opportunity to run a weekly yoga session for autistic adults living in Bedfordshire, I jumped at the opportunity. As someone who has found yoga a bit of a lifeline in the face of anxiety and depression, I was keen to share the benefits.
So why yoga for autistic adults?
The difference it can make to sleep is HUGE
Lots of autistic people find sleep challenging. When the mind is racing, turning it off in order to sleep is a real challenge. All the adults I worked with over the 10 weeks mentioned the difference in their sleep on the evenings we practiced yoga. Slowing down, focusing on deep breathing and moving the body are great ways to get yourself prepared for bed. It doesn’t have to take a long time, you could try this 10min Yoga for Bedtime YouTube practice and see if it helps with your night’s sleep!
Focus on the senses
From my work with Autism Bedfordshire, I know the importance of creating a sensory friendly environment to stop autistic people feeling too overwhelmed by a situation. Some autistic people will feel overwhelmed by scents, noises, touch and others will seek more sensory stimulation - so it is a very individual experience.
Breaths like bhramari breathing (closing off the eyes and ears to focus the attention on a humming that resonates through the body) can be really soothing and relaxing for someone who feels overwhelmed by things to hear and see. The three less talked about senses, proprioception, vestibular and interoception, are related to feeling our body in space, our sense of balance as we move and feeling our emotions. Autistic adults, just as in the more commonly talked about senses, can feel an unbalance in these senses - yoga is all about conscious movement and practicing tuning in with your emotions, so although challenging at the beginning, can have a huge impact on finding more of a balance for these sensations.
Calming anxiety and frustration
The fundamentals of yoga are breath and movement which are both well known tools for calming anxious thoughts. But if you’re an autistic adult, it’s important to find a teacher who you feel comfortable with and understand. Autistic people can take longer processing instructions and can take things literally - don’t be put off if you go to a yoga class that feels confusing and in some ways increases your anxiety - find a teacher who gives clear instructions and you feel comfortable with.
I’m hoping to introduce some classes specifically for autistic adults, so if you’re interested I’d love to hear from you :)
