Stress management through Ayurveda

Background: Stress play an important role in manifestation of several diseases. The word ‘aayasa” is used for stress. The available statistical data shows that prolonged isolation, pandemic lockdown, issues of personal life have negatively affected professionals in India more than other  places in the world. According to the study 57% respondents were suffering from mild stress, 11% were feeling moderately stress, 4% were facing moderately severe symptoms of stress and 2% reported severe stress. The chinta (worries), shoka (grief), bhaya (fear) increases stress. Prajnaparadha (intellectual errors) is a cause for stress in today's era. When a person's dhi,dhruti,smruti are impaired, he performs improper activities leading aggravation of all dosha. It increases stress level in individual. Stress increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems and asthma etc.

Material and methods: The available literature of Ayurveda and research articles are screened to review the concept of stress in Ayurveda and contemporary sciences.

Observations and results: The negative mental factors like anger, grief, exertion beyond capacity cause depletion of oja, that is responsible for immunity. These factors cause decreased mental strength and increased susceptibility to stress. This can cause many somatic and psycho -somatic diseases. Many therapies like daivavyapashraya, yuktivyapashraya and sattvavajaya therapies, dinacharya, ritucharya are described in Ayurveda to prevent stress and related diseases.

Discussion:Stress free person have comparatively more mental strength. Three upastambha of  life i.e. aahara, nidra, brahmacharya are the important pillars. These factors play vital role in management of stress. Proper diet and lifestyle, sleep patterns, and brahmacharya have direct impact on our mental status.

Conclusion: Ayurveda can provide better solutions for management of stress.

Key words: Oja, aayasa, diet patterns, lifestyle, psycho-neuro-immunology, immunity, diseases.