5 ways Yoga helped me to quit smoking

Making new year resolutions was never my cup of tea. Still, I can appreciate that many people pick January as a good time to make changes.

Here are some of the ways that Yoga helped me to stop smoking for once and for all:

1. It eased the symptoms of detox. Withdrawal was intense for the first few weeks when I stopped smoking. Every day (and sometimes during the night too) I woke up covered in sweat. A nice warm shower, then Yoga or a walk every morning helped me to keep focused on a positive outcome.

2. It reduced anxiety. When my mind felt foggy or slightly bonkers, Yoga breating (pranayama) soothed the stress. Regular practice improved my posture and my self-esteem.

3. As I gained much clearer head space, I started reading again. This exposed me to all sorts of wisdom and learning. More importantly, during difficult periods of withdrawal, I could distract myself by immersing in a good story.

4. Yoga brought me into my body instead of living in my head. I felt really grounded again; probably for the first time since I'd been a sporty teenager. Within a few months I was dancing, drumming and exploring nature again, earthed in my body.

5. Yoga helped with the sensation of having a void to fill. There's no point in quitting something without forming a replacement (healthy) habit. I failed enough times to eventually figure this one out! Yoga taught me to process my emotions in a new way, rather than just reacting to them or repressing them. Filling myself with other activities for a while seemed like a good idea so I started going for a 20-minute walk after dinner most days.

Some people indulge in a little bit of this or a little bit of that and are healthy. Others are incapable of doing anything in moderation and need to quit their bad habits, more still are in absolute denial about all sorts of addictions. All I know is that you must know yourself. If you are making changes, I wish you the very best of luck. Go for it.