The Number One Reason You Should Talk to Your Mat Every Single Day

It just never ends. 

Get a raise, and your landlord or utility company raises their rates, erasing it. Pay off your credit card and the car breaks down, requiring a trip to the shop that has you comparing APRs all over again. 

Let’s face it, no matter how old you get, no matter what your circumstances, this world is bound to get on your nerves. All kinds of physical, mental, and emotional stimuli bombard you daily, not all of which are pleasant. 

That’s why taking a daily time-out to talk to your mat is so powerful. It’s essential self-care for your nervous system, your body’s CPU that runs everything else. 

Stress Never Stops

I wish I could tell you that you reach a magical age where the endless stress stops. Unfortunately, I’m 53. I’m also luckier than most. And guess what? I still feel like I live in a pressure cooker most days. 

The reality is, stress never stops. I like to think of this world’s incessant demands like tugging on an elastic band, every day without fail. Pretty soon it will snap if you don’t let it snap back to its original shape. 

Yoga is like your “elastic rebound” from the slings and arrows of daily existence. To me, it’s like closing out my computer’s tabs, clearing my cache and starting fresh. You need to reboot the machine now and then to keep it running smoothly. 

Your Nervous System Is Physical, Mental, and Emotional—So Is Yoga 

Any form of exercise eases stress, at least if you find it somewhat enjoyable. However, yoga stands head and shoulders above the rest for soothing your nervous system, at least in my opinion. As I often say, I’m not a scientist, but I am scientifically informed, and I have taken regular physiology courses. 

What makes yoga so much better for your nervous system? Think about it. Your nervous system contains both your central and peripheral [1] nervous systems—your CNS consists of your spinal cord and brain. Your brain is where your thoughts and emotions originate. 

You might think during a soccer match. You might feel elated at that soccer match. What you will not do, however, at least if you don’t want to get injured, is step outside yourself and observe those thoughts and emotions. If you did, you’d get run over! Only yoga is specifically designed to encourage such mindfulness, which can cue you in to self-defeating thought patterns that feed a vicious cycle of negative emotionality and psychic stress. 

Yoga can also ease transitions. Taking a few extra minutes between activities is especially important if you’re neurodiverse, but let’s be frank: who couldn’t use a few minutes of precious quiet upon returning home from work or school before the madness of family fun begins? If nothing else, taking a 10-minute yoga time-out to smooth this rocky time is a necessary breather for some of us who can’t afford to crash out as completely as we might like to. 

Yoga: The True Multitasker

Yoga doesn’t only decompress your stressed-out mind and give you time to think. No matter what you do for work, you get achy as the day goes on. Your body was made to move [2], not remain stationary. Nor was it intended to move only in a singular way, repeating certain motions ad nauseam. 

Yoga takes your physical self through multiple planes of motion. The best part is you move at your own pace, choosing the moves and modifications thereof that suit your unique body on that given day. You might feel more flexible on some days than others, and that’s normal. You may spend extra time stretching certain body parts after a hard shift on your feet or morning in the garden, and that’s your prerogative. 

Yoga is healing medicine in its own right, promoting synovial fluid flow [3] to achy joints and encouraging blood flow to aching muscles. More vigorous forms, like Ashtanga or power yoga, can even help you vent frustration or anger while delivering one heck of a cardiovascular and strength workout with your flexibility fix. 

Talk to Your Mat Every Single Day 

The bottom line? Your nervous system is your master control panel. It is the system that keeps every other one in your body running smoothly—or not. Fortunately, you don’t need money, much time, or a prescription to show your CNS daily TLC. All you need is a mat, or, heck, even sixish square feet of open space (Earthing bonus with your yoga, anyone?). 

The number one reason to talk to your mat every day couldn’t be simpler or more obvious. This crazy old world of ours will never stop getting on your nerves! While I say that tongue-in-cheek, it’s no joke that your nervous system will face unique challenges every single day you breathe air. Make at least ten minutes of your next 24 hours more healthful and positive for your body’s “central processing unit” by talking to your mat. Only in Sedona Yoga has you covered with 10-minute flows for any time of your day or night. Namaste. 

References: 

[1] Margetis, Konstantinos, et. al. “Anatomy, Central Nervous System.” National Library of Medicine. January 31, 2026. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542179/ 

[2] Patibanda, Rakesh, et. al. “When the body is moved: Playfulness under invisible control.” Nature. August 11, 2026. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-026-08167-y 

[3] Lu, Junyue, et. al. “The impact of yoga on patients with knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” National Library of Medicine. May 16, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11098307/