| Americas' No. 1 Health Problem and Industry "Healthy | | | | musculoskeletal injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome |
| employees make for a healthy company" | | | | have become the nations' leading workplace health |
| Recent national work related surveys have found 80% | | | | cost and account for almost a third of all Workers' |
| of workers feel stress on the job and half of those | | | | compensation awards. According to a recent 2008 |
| report their job as very or extremely stressful. One | | | | survey, 14 million Americans, say that a doctor or |
| quarter of all workers view their jobs as the number | | | | therapist has recommended yoga to them. In addition, |
| one stress in their lives. All this employee stress is | | | | nearly half of all adults agree that yoga would be |
| more strongly associated with health complaints than | | | | beneficial if they were undergoing treatment for a |
| financial or family problems. | | | | medical condition. Yoga is increasingly recommended |
| Consider what these occupational pressures are | | | | by the medical community as new research shows |
| believed to cause the employee: | | | | yoga is a valuable therapeutic tool for many modern |
| 62% routinely find they end the workday with neck | | | | health conditions. |
| pain | | | | A rocky economy and soaring medical costs have |
| 44% reported stressed-out eyes | | | | actually forced many companies to reduce the |
| 38% complained of hurting hands | | | | amount of benefits they offer. Yoga sessions included |
| 34% reported difficulty sleeping because of stress | | | | as part of a corporate wellness program have proven |
| 30% of workers suffering from back pain | | | | to be a relatively inexpensive perk. Many businesses |
| 28% complaining of "stress" | | | | are able to bolster employees' health and also make |
| 20% feeling fatigued | | | | them feel like the company cares about them. A |
| 13% with headaches. | | | | one-time corporate sponsored yoga session could |
| For our minds any stress can be too much, keeping us | | | | cost a company as much as $10 an employee. The |
| in a continual cycle of flight or fight. Invariably, an | | | | price tag of building an on-site fitness center with |
| employee body carries the physical stresses of a host | | | | regular yoga classes could be upward of $1 million. |
| of perceived emotional threats from stressful work | | | | Nearly 50% of workers say they need help in learning |
| related issues. The manifestation of these repeated | | | | how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers |
| physical and emotional events can contribute to | | | | need such help. These workers are hungry for a quick |
| hypertension, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, ulcers, | | | | de-stressing or stretching technique that can be done |
| neck or low back pain and many other "Diseases of | | | | at their desks without alarming their co-workers or |
| Civilization". The effects of long-term stress can | | | | during a short work break. |
| increase the risk of debilitating diseases like depression; | | | | A corporate sponsored yoga program will help bottom |
| heart disease and a variety of other common illnesses | | | | line profits as a special money saving gift for the |
| like sleep disturbance and immune deficiency. | | | | benefit of both its employees and stakeholders' |
| It has been estimated that nearly 80 percent of all | | | | Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the |
| visits to primary care physicians are the result of | | | | body. By encouraging relaxation, yoga helps to lower |
| stress related problems. Work related stress is far and | | | | the levels of stress hormones. Related benefits include |
| away the leading source of stress for most adults. | | | | lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving |
| Employees are not the only ones suffering. The | | | | digestion and boosting the immune system as well as |
| National Institute of Mental Health estimates that U.S. | | | | easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, |
| employers lose about $70 billion a year due to the | | | | depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia. Yoga series |
| absenteeism, lost productivity and disability caused by | | | | of postures accompanied with controlled breathing |
| mental distress. | | | | exercises have become a popular means of stress |
| Job stress is very costly with the price tag for U.S. | | | | management and relaxation. The simple techniques of |
| industry estimated at over $300 billion annually as a | | | | yoga will help alleviate discomfort by releasing tension |
| result of; accidents, absenteeism, employee turnover, | | | | and creating a peaceful mind. |
| and diminished productivity, direct medical, legal, or | | | | Yoga restores your body's natural energy, which will |
| insurance costs. On top of these expenses industry | | | | counter the physical effects of stress on the body. |
| has additional payouts associated with workers' | | | | The yoga sequences' ultimate goal is to introduce you |
| compensation awards, tort and FELA judgments. | | | | to effective tool to enhance harmony in your physical, |
| According to a survey of 800,000 workers in over 300 | | | | mental and emotional life. Yoga with its quiet, precise |
| companies, the number of employees calling in sick | | | | easy movements will draw attention away from your |
| because of stress tripled from 1996 to 2000. An | | | | busy, chaotic day into a calming moment as you gently |
| estimated 1 million workers are absent every day due | | | | move your body through a series poses that require |
| to stress. 40% of job turnover is due to stress. To | | | | balance and concentration. At the end of a yoga |
| replace an employee today will cost a business on | | | | session you feel invigorated, yet relaxed and calm. |
| average between $3,000 and $13,000. Unanticipated | | | | Yoga is suitable for yoga beginners. It will be easy to |
| absenteeism is estimated to cost American | | | | follow along even if it is your first time. Yoga can help |
| companies $602.00/worker/year and the price tag for | | | | health conditions best when combined with treatment |
| large employers could approach $3.5 million annually. A | | | | as recommended by your doctor. Even if you now |
| 1997 three year study conducted by one large | | | | experience good health, yoga can be an enjoyable |
| corporation found that 60% of employee absences | | | | addition to your regular exercise routine. A corporate |
| could be traced to psychological problems that were | | | | sponsored yoga incentive can provide a low cost per |
| due to job stress. | | | | employee illustrated do-it-yourself technique for a |
| Surveys also indicate that 60 to 80% of all accidents | | | | calmer, more peaceful attitude. |
| on the job are stress related. A whole host of job | | | | "They are calmer, they think better, they have better |
| related injuries are believed to be more severe | | | | productivity and they are out of work less. |
| because of stressful influence. For example repetitive | | | | |