Epilepsy is a condition that causes somebody to have repeated fits. The medical term for an epileptic fit is seizure. Epilepsy is a relatively common condition affecting around 456,000 people in the UK. Epilepsy usually begins during childhood, although it can start at any age. Around one in every 280 children is affected by epilepsy. The cells in the brain, known as neurons, communicate with each other by using electrical impulses. During a seizure, the electrical impulses are disrupted, which can cause both the brain and the body to behave strangely. The severity of the seizures can differ from person to person. Some people will simply experience a ‘trance-like’ state for a few seconds, or minutes, whereas others will lose consciousness and have convulsions (uncontrollable shaking of the body).

Types of epilepsy…

There are three main types of epilepsy:
• symptomatic epilepsy – where the symptoms of epilepsy are due to damage or disruption to the brain
• cryptogenic epilepsy – where while no evidence of damage to the brain can be found, there are other symptoms such as learning difficulties, that suggest damage to the brain has occurred and
• idiopathic epilepsy – where no obvious cause for epilepsy can be found

How Yoga can help in Preventing Seizures…

Yoga exercises help prevent or stop seizures. An imbalance in your body and mind can cause seizures. By practising Yoga exercises regularly, you can maintain a balance between your mind and body. Therefore, practising Yoga exercises, breathing exercises and relaxing your mind through meditation can help in preventing seizures. Tension is an eminent trigger for seizures as well however, practising Yoga exercises can help overcome it. Thus Yoga proves to be a great stress reliever. Inversions should be avoided.