Yoga for Anxiety: Poses to Try
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In today's fast-paced and competitive world, stress and anxiety have become a common issue for many people. There is constant stress, pressure, and uncertainty from all walks of life, and that can take a toll on our physical and mental well-being.
While seeking medical help is the primary treatment for severe anxiety and stress, there are several other additional things you can do to help alleviate your anxiety, especially if it’s mild to moderate. The ancient art of yoga has emerged as a powerful tool for fighting stress, bringing calmness, and attaining inner peace. Multiple studies have demonstrated the calming effects of yoga. By combining physical yoga postures or asanas, breathing techniques, and meditation, yoga offers a holistic approach to soothe anxiety and let you lead a relaxed life.
In this blog, let us look at a few yoga poses that you can try to help reduce stress and anxiety in your daily lives.
Hero Pose
The Hero Pose is a grounded pose that allows you to focus on your centre, alleviate stress and reduce anxiety. The stillness of this pose enables you to look inward and find peace. Here’s how you can practise the pose:
- Start by getting onto a kneeling position. Keep your knees together and your feet slightly wider than your hips.
- Ensure that your feet are sole-side up.
- Move your torso back so that your butt touches the ground between your feet.
- Place your palms on your thighs and straighten your spine, opening up your chest.
- Hold the pose for 3-5 minutes to capture the sense of peace and calm.
Child's Pose (Balasana)
Child's Pose is a very gentle and effective yoga asana that helps release tension in the body and empty the mind. Here’s how you can perform the pose:
- Kneel down on the floor with your knees hip-width apart and your feet close together.
- Sit back on your heels and slowly lower your torso down, allowing your forehead to rest on your yoga mat.
- Extend your arms in front of you or alongside your body with palms facing up. Breathe deeply into your back and surrender any tension or stress with each exhale.
- Hold the pose for several breaths or a few minutes as long as you’re comfortable, embracing the feeling of surrender and relaxation.
Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)
The Cat-Cow Pose is another terrific and relaxing yoga asana that helps to release tension in the spine and promote deep breathing.
- Start by getting down on all fours with your hands aligned under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- As you inhale, arch your back and lift your tailbone, allowing your belly to drop towards the mat. This is the Cow stage of the pose.
- Now breathe out and round your spine, tucking your tailbone, and lowering your head towards the floor. This is the Cat stage of the pose.
- Repeat these two Cat-Cow movements gently, syncing them with your breath, and focusing on the sensation of your spine moving.
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Standing Forward Bend is a soothing asana that helps calm the mind, relieve stress, and also strengthens the lower back and hamstrings.
- Practise this pose by standing with your feet hip-width apart and slowly bending forward from your hips.
- Let your upper body hang loose, and you can bring your hands to the ground or hold onto opposite elbows if you’re flexible enough.
- Relax your neck, jaw, and shoulders as you breathe deeply and surrender any thoughts or worries. Feel the gentle stretch in the back of your legs and enjoy the grounding sensation of this pose.
Thus, regular yoga can significantly contribute towards improving stress and anxiety. By incorporating these yoga poses into your daily routine, you can tap into the many benefits of yoga and lead a stress-free life. If you want to start practising yoga, get the FITPASS app and start finding the best yoga classes near you. With a FITCOACH membership, you can also avail our innovative and cutting edge, AI fitness assistant that can prepare a customised fitness routine tailored to your goals.
Yes, numerous studies have shown that practising yoga regularly can contribute towards reducing stress and anxiety. However, seeking medical help remains the primary treatment for severe stress and you should consider yoga as an accessory tool rather than the main management for your anxiety.
Many yoga poses are great to reduce mental stress. Some popular relaxing yoga asanas include Hero Pose, Cat-Cow Pose, Child’s Pose and Standing Forward Bend.
Grounded standing and sitting poses are excellent to alleviate anxiety. Practice poses like Child’s Pose, Tree Pose, Triangle Pose, Mountain Pose, Fish Pose and Legs-up-the-wall Pose to help with your anxiety and stress.
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