It is quite difficult to believe that stress-free life is possible because life has a fair share of stressors. Stress is a response to the challenges of life and life without challenges sounds boring. Although each one of us is dealing with some sort of stress in life and each person uses a unique way to overcome that stress.
But an effective way to release daily life stress is through Yoga. It is the best practice anyone can adopt to eliminate stress a happier and healthy life. Practicing yoga is not only a great stress reliever but an active way to ease symptoms of anxiety. Experts highly suggest yoga as it brings life to a little calm.
This practice is awesome for when you are feeling stressed-out, anxious, maybe feeling little panic attacks, or just want to move out from darkness into the light. Yoga releases stress by bringing awareness to your body and breath sounds.
How Yoga Releases Stress?
The relaxing properties of yoga calm the mind and become a major factor in stress-relief. People usually think of yoga as stretching or twisting. But yoga is not only about stretching and putting extra pressure on your body. With the easy yoga poses you can quickly get rid of stress.
Besides essential oil’s aromatherapy, yoga is another best exercise for stress relief that loosens up the tension in the muscles and promotes calmness. The key to get maximum benefits out of each pose is to put complete focus on the body as well as the mind while practicing yoga.
Here are 5 astonishing yoga poses for stress relief that you must add to your everyday life.
1- Easy Pose
Let’s take an easy start with the “easy yoga pose” to release stress. It is one of the easiest and amazing yoga poses for relaxation and stress management. The easy pose eliminates anxiety by relieving physical and mental exhaustion.
For practicing yoga in this pose you need to follow a few simple steps and it is one of the best stress-free yoga poses to relieve daily stress.
How to do this pose:
Sit straight by extending your legs in front of your body and make sure your knees are widespread. Cross your legs in a way that each foot is beneath the opposite knee. Now put your hands on your knees with palms down.
Make your body stay in a balanced position by aligning your head, neck, and spine together. Continue with this position for a minute and repeat this process with the alternative knee and foot respectively.
Benefits of Easy Pose:
- Promoting Serenity
- Releasing physical and mental stress
- Overcome Anxiety
2- Standing Forward Bend
Moving on to the other yoga poses for relaxation another best yoga poses for stress relief is the standing forward bend. It proves to be effective for mild depressions as well. Without further ado let’s find out the easiest way to do this pose.
How to do this Pose:
To begin come to a standing position with your feet together feeling grounded, bring your hands to the hips, and inhale deeply. Move from your hips to fold your torso over your legs, keep the spine extended as you move forward. Place your fingertips on the forefront of you or next to your feet. Inhale and extend your chest to lengthen your spine.
Exhale and lift the kneecap but do not hyperextend the knees. Stay long to the neck reaching the crown of your head towards the floor and drawing your shoulders firmly onto the back. Bring your gaze to the chin, to come out of the standing forward bend inhale and rise. Keeping the tailbone heavy and spine long.
Benefits of Standing Forward Bend:
- Effectively stretches thighs, hamstrings, and hips.
- Help to release mild depression.
- Releases stress and fatigue.
3- Cat/Cow Pose
Cat/cow is another yet the best yoga exercises for stress relief, which also helps in improving the posture of the body. It is a perfect pose for those suffering from back pain. To do this pose follow a few simple steps.
How to do this Pose:
Bend down on your all fours that is your hands, as well as knees, touch the ground and your body is in table position. Now lift your sit bone upward with chest moving forward and belly sinking in. Make sure you are inhaling because it is necessary for yoga in cow pose. Relax your shoulder and gaze straight ahead.
Next for the cat pose as you now need to exhale and while exhaling round your spine bone outward. Relax in this position while releasing your head towards the floor. Make sure you are not forcing your chin to touch your chest.
Benefits of Cat/Cow Pose:
- Makes your Body feel Relaxed
- Stretches your lower back
- Releases Stress
4- Head to Knee Forward Bend
The next yoga for stress relief and flexibility is the head to knee forward bend. It is also another best and easy pose that anyone can try to overcome anxiety. As well as head to knee forward bend is an effective pose that helps to treat insomnia.
How to do this Pose:
Straighten your left leg and place the sole of the right foot against the left inner thigh. Stretch your left foot and press to your heel that your entire left leg is in the contact with the mat. Twist your torso to the left, so the center of your chest is aligned with the straight leg. Inhale while you sit up and then exhale and bend your hands forward as far as comfortable.
Take hold of your chin and cover your heel with your hands. Keep your foot stretched and stay here for a few breaths. With every inhalation lengthen your spine and with every exhalation fold deeper into the stretch and bring your forehead closer to your knee.
After a few seconds take one more deep breath, exhale, come up carefully and switch the side. Repeat the same process with your alternative leg and foot.
Benefits of this Pose:
- Helps to release headaches.
- Cure mild depression
- Calms the brain and helps to treat insomnia
5- Bridge Pose
Moving on to the next yoga poses for stress relief another effective pose that helps in this respect is the bridge pose. Let’s find out the easiest way to do this pose and get rid of all kinds of stress as well as anxiety.
How to do this Pose:
To begin with this pose you need to lie on your back with your feet and hips distant apart. The ideal way to measure the distance is your middle fingers touch your heels. Now it is the time to lift your middle section and it can be hard for many people.
Start lifting the tailbone towards the sky without moving your arms. Bring the shoulders back and down as the hips come up. At this point bring your fingertips underneath till you interlace your palms and wrap. Place the pinky side of your wrapped hands into the floor and stay here for some time.
Energy-wise your heels are pressing down and even back towards your hands making your hips lift and you just breathe and inhale. Now exhale and release the hands first, press your hands down. Now slowly bring your body down onto the floor.
Benefits of this Pose:
- Reduce backaches
- Helps to treat insomnia
- A gentle stretch to legs and back
Conclusion
Yoga leaves a calming effect on the body and the yoga poses for stress relief listed above have that stress-relieving effect. The strength of the human body allows one to focus on the energies that help to clear and calm the mind. Yoga is the best healing therapy that reflects all the negative thoughts to release stress and anxiety.