5 Yoga Poses That Can Help Relieve Your Stress

Whoever doesn’t deal with daily stress is one lucky person. But no one’s truly free from the negative effects of stress. But there are a lot of people who know exactly how to prepare themselves for it. 

From responsibilities in the office to chores that need tending to at home, your commute, and so much more, everyone has their own stressors. Sometimes, it can make you feel like you don’t have enough time on your hands to do what you need to do to survive, let alone getting five minutes of quiet time. 

Thankfully, this is where yoga can help. Various relaxing yoga poses can help you physically and mentally deal with stress. You only need to take a few minutes of your day to practice a few poses. You’ll be surprised at how yoga and stress management can do your mind and body a lot of good. 

Every pose comes with a magical way of unlocking different parts of your body, allowing positive energy to flow freely. It will be challenging, but it will be worth it after every practice. It will feel like you have renewed strength and spirit to face what life throws at you. 

What Yoga Poses Should You Try?

With the number of yoga poses available, you must be wondering which one can help relieve stress. The best part about knowing these yoga poses is that you can do them individually, or you can use them in a sequence together.

Here are the five yoga poses you can try:

Forward fold

This is a yoga pose you can do while sitting down or standing up. First, you start by practicing deep breathing. Take several inhales and exhales, then slowly continue your breathing as you fold your body and move your hands in front of you. Do not worry if your hands could not touch your feet yet. 

What you need to focus on at this time is how your body responds to the posture. With continued practice, you will be able to reach your feet, fold your body like you want to, and drop your head below your heart. 

The forward fold is one of the fastest poses you can do. It is the easiest to do when you need to deal with acute stress that is causing your body some pain. While you are at it, try taking ten deep breaths.

Eagle pose

This is the pose that puts your balance to the test. It also requires deep concentration, so it trains your body and mind to focus on one thing at a time. 

You begin by standing in Tadasana with the feet hip-width apart and shoulders down and back.  

Pick something in front of you and focus all your attention on it. Preferably something that isn’t moving, like a picture frame or a dot on the wall. 

Once you reach the level when you can focus all your attention on that thing, slowly pick up your right leg and cross it over your left leg. Mimic the kind of posture that you would have if you were seated cross-legged on a chair. 

Then, slowly take your left arm and cross it over your right arm at the elbow creases. You can deepen this pose as you go along. Just remember that you have to maintain your balance and breathing. This pose is good for relieving stress by allowing the shoulders and hips to stretch; both are points in the body that carry a lot of tension. 

Make sure to do both sides.

Cat/cow flow

This is a short sequence where your body does two different poses in an easy flow—the cow and the cat pose. When these poses are combined, you offer your body relief for the spine and the muscles at the back.

These poses also assist in helping you achieve steady breathing and a calm mind. 

From tabletop posture, slowly put your knees under your hips and your wrists under your shoulders. 

You want to make sure that you start with the deep abdominal muscles first then inhale. It will sweep your chest forward to make an opening up the throat to allow the air and the energy to pass through. This is cow pose.

On the exhale, curl your back towards the ceiling and tuck your chin to your chest, like a hissing cat. This is cat pose.

Move your body through this cat and cow flow for as long as you feel comfortable. It will relax your body, and it will make you feel good too. 

Child’s pose

This pose wonderfully stretches the lower back, helping relieve your tension. You can modify this pose to fit your body’s needs by using various props if you wish. Bring your toes toward one another, then slowly push your hips backward and widen your knees.

Then slowly push your hips back toward the heels and stretch your arms in front of you. Slowly, lower your chest and your head until it reaches the floor. Follow it up with careful breathing, allowing the air to come in and out of your body in a motion that comforts you. Stay in this position for ten deep breaths or longer if you wish. 

Legs up the wall

This is the perfect way to relax your body after a long day at work. Simply raise your legs up against the wall while you lay flat on your back. This yoga pose targets the lower back and the hips, putting it in a relaxed position.

This is also a pose that helps you unwind before you go to bed, relaxing you before sleep. If you need an extra layer of support on the hips, you may put a pillow or a blanket. 

At this point, allow your body and mind to let go of what is causing your stress. Those thoughts and worries are not for you to think of at this time. Let go and find calmness from within. 

What’s Your Takeaway?

The best type of yoga for anxiety depends a lot on what you practice. This is something that you choose for yourself. As long as it makes you feel good, then you are good to go and continue it.