What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a mental misbalance that provokes unnecessary mental suffering, fear, tension, worry, apprehension, nervousness, etc. When these emotions affect how we behave, and if protracted, they even affect physically. While facing a normal challenge people may feel a simple state of worry. This is general. When anxiety interrupts daily activities and sleeps it becomes an issue. When your reaction is higher than that of the necessary proportion of reaction, then anxiety occurs.
How Does Yoga Heal Anxiety?
Yoga allows us to breath longer which helps to receive more oxygen. It also helps move and flex different organs and different parts of the body. These breathings and movements activate the parasympathetic nervous system which relaxes the body and mind. Due do different types of stretch with yoga asana, the body discharges tension and provides an environment to relax the muscles. The happy hormones like endorphins, dopamine release during the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Practicing yoga asanas, pranayama, meditation, etc help to alleviate stress and anxiety.
You Can Begin With The Following Yoga Asanas To Overcome Anxiety
- Ustrasana
- Setu Bandhasana
- Baddhakonasana
- Ardha Chandrasana
- Paschimottanasana
- Dandasana
- Utthita Trikonasana
- Balasana
- Dhanurasana
- Marjari-Bitilasana
- Shavasana
1. Ustrasana
How To Do It:
- Kneel down, inhaling raise hands up and exhaling keep hands down on the heels while you push hips forward.
- Draw your head backward. Hold the asana at least for five deep breaths.
2. Setu Bandhasana
How To Do It:
- Lay down on a back, bring your feet under the knees to lift hips up.
- Head, shoulders, elbows, and feet on the floor and push hips up with palms.
- Stretch the legs as well. Hold the pose until you take five breaths.
3. Baddha Konasana
How To Do It:
- Begin with sitting posture. Bring your heels to touch the perineum. Knees outside, touching the floor.
- Bend forward. Your intention is to touch chin to the floor. Hold here at least for five breaths.
4. Ardha-Chandrasana:
How To Do It:
- Stand straight, Place right hand on the ground towards right about 2 feet apart from the right toes.
- Keep your body vertical from the head to left toes. A leg may by slight up than the level of your head.
- Left hand up in a straight line with the right hand and look upwards.
- Hold the pose for deep five breaths and repeat another side as well.
5. Paschimottanasana
How To Do It:
- Sit down and bend forward. Try to touch forehead on knees. Stay in the pose at least 5 breaths.
6. Dandasana (Staff Pose)
Dandasana develops core strength. When the posture is released, the spine gets relaxed, and the stress is removed.
How To Do It:
- Sit down, extend your leg forward stretched. Keep your back straight. Stimulate your breath and engage the core to keep an upright spine.
- Hold the pose for about five breaths.
7. Utthita Trikonasana (Standing Triangle Pose)
This asana has a balancing trait for the opposition of force. It maintains the balance between two opposing energies and creates a synergy between them. The spine is opened and anxiety is released through the twist and stretch of this pose.
How To Do It:
- Stand straight and stretch legs about three feet apart from each other.
- Move right toes towards the right side and bend right side. The right hand will touch the right foot and left hand stretched upwards. Maintain the pose until you take five deep breaths.
8. Marjari- Bitilasana (Cat-Cow Pose)
This asana loosens and gives massage to the spine. It improves flexibility and circulation in the spine and soothes the mind.
How To Do It:
- Keep hands and knees fixed on the floor with spine vertical.
- Inhaling lift chest and head up and middle back down. This is cow pose.
- Exhaling bend head down and middle back up. Engage your upper and lower limbs to stretch like that of a cat. This is a cat pose.
- Inhaling, move to cow pose and exhaling cat pose. Continue it for about eight times.
9. Balasana (Child pose)
Balasana is a simple pose and important pose. It is restorative, calming and rejuvenating for the body. The stretch in the back relaxes the spinal column and makes the mind calm. It is very good to soothe the muscles and alleviate back pain, and pain at the shoulders and neck. It is a very effective pose to promote positivity and calmness.
How To Do It:
- Sit down on your heels, bend forward and rest the forehead on the floor.
- Hands can be kept forwards or just beside hips. Remain here until you take five long breaths.
10. Dhanurasana (Bow pose)
Dhanurasana stretches and expands the shoulders, chest, and neck as well as opens these organs. It strengthens the abdominal muscles, back, the core organs.
How To Do It:
- Lie down on your abdomen.
- Bend the legs at the knee and hold ankles.
- Lift the chest, head, leg, and thighs up. The abdomen remains grounded on the floor.
- Hold the pose until you take five deep breaths.
11. Shavasana
Shavasana seems to be the easiest asana but it is not easier to remain fully aware of the breath and bodily sensation for five to ten minutes without falling asleep. It is the best yoga poses to release anxiety and depression. It gives the ultimate relaxation to the body and mind. After a challenging and copious workout of stretching, twisting, balancing, contracting, bending, inverting of muscles, etc. Shavasana gives you fully rest and recharge. It releases the stress even of the most neglected parts of your body within 5-10 minutes.
How To Do It:
- Lay down on the back with leg straight and feet one to two feet apart.
- Hands straight, palms facing upwards about half-foot apart from the waist.
- If there is any discomfort on your body, make it comfortable so that you don’t have to move your body for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Observe your breaths and whole body parts by parts and piece by piece. Relax who the whole body.
- Do it for 5 to 10 minutes and get up slowly.
Besides These Asanas, You Can Also Practice These Yoga Poses For Anxiety
- Parivritta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-knee pose)
- Janu-sirshasana
- Matsyasana
- Uttana Shishosana
- Janu Sirshasana
- Padangustasasna
Pranayamas are also very helpful to alleviate anxiety. Gyan Mudra (touching the tip of index finger and thumb) can also be practiced at least for five minutes per day.