Yoga for the mind: 4 asanas that can help ease stress and anxiety

Life is full of challenges, such as tight deadlines and personal problems, which can cause stress and emotional distress. During these difficult times, finding a peaceful mental space is important for our health. Yoga brings this peace by creating a calm atmosphere through mindful movement and focused breathing. Learn how yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety, and four key poses to support you on this healing path.

What effects does yoga have on the mind and body?

Yoga is a practice based on mindfulness. Each pose helps you focus on the present moment and release worries and anxiety. This connects your breath with your body and has a calming effect. Every time you stretch and breathe deeply, you feel more relaxed and clearer. “Moving consciously helps balance the body and mind,” Siddha Akshar, a Himalayan yoga and spiritual teacher, tells Healthshot. This habit can help relieve stress and anxiety that interfere with your daily life. Incorporating certain yoga poses, or asanas, into your daily life can strengthen your mental health and improve your physical health.

1. Balasana (child’s pose)

Why it works: Balasana, also known as child’s pose, is one of the most soothing yoga poses and instantly brings calmness. This pose helps you rest your nervous system and allows you to escape from the chaos around you.

Benefits of Balasana:

• Relaxation of the nervous system: A gentle forward bend relaxes your spine and shoulders, relieving tension.
• Healthy breathing: Improves respiratory health by encouraging deep, restorative breathing.
• Feeling safe: A position similar to a fetal curl provides comfort and balance, making it easier to release stress and anxiety.

How to practice:

• Kneel on your yoga mat and sit on your heels with your big toes together.
• Lean forward and rest your forehead on the mat, arms stretched out in front of you or relaxed at your sides.
• Focus on breathing deeply and feel your back rise and fall with each inhale and exhale.

2. Viparita Kalani (leg up on wall pose)

Why it works: Viparita Kalani is a restorative inversion pose that increases blood circulation and promotes inner calm, perfect for use after a long stressful day.

Benefits of Viparita Kalani:

• Promotes blood flow: Elevating your legs improves blood circulation and reduces fatigue.
• Calms the mind: This pose helps reduce stress levels and calm the nervous system, and is especially beneficial after stressful activities.
• Restore: Restores body balance and promotes relaxation.

How to practice:

• Sit next to a wall, slowly lie down on your back, and swing your legs up towards the wall.
• Relax your arms at your sides with your palms facing up.
• Holding this pose for 5 to 10 minutes while focusing on your breathing will relieve stress.

3. Adho mukha svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Why it works: This basic pose evokes feelings of strength and tranquility. When your body forms an inverted “V,” blood flow to your brain increases focus and clarity.

Benefits of Adho Mukha Svanasana:

• Focus and refresh: This pose rejuvenates the mind by pumping fresh blood to the brain, promoting mental clarity and focus.
• Stretch your body: Opens the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves and releases localized tension.
• Stress relief: Combining inversions with deep breathing can increase relaxation.

How to practice:

• In tabletop position, place your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Tuck your toes and lift your hips back and forth, straightening your legs and arms to form an upside-down “V.”
• Relax your head between your arms and focus on deep, steady breathing.

4. Foundation (Blessed Published)

Why it works: Setu Bandasana invites calming energy into your body while releasing tension in your body, especially in your shoulders and neck.

Benefits of Setu Bandasana:

• Open the chest: It strengthens lung capacity, brings relaxed energy, and helps fight anxiety.
• Release tension: Addresses stiffness in areas that are easily affected by stress, such as the back and shoulders.
• Mental stability: Develop your emotional strength so you can approach challenges with greater clarity of mind.

How to practice:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart and flat on your mat.
• Press into your legs and lift your hips toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, focusing on your breathing.

How do you take deep breaths to stay calm?

Asanas are important in yoga, but breathing techniques make them even more effective. Poses like Sukhasana (Easy Pose) and Padmasana (Lotus Pose) help you relax by focusing on your breathing. Concentrate on taking deep breaths as you practice these poses. Take slow, deep breaths to relieve tension. Imagine your breath as a gentle wave that washes away negative emotions and brings calm.