Stress is a part of everyday life. However, having too much stress can drastically impact your overall health. Stress can affect your body and mind and lead to numerous health problems. There are many ways you can deal with stress. Eating healthy, meditation and exercise can greatly reduce the amount of stress.
Another healthy strategy for dealing with stress is Yoga. Yoga has proven to be one of the most popular ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Check out these popular yoga poses you can do to reduce stress.
Padmasana or the Lotus Pose
Padmasana is one of the basic yoga poses and one of the best stress-relieving asanas. This pose involves sitting in a cross legged position and is usually done while performing meditation. Sit upright with both your legs stretched in front. Bend the knees and place your right foot over the left thigh and the left foot over the right thigh. Place your palms on the knees and close your eyes. Breathe deeply through your nose and concentrate on your breath. Maintain the position for several minutes and release. You will find yourself more relaxed and calmer than you were before you started. Try to sit longer each time but do not force yourself especially if you start to experience any kind of discomfort. You can also incorporate a variety of breathing exercises to help you maximize the effects you can experience while sitting in the Lotus Pose position.
Tadasana or the Mountain Pose
This pose is often a starting point for all the standing exercises. Stand erect with feet a few inches apart and hands by your sides. Inhale and exhale deeply and keep the whole of your body relaxed. Make sure that the spine is straight and do not bulge or hold your stomach in. Look straight in front of you and raise both your hands above your head such that the palms face each other. Raise your heels slowly and stand on your toes for a while. Now bring your heels to rest on the ground and lower your hands and then relax. Tadasana is an easy pose especially for beginner yoga students and can is great for helping you relieve stress symptoms.
Savasana or the Corpse Pose
This is one of the most effective yoga asanas that can be performed for reducing stress and anxiety. The advantage of this pose is that it’s very easy to perform, unlike the other more difficult poses. Lie down on your back with the feet falling out to either side and arms flanking the body. Make sure the palms are facing upward. Relax the whole of your body and breathe without restraint. Take a slow deep breath and imagine every limb and every part of your body being totally relaxed. This is an excellent pose for finishing yoga sequence and it’s usually performed at the end of every yoga session.
Tahina writes on many wellness related topics including various types of yoga, nutrition and well-being.
