Yoga for Anxiety: Poses and Their Benefits

Panic attacks might affect anyone at any time. Even though there is no actual threat, your body prepares for fight or flight during these trembling, sweaty seconds. Particularly if you’ve never had one before, panic attacks may be frightening.

Yoga for anxiety can also prevent panic attacks. However, you shouldn’t push it. Spend some time calming down before starting any kind of healing regimen.

Try to inhale slowly and deeply so that your tummy fills (not just your chest). Exhale via your mouth after taking a breath through your nose. Try inhaling through your alternate nostrils as well until you feel relief.

Let’s check out the different poses in yoga for anxiety, stress, and depression treatments.

10 Poses in Yoga for Anxiety

We have brought to you some simple poses in yoga for anxiety so that you may choose one that relaxes you by promoting circulation in your body.

1. Nadhi Shodhana (Channel Cleaning Breath)

Even though some yogis consider this to be more of a preparation than a posture, it’s a great way to improve focus and blood flow to your brain. This is a breathing technique that may be done by sitting on a chair or cross-legged on the floor.

• Get into a comfortable posture.
• Take two or three deep breaths.
• Exhale through your mouth.
• Breathe in through your left nostril by covering your right nostril with your right thumb.
• Open your right nostril after releasing your left one (use your ring finger) and inhale through it.
• Exhale through your left and keep switching sides. This should be done for a few breaths.

2. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

Here’s how to perform this asana:

• Sit on a mat with your legs outstretched.
• Lean towards the bottoms of your feet, and let out a breath.
• Draw your legs close to your pelvis with your knees bent sideways.
• As you inhale deeply, keep your heels pressed together.

3. Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose)

Step by step instruction to perform this asana is given below:

• Place your feet 6 inches apart on a mat.
• To elevate the kneecaps, flex your quadriceps (front thigh muscles).
• Fold at the waist after exhaling. Keep your head, neck, and back all in a straight line.
• With the thumb, middle finger, and index finger of each hand, grasp the big toes. To keep the grip, dig your large toes well into the ground.
• Straighten your arms and elevate your body while inhaling to help your hamstrings slowly loosen.
• Fold back down into the forward bend as you exhale.

Keep breathing in this manner for many breaths. Use a strap beneath your big toe if you can’t touch your toes.

4. Marjaryasana (Cat Pose)

Together, this stance and the one after it (the Cow Pose) are effective. Your spine and your abdominal muscles will be stretched when you attempt this yoga for anxiety.

• Begin in a tabletop posture (on hands and knees) with the hands and knees exactly beneath the shoulders.
• Maintain a neutral head and neck while maintaining a downward look.
• To stretch the muscles around your spine, circle your spine as you exhale, keeping your shoulders and hips as stable as you can.
• Release your neck, but avoid chin-tucking.
• Return to the beginning position when you take a breath.

To alternatively stretch your abdominal muscles, repeat Cat Pose or go straight into Cow Pose.

5. Bitilasana (Cow Pose)

How to do the Cow pose correctly? Follow these instructions:

• Starting on a tabletop, place your hands below your shoulders and your knees exactly below your hips.
• Maintain a neutral head and neck while maintaining a downward look.
• Lift your chest and sit your bones upwards as you inhale.
• As you elevate your head into a forward glance, your belly should descend toward the ground.
• Return to the neutral starting posture or go into Cat Pose as you exhale.

The Bottom Line: Poses in Yoga for Anxiety are Easy to Perform and Remember

The advantages of yoga can have indirect effects on anxiety. Anxiety and sadness frequently coexist. Yoga can also be beneficial for this. Remember that doing yoga has some risks; if you push yourself too hard, you risk being hurt. You should be OK if you just pay attention to your body. Find a professional teacher instead to guide you through the process securely.

Yoga may cause your emotions to get agitated in addition to your physical discomfort. When practicing yoga, some people feel powerful emotional release. Suppressed emotions could come to the surface. This is quite typical.

FAQs

1. Which yoga is best for anxiety?

Try these 5 poses in yoga for anxiety reduction:

• Head-to-knee forward bend
• Fish pose
• Child’s pose
• Extended puppy pose
• Tree pose

2. Can yoga help anxiety disorders?

Yoga helps to reduce cortisol levels, which has a counter-regulatory effect to diminish depressive and anxious symptoms. You can meditate to improve your concentration and mental clarity. It has been proven to be a very effective stress management technique.

3. How long does yoga take to reduce anxiety?

It was discovered that CBT and yoga were both notably more effective in treating anxiety than stress reduction after three months. In particular, 54% of those who practiced yoga met the response criterion for markedly reduced symptoms, as opposed to 33% in the stress education group.