It is really amazing how anxiety can affect our emotions, body and behaviour. Do you often have: insomnia, appetite and digestive problems, tiredness, headaches, decreased libido or muscle tensions? Do you regularly feel irritated, worried, undecided, have difficulty to concentrate or negative thoughts? Well you may need to relax a bit because you are having some symptoms of anxiety! If you don’t want to wait for the week-end or the annual leave to get rid of your stress and want to learn how to relieve your stress anytime during the week: you should test the benefits of yoga! In addition to improve the flexibility and build muscle strength, the practice of yoga can reduce stress, boost immunity, ease migraines, boost sexual performance (I confirm! kidding), help to sleep deeper, focus, feel happier, give peace of mind and a lot more! I started yoga just one year ago and it helps me so much to feel more relaxed although I still have a lot more to learn. My yoga guru taught me 5 yoga poses for the stress management that are really easy for beginners and do not require to twist your body into pretzel shapes! Don’t worry, it is never too late to begin yoga, you can start at any age and you don’t even have to be a hippie;) You can test these poses everyday whether in the morning to start your day with a positive and relaxed mindset or before to go to bed if you suffer from insomnia. I would be really glad to know if you noticed some benefits of these yoga poses. Keep me posted in the comments and ♫ Relax, take it easyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ♪)! Bisous, Melissa ♡
5 relaxing yoga poses:
1. SHASHANKASANA – Child pose
Steps :
- Sit in the vajrasana with palms on the knees.
- Inhale and raise your arms up and straight.
- Exhale and lower your body towards the floor and rest your hands on the floor. Try to touch the head on the floor.
- Close your eyes and maintain the pose for three to five breaths.
Some benefits: relax the nervous system, makes you calm, improves concentration and memory, stretches the spinal cord and helps to relief from back pain. Very restorative.
2. VIPARITA KARANI – Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose
Steps:
- Lie down with your hips as close to the wall as you can.
- Lift your legs and rest them on the wall.
- Stay in this position as long as you want.
Some benefits: stress reduction, regulates blood flow, improves digestion, relieve insomnia, restores tired feet and legs, relieves backache and headache.
3. TRIANGA MUKHA EKA PADA PASCHIMOTTANASANA – Half Hero Forward Bend
Steps:
- Begin sitting on the floor with your legs together and straight in front of you.
- Bend out the left leg and place the left foot next to the left buttock.
- Slowly lower your body towards the right leg, try to touch the head on the leg, which should be well stretched.
- Place the hands on the right foot and keep your forearms as close as possible to the ground.
- Stay in this position 30 seconds and execute this position twice on each side
Some benefits: Calms the mind, improves the strength of the back and thighs, relax the nervous system, tones the abdominal muscles, improves the flexibility of the knee and spine.
4. JATHARA PARIVRTANASANA – The Abdominal Twist
Steps:
- Lie on the floor with the arms stretched out at shoulder height. Your back is fully supported on the floor.
- Exhale and smoothly lift the straight legs to a 90 degree angle. Take a breath or two.
- Exhale and lower the legs together to the right and reach the feet toward the right hand. Keep the left shoulder pressed against the floor, and don’t allow the torso to roll toward the legs.
- Then take your gaze to the left hand, hold and breathe into the upper abdomen for 20 breaths.
- Look back at the sky, inhale and smoothly lift back to center.
- Take a breath or two and repeat the posture to the left.
Some benefits: reduces stress and anxiety, stretches the chest, obliques and lower back muscles, improves digestion, improves the flexibility of the spine.
5. NADI SODHANA – Alternate Nostril breathingSteps:
- Sit comfortably making sure your spine is straight.
- Place your left hand on the left knee, palms open to the sky.
- With you right hand, bring the index finger and middle finger in between the eyebrows.
- Close your eyes and take a deep and smooth breath in and out through your nose.
- Put the thumb on the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily.
- Close the left nostril with the ring finger and little finger and retain your breath at the top of the inhale for a brief pause.
- While removing the right thumb from the right nostril, breathe out slowly from the right. Pause briefly at the bottom of the exhale.
- Breathe in from the right nostril and exhale from the left. The first round of alternate nostril breathing is done.
- Repeat up to 10 rounds.
Some benefits: harmonizes the left and right hemispheres of the brain, reduces stress, relax the nervous system, center to mind to the present moment, reduces insomnia, supports our lungs and respiratory functions.
Yoga outfit – Oysho
Thanks to: Carmen María Pérez ♡