What is Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Relief?
Modern technology has made life extremely easy for people but that does not mean that everyone is leading a peaceful life. Everyone is leading busy lives juggling work, and personal life causing stress and anxiety. People follow different techniques when answering how to relieve stress and some just ignore it. Yoga for stress relief is one of the best ways to get relaxation for stress. Yoga is a combination of physical and mental practice that helps lower blood pressure and heart rate which are the main symptoms of stress. The best part of yoga for stress management is that it can be done by people of all ages and abilities. Yoga for stress relief has become a popular form of exercise for a few decades now.
What is Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Relief Exercises?
Many people think that relaxation means watching their favourite movie or binging on a snack in front of the TV. But this does not help in reducing stress and its harmful side effects. Stress relief yoga or other types of stress management should be done to activate the body’s natural response. Yoga for stress can help in bringing the mind and body to balance. Yoga for relaxation and stress relief helps do just that. It involves:
Relaxation exercises
Rhythmic exercises
Deep breathing
Meditation and more.
The yoga for stress management exercises can be as gentle as you want or can be strenuous and challenging. Depending on your needs and ability there are many types of yoga forms. Stress relief yoga, like other types, includes the three main elements like the physical poses, controlled breathing, and deep relaxation.
What Causes Stress?
There are various reasons that cause stress, it can be one big thing or small things adding up. All that makes it difficult for people to understand what is causing stress which can be reduced by stress relief yoga. Usually, things that happen in life cause anxiety or stress. It can be:
Certain changes in life, big or small
Work or family pressure
Worrying about things
Unable to carry the burden or responsibilities
Unable to overcome a situation or control it effectively
Not having work or unhappy with the work
Uncertainty in life
What are the Symptoms of Stress?
Stress can impact most aspects of your life and hence it is essential to manage it properly by doing at least basic yoga for stress management. Some of the signs of stress are:
Emotional Symptoms
Mood swings can easily get angered, frustrated
Racing thoughts
Feeling overwhelmed
Low self-esteem, feeling worthless and depressed
Avoiding social interactions
Physical Symptoms
Headaches and body aches
Fatigue or being low on energy
Insomnia
Rapid heartbeat and chest pain
Frequent infections
Tense muscles
Grinding teeth, clenched jaw, or chewing tongue
Sweaty hands, feet, or feeling cold
Nervousness
Cognitive Symptoms
Loss of memory
Disorganized
Lack of focus
Poor judgment
Having negative thoughts
All the above symptoms can be relieved by doing stress relief yoga.
Who can do Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Relief?
Yoga for stress relief is gentle and anyone can do it. So irrespective of age, gender, and ability anyone interested in yoga for stress can do it.
Who should avoid Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Relief?
As mentioned earlier, stress relief yoga can be done by people of all ages. Kids below 5 years of age should not be forced to do yoga.
Kids yoga is for those who are above 5 years. There are many types of stress free yoga and one can choose it based on their needs and requirements.
List of Exercises for Yoga for Stress Management and Relaxation
Stress sucks a lot of energy from the body, due to which there is turmoil in the body and mind. Yoga for stress relief is a coping mechanism that helps get inner peace and is the best answer for, how to relieve stress? Some of the exercises in stress relief yoga that help are:
Sukhasana
Uttanasana
Prasarita Padottanasana
Sarvangasana
Vajranasana
Garudasana
Halasana
Savasana
Marjaryasana
Bitilasana
Balasana
Bhujangasana
Uttana Shishosana
Paschimottonasana
Viparita Karani
The above exercises are yoga asanas for stress relief.
What Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Exercises can be done at Home?
Learning yoga from a trained professional is the best way to start your yoga for stress relief journey. But there are many resources online that can help you start yoga asanas for stress relief at home too. Start the exercises at home doing
yoga for beginners. Yoga reduces stress and these poses can be done at home are:
Start with Mindful Exercises
Yoga reduces stress is a well-established fact. When the mind is under stress, breathing, and heart rate increase. So the first thing to do is, slow down by doing yoga asanas for stress relief. Begin your yoga for stress with mindful breathing so that you slow down and connect your mind and body.
Sit down and relax your shoulders
Contract your stomach and extend the tailbone so that the spine is straight. The back should be straight from the head.
Inhale for about 5 seconds taking in the air by pushing the stomach forward.
Exhale, releasing all the air by bringing the stomach back.
Reps: A minimum of 4 times. Can do more if you have time as yoga reduces stress.
Benefits: Slows down the breathing, balances the mind and body, and prepares it for the upcoming exercises. It is good to start yoga for stress and anxiety relief with mindful breathing.
Balasana
This is called the child pose and is a simple and easy yoga pose to relieve stress.
Steps
Sit on the floor in a kneeling position.
Bend forward so that the chest touches the thighs and the forehead reaches the ground.
The buttocks should touch the heels of your feet.
Relax your torso and let your hands on the side.
Reps: Doing this for 1 minute will bring great relief from stress
Benefits: It is the best yoga for stress as it quietens the brain and reduces stress and anxiety. It also helps the nervous and the lymphatic system.
Uttanasana
It is called the standing forward bend and is another simple yoga pose to relieve stress. It is also an answer for how to relieve stress? The steps are:
Steps
Exhale and bend your body forward.
Try to touch the finger to the floor.
Hold this pose for 4 to 8 breaths and return to start.
Reps: Repeat this for 1 minute for physical and mental health benefits
Benefits: It helps the nervous system and also releases tension from the hips, thighs, and hamstring muscles. It also reduces mild depression symptoms.
Ananda Balasana
It is known as a happy child pose and is a stress release yoga pose.
Steps
Lie on your back, bend your knees, and bring it towards the belly.
Hold your feet with your hands.
Open your knees so that it resembles a baby playing. Stay in this position.
Reps: Hold this pose for 60 seconds to get a feeling of relaxation.
Benefits: This stress release yoga pose reduces fatigue and stress. Calms the mind and body, enhances mood and promotes better sleep.
Shavasana
It is called the corpse pose. It is a stress release yoga pose that is often done at the end of the yoga session for better relaxation. It is considered among the best yoga pose for stress.
Steps
Lie on your back, legs kept straight and heel a little apart.
Ensure that you lie on the floor comfortably by adjusting your position.
Place your hands on the side with the palms facing up.
Place a block on your forehead so that it gently touches it and helps to calm the nervous system.
The block helps to reduce the pressure that gets built up due to stress and is the best yoga pose for stress.
Reps: Stay in this pose for up to 5 minutes or until time permits.
Benefits: It helps to reduce fatigue, anxiety, and stress. It also aids in reducing headaches and promotes a higher level of consciousness. If you are looking for ways on how to relieve stress and anxiety, this is the pose to do.
Health Benefits of Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Relief
Yoga and stress management go hand in hand. Yoga for stress relief and relaxation has many health benefits. Some of them are:
Stress free yoga helps in lowering blood pressure and heart rate
Morning yoga reduces the symptoms of allergy and asthma
Reduces the levels of cortisol
Yoga pose for flexibility helps reduce muscle tension
Increases blood circulation
Stress free yoga Boosts metabolism
Yoga and stress cannot be together. Doing yoga for stress and anxiety relief keeps infections and diseases at bay.
Increase strength and flexibility by doing
yoga for strength .
Slows the ageing process
Boosts self-esteem
Surya namaskar creates a sense of overall well-being.