7 Yoga Poses, Pranayama, And Meditation Technique For Stress Relief

Seething with frustration and anger because of work, traffic woes, or a spat with the partner? Be it work-related or personal, stress can take a toll on your life, relationships, and health.

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• The stretches in yoga asanas improve mood, ease stress, decrease heart rate, increase flexibility, and boost autonomic and heart function.
• The focus and self-control needed for tough asanas and the satisfaction from doing them de-stress, improve mood, and lower anxiety.
• Yoga lowers levels of salivary cortisol and the “fight or flight” response (sympathetic nervous system).
• Yoga reduces dependence on medication for stress.¹
• Students and teens can practice yoga to manage exam stress and daily stress.²[/pullquote]

If you are wondering if yoga can help your cause, know that yoga for stress management and relaxation is now a proven alternative to therapy or other relaxation techniques. Studies confirm that it can be effective for easing mental tension. In one test, women who were facing mental distress found significant improvement in their condition after attending yoga classes for 3 months.³

The right yoga poses or asanas can de-stress you, helping you stretch and breathe your way to a more relaxed version of yourself. Here are some stress-relieving yoga poses you can try.

1. Tadasana Or Mountain Pose

• Stand with your feet together with your weight balanced well. Arms should be by your side, fingers pointing downward.
• Let your pelvis be neutral, your abdomen engaged. Roll shoulders back, broadening your collar bone.
• Ensure your spine is straight, the crown of the head is pointed to the ceiling, and chin is parallel to the ground.
• Inhale through your nose and exhale through the mouth – you should hear a gentle ha sound.

How it helps: This pose improves your posture and helps you focus on breathing.⁴

2. Padangusthasana Or Big Toe Pose

• Stand upright, feet six inches apart. Exhale as you bend forward from your hips, with your head and torso moving in unison.
• Grip your big toe and the second toe of each foot firmly. Use the index finger and middle fingers of your hands to do this. Your thumbs can help hold the fingers in place.
• Inhale as you try and lift your torso, elbows straightening, your torso lengthening.
• Lift your sitting bones as you exhale. Release your hamstrings and lightly lift your lower belly to the back of your pelvis even as you feel your lower back hollow a bit. Deepen the hollow more with each successive exhalation.
• To finish, bend your elbows and lengthen both the sides and front of your torso. Then lower yourself into a forward bend when you exhale. Hold this for a minute before you release your toes, and then move your hands up to rest on your hips. Inhale as you bring head and torso upright together.

How it helps: A great stretch for the entire body, this asana helps relieve stress and anxiety and calms the mind. It lengthens the muscles and strengthens them.⁵

3. Balasana Or Child Pose

• Kneel down with knees hip-distance apart and big toes touching. Rest on your heels.
• Put your hands on either side of your torso, palm side up.
• Raise your arms up, inhaling as you do so. Exhale bringing them down to rest in front of the body. Your gaze should be down to the floor.
• Repeat the breath cycle five times.

How it helps: This asana helps you breathe consciously, focusing your mind and calming it. It also relieves fatigue.^{6 7}

4. Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana Or Dolphin Plank

• Go down on your hands and knees.
• Walk your feet back so that your torso is parallel to the ground and your elbows below your shoulders. Your toes should raise your feet off the ground.
• Now let your elbows and forearms touch the floor. Your palms should be open and in contact with the floor as well. Your hips and front thighs should rise up.
• Look straight down, the base of your skull away from the rear of your neck.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds before releasing knees and exhaling as you do so.

How it helps: This pose relieves tension, calms the mind, and stretches the body.⁸

5. Savasana Or Corpse Pose

[expert_opinion expertname=’annieau’ opinion=”Corpse pose is an important pose that most people skip! This pose allows us to surrender and simply be still for contemplation. Have a busy mind? Try counting your breath up to 10 and repeat.”]

• Lie on your back, arms by your side, palms facing upward. Heels should be together.
• Picture your inner ear channels, nose, forehead skin, and tongue softening.
• Release the eyeballs and feel them fall back into your skull. Relax the muscles on your face.
• Inhale lifting your belly and filling it, exhale to flatten it. Focus only on the moment and empty your mind of thoughts.
• Stay in this position for about 5 minutes to relax after exercise or other asanas.

How it helps: A pose designed for complete relaxation, it also helps lower blood pressure. Headaches and insomnia, two stress-related problems, are eased with this asana as well.^{9 10 11}

6. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama Or Channel Cleaning Breath

• Sit comfortably with your legs crossed in sukhasana and exhale deeply.
• Next, keep your right nostril closed with the thumb so that you breathe in through your other nostril.
• After inhaling from this left nostril, close it using the fourth and fifth fingers.
• Now that both nostrils are closed, hold your breath for a couple of seconds. [pullquote] Slow breathing or slow pranayama improves heart rate and blood pressure, making it a good choice for stress busting.¹²[/pullquote]
• Open the right nostril and exhale slowly and completely. Your left nostril remains closed.
• Next, inhale through the right nostril deeply again, left still closed.
• Again close both nostrils and hold your breath for 1 or 2 seconds.
• This time, hold the right nostril closed as you exhale slowly and completely from the open left nostril. Inhale from the left deeply, right still closed. Repeat this process.

How it helps: This slow breathing pranayama technique can help reduce stress and anxiety and lower heart rate. It is believed to purify energy channels in the body.¹³

7. Dhyana Or Calm Heart Meditation With Anjali Mudra (Salutation Pose)

For this meditation, you should find a comfortable seated position either on a blanket, cushion, or mat on the floor or on a chair. Set a timer so you know when to emerge out of your dhyana.¹⁴

• Start with jnana mudra, with the thumb and index fingers touching, hands on knees with palms facing upwards.
• Relax any tension in your body as you feel your spine rise up out of your pelvic region. Let the back of your neck lengthen and your chin rest gently downward. [pullquote]The concentration needed to just sit and focus or meditate can sharpen your intellect, making you better able to cope with challenges and handle stress better. You now emerge stronger, happier, and more positive – the perfect counters to stress.¹⁵[/pullquote]
• Focus on the center of your chest and start to chant Om as you exhale. It should almost feel like the sound is emerging from your chest itself.
• Feel each progressive Om resonate and vibrate more, opening up your heart and washing away stress and tension.
• When your timer sounds, bring your hands together in the anjali mudra, palms flat against each other and head bowed.

How it helps: This technique eases tensions, washes away anxiety, and calms the mind. It also helps clear the mind and body of the stress linked to different emotions.

Your Doubts Answered

1. Do I Practice Yoga In the Morning Or Is It Just Important To Do It Every Day, No Matter What The Time?

[expert_opinion expertname=’yogrishivishvketu’ opinion=”Yes, it is important to do yoga regularly above all. The calming, grounding and opening effects of the yoga practice will last for about 24 hours. You will begin to notice that your body and mind really call for the yoga practice regularly once a day or every two days at least. And yes, morning is an optimal time to do yoga. After waking, you are already in a calm, quiet frame of mind for yoga. And after drinking a bit of lemon water and going to the bathroom, your digestive tract will be fairly clean. This is important because yoga asanas massage the digestive and elimination organs. Deep forward bending and twisting should not be done when constipated or when you haven’t gone to the bathroom as then you will just reabsorb toxins into the bloodstream during yoga practice. Yoga should also not be done when the stomach is full and your energy is being directed towards digesting food. Good digestion is very important to good health. As we eat many times throughout the day, early morning yoga practice is the best time to do yoga without having to worry about the time between your last meal and the yoga practice. Also, doing yoga in the morning gets the body’s circulation going and helps prepare the body for the movements of the day. Dynamic pranayama can be used to import energy and replace your morning coffee. Yoga in the morning also helps you start your day on a positive, grounded and calm note, setting you up for success in your communications and in your endeavors. Morning practice also signals to your subconscious mind that yoga is a priority in your life, that your wellbeing is a priority in your life. Finally, if you choose to do yoga in the afternoon before dinner or in the evening before bed, you will need to be cautious that you are not using postures and breathing techniques that are going to keep you awake at night. Calming, soothing practices like bumble bee breath are ideal at that time. So to conclude, look at your life routine and other obligations in your day and find the time-slot where you will most likely be able to do the yoga regularly, with an awareness of the advantages of a morning practice.”]

[expert_opinion expertname=’annieau’ opinion=”‘Find your own tricks.’ This is a powerful message from my teacher Sri Dharma Mittra. Depends on our lifestyle, we can’t always practice in the morning. Therefore, we must practice whenever we can. The most important thing to remember is that doing yoga is not the same as being yogic. Being yogic is to practice kindness, awareness, and thoughtfulness throughout the day. Doing two hours of yoga postures on the mat can help strengthen and loosen the muscles, but it’s not the most vital part of yoga.”]