We all get anxious sometimes. We can meditate, practice yoga, or exercise all we want, but at the end of the day, we are humans and life happens. We feel anxious for many different reasons:
- An upcoming event
- After a long, stressful day
- Too much going on
- Worry
- Fear
- And so many more…
Yoga and meditation can help relieve symptoms of anxiety. Some poses are more effective than others because of their ability to ease physical and mental tension and for stimulating the parasympathetic system.
Below are my favorite poses for anxiety. They help me relax and refresh after a long, tiring day, and I also include them in my evening yoga classes as a way to ground and ease tension before a vigorous flow class.
Before you start…
When we hold restorative and yin poses, we aim for stillness. However, it is normal to want to move around and to have racing thoughts, especially when we are dealing with anxiety. Try not to resist this. Instead, observe the discomfort, with compassion and without judgement.
You see, the body and mind need time to settle. We hold these kind of poses for an extended amount of time so that the body and mind have time to pass through the discomfort and eventually relax. For some it may take longer than others. It’s fine. It’s all fine.
As always, remember to breathe.
What you’ll need:
A yoga mat, or something to lay down on.
2 blocks, or a stack of books.
1 blanket, or towel.
1. Reclined Pose
Benefits:
There is something oh-so soothing about lying down on a firm surface. This is how I start about 95% of my classes. On the back, no exceptions. Lying down on the back is a great way to practice breath and body awareness, both of which are wonderful for soothing the mind and body.
How-to:
Use a yoga mat, towel, or a clean carpeted floor to lay down on the floor. There are a few ways to position the legs:
- Place the soles of your feet flat on the floor, separated so that they are wider than hip distance (about as wide as the mat), and knees to together. This one is my favorite.
- Place the soles of the feet together, and knees wide apart (butterfly or supta baddha konasana)
- Legs straight and feet wide apart (Shavasana/Corpse pose).
Place your arms either down by the sides, or up and over the ears (as pictured).
For a gentle chest opener, roll-up a yoga blanket, towel, or an extra yoga mat and place it underneath you so that it sits around the bottom tips of the shoulder blades (right where the bra line would be).
Hold 5-7 minutes.
FREE 10-Minute Guided Meditation for Anxiety & Stress
2. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Benefits:
The simple action of resting the forehead on a firm surface can be super relaxing to the mind. This is why Child’s pose is an amazing soother. Physically, it opens the hips, stretches the tops of the feet, and lengthens the spine.
How-to:
Start in tabletop position (hands and knees).
Bring your big toes to touch so that the heels are separated from each other.
Sit the hips back on the heels.
Rest the forehead on the mat.
Reach the arms forward, or back by the sides (as pictured).
If you feel discomfort around the knees, place a bolster or pillow under the the thighs to elevate the hips.
Hold 3-5 minutes.
3. Reclined Twist
Benefits:
One of my absolute favorite restorative yoga poses. Reclined twist is quite popular in my classes, beginning and/or end. Physically, it stretches the hamstrings, outer hips, low back, and IT band. It gently stretches the chest and spine.
How-to:
Lay down on the floor with the soles of the feet on the ground and knees bent.
Lift the hips about 2-3 inches
Turn your hips to the left and knees to the right, so that the thighs are stacked on top of each other and knees are in line with the hips.
Reach the left arm out and place your right hand on top of the left thigh.
Gaze up at the ceiling/sky or over the left shoulder.
Hold for 2-3 minutes, switch sides.
4. Cross-legged Seated Forward Bend
Benefits:
This pose has a few qualities that make it quite soothing. The resting your head on the blocks, the introspective forward bend, the hip opening, and all the stillness.
How-to:
Start in a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you.
Bend the knees to cross one shin in front of the other.
Try to ground both sitting bones. Another option here is to sit on a folded blanket or towel in order to ground the hips.
Place 1-2 blocks in front of you
Place your hands in front of you.
Take a deep breath in, reach the chest forward and start to walk the hands forward as much as you can without lifting the hips off the ground.
When you come to a stopping point, rest your forehead on the blocks and rest the arms by the sides.
Hold for 3-5 minutes, then switch the crossing of the shins and repeat on the other side.
5. Legs-up-the-wall (Viparita Karani)
If you’ve been following my blog then you’ve probably seen this pose a few times. You will most likely see this pose in anything related to yoga therapeutics. Some people call it the “cure-anything-you-have” pose. It’s that good! In fact, if I could only recommend one pose to relieve anxiety, “legs up the wall “would be it. No doubt. Personally, it has helped me with different conditions like anxiety, fatigue, tired legs and feet, cramps, indigestion, low back pain, and many more I cannot think of right now. It also provides a mild hamstring stretch.
How-to:
Coming into this pose can feel a little awkward when you first try it.
Sit next to a wall with our left or right side pressed up against the wall.
Lift your feet off the ground and turn your hips and torso to face the wall.
Straighten the legs so that they rest against the wall
Adjust your position so that your butt is as close to the wall as possible.
Rest your arms by the sides or up and over the ears.
Hold for 5-10 minutes.
FREE 10-Minute Guided Meditation for Anxiety & Stress