There’s no denying it: life can be hectic.
When we feel overwhelmed, it’s good to know techniques that can calm our minds and bodies.
Yoga is an ancient practice rooted in India that focuses on flexibility, strength, and mental well-being.
By using techniques developed thousands of years ago, you can find your center in stressful moments (and increase your flexibility along the way).
Keep reading to learn more about the stress-relieving benefits of yoga poses and how a consistent yoga routine can help you live with more mindfulness!
How Do Yoga Poses Relieve Stress?
Before we get into how to relieve stress, let’s talk about stress itself.
Stress is a normal part of your “fight or flight” response that you feel when your body thinks there’s a threat. This response causes your body to release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to prepare you for action.
While it’s a good thing to experience occasional stress, chronic stress can cause serious side effects like hypertension, heart disease, anxiety, and even immune dysfunction.
You can counteract chronic stress by understanding what causes your stress and building a better mind-body connection.
Yoga Encourages a Better Mind-Body Connection and Decreases Stress
A core component of yoga practice to reduce stress is mindfulness — you focus on breath control, connect to your body, and work toward a meditative state.
Increasing this connection with regular yoga creates more awareness in your body and helps you achieve mental clarity. This reduces your cortisol levels and promotes understanding of what causes stress.
5 Yoga Poses for Stress Relief and Increased Flexibility
Entering a more relaxed state is essential for creating a better mind-body connection. Adding these yoga poses to your routine will help you stretch your muscles and relax your body and mind.
1. Easy Pose (Sukhasana) With a Forward Bend
Start this pose by entering a seated position with your legs crossed. From there, bend forward to stretch your lower back and hips.
If you practice often, you can increase the stretch by extending your arms forward and opening through the upper back.
This pose helps you increase your exhale and deepen your breath to make you more relaxed.
2. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana to Bitilasana)
This yoga pose begins on all fours in a tabletop position. From there, you’ll drop your belly, raise your head, and inhale deeply.
Then exhale as you pull your belly button toward your spine and arch your back, dropping your head toward the ground.
Cat-Cow connects your breath and your movement to increase mindfulness and helps you relieve tension in your back and shoulders.
3. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Stand with your legs together. Then, lean your body forward, extending your arms toward your toes and letting your head grow heavy. You can also bend your knees to keep the pose comfortable.
This pose is a great way to stretch your hamstrings and back. You can also add a bit of playfulness to the pose by swaying gently from side to side.
Uttanasana increases the blood flow to your brain to relieve anxiety and tension in your head.
4. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Lay flat on your stomach and place your hands beside your shoulders. From there, push up to open your chest and lean your head backward.
In this pose, you’ll feel a great stretch in your abs and across your chest. It’s important not to force your body into this shape — only stretch to your comfort level.
When performed correctly, Cobra Pose will release tension in your core and increase flexibility in your spine.
5. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
To enter Corpse Pose, start by laying flat on your back. You then open your arms and legs to create a “star” shape with your limbs.
While in this pose, try to clear your mind of any extra mental static and focus on how you feel lying there. Be mindful of what you can feel and how your breath moves your body against the ground.
Savasana can be the best pose for relaxation if you can quiet your mind and embrace the stillness around you.
Reduce Your Stress and Increase Your Fitness With Us
At Fit Body Boot Camp, we want you to be healthy — inside and out.
Our fitness coaches work with you to develop an individualized diet and exercise plan that boosts your fitness, while our 30-minute group classes help you relieve stress in a supportive environment!
Stop by an FBBC location near you to get started on your stress-relieving fitness journey and learn why our members call our workouts “the best 30 minutes of your day!”
