Research has shown that even a minimal amount of yoga can help decrease stress, anxiety, and depression. One of the core principles of yoga is that the body and mind are interconnected. By practicing yoga, you can strengthen this connection, promote balance and tranquility, and develop the ability to remain relaxed and at peace. 

Signs of Stress 

Do you experience sweaty palms, a racing heart, and an overwhelming flood of thoughts? These are just some of the indicators of stress and anxiety. Stress can have a significant impact on your overall health, affecting you both physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Stress is a widespread issue that many people face in today's fast-paced world. Some people deal with stress through exercise or other harmful habits, while others try to ignore it, leading to a build-up that eventually affects their health. 

Stress often arises in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations, making us feel uneasy and magnifying even small problems. For instance, one might experience stress about their finances, while another may worry about a strained relationship with a friend or partner. Every individual has unique fears and anxieties and approaches to coping with stress. 

Although stress cannot be completely eliminated, its negative effects can be reduced through exercise and practices such as yoga. By learning to relax your mind and body, improving your breathing, and performing a series of asanas, yoga can help alleviate symptoms of stress. 

Stress can manifest in both physical and mental symptoms, such as: 

Physical: tense muscles, low energy, dry mouth, headaches, frequent colds, chest pain, shaking, loss of sexual desire, grinding teeth, upset stomach, and more. 

Mental: depression, irritability, mood swings, anxiety, racing thoughts, lack of focus, persistent worrying, forgetfulness, loneliness, and more. 

Yoga provides a way to manage stress by focusing on controlled breathing, meditation, and physical postures. This not only helps reduce stress, but also improves overall health by lowering blood pressure, increasing lung capacity, and promoting cardiovascular health. 

In addition, yoga releases endorphins, hormones that play a role in managing physical pain and negative emotions. Each yoga pose offers unique benefits, from improving posture to relieving headaches and insomnia, as well as restoring the nervous and lymphatic system. 

Here are nine asanas specifically designed for stress relief: 

1.The Easy Pose, also known as Sukhasana, is a simple and accessible yoga posture for both beginners and intermediate practitioners. This pose promotes peace of mind and reduces stress and anxiety. By adding a forward fold to the pose, you can increase the exhale and trigger the relaxation response. The Easy Pose stretches the lower body, including the knees, ankles, hips, groin, and outer thighs. Additionally, it strengthens the back muscles and improves posture. To do the Easy Pose, start by sitting cross-legged on your mat with your right shin or foot in front. After a few minutes, slowly bend forward as far as is comfortable, with your arms out in front of you. Hold the forward bend for five breaths before straightening. Repeat on the other side. 

2.The Uttanasana, also known as the Standing Forward Fold Pose, is a great yoga posture for calming the mind, balancing the nervous system, and bringing peace to a busy mind. It is often used as a transition between other yoga poses. The pose stretches the hamstrings, calves, hips, and back, and provides benefits such as reducing stress, fatigue, and headaches, stimulating the liver and kidneys, and aiding with insomnia. To perform Uttanasana, start in a neutral standing position (Tadasana), bend the knees, and fold forward from the hips while keeping the core engaged and exhaling. Place your hands in front of your feet, distribute weight evenly, and hold each elbow with the opposite hand. Focus on relaxing the neck, jaw, eyes, and mind and hold the pose for five breaths before slowly rising back up. When practicing Uttanasana, imagine your worries flowing from your head to the feet and being absorbed by the ground. 

3.Balasana, also known as Child's Pose, is a great way to calm the mind and soothe the adrenal glands, which can become stressed leading to burnout. The pose stretches the back, hips, thighs, and ankles, and provides benefits such as reducing stress and restoring the nervous and lymphatic systems. To perform Balasana, start on all fours and then sit back on your heels with your hands in front of you, slowly folding forward until the forehead touches the mat. You can either have your knees together or apart, depending on hip tightness. Traditionally, arms are alongside the body, but you can also stack the hands or extend them in front of you. Hold the pose for at least ten breaths and place a cushion between your backside and heels if needed. 

4.Garudasana, also known as the Eagle Pose, is a complex posture that helps release tension, improve balance, reduce stress, and increase concentration. The pose stretches the whole body including the thighs, hips, calves, ankles, shoulders, and upper back, and provides benefits such as stimulating the immune system and improving balance. To perform Garudasana, stand upright with arms at the side, bend the knees, balance on one foot, cross the other thigh over it, and hook the top of that foot behind the calf. Cross one arm under the other, bend the elbows, and press the palms together. Square the chest and hips to the front, engage the core, and focus on the tips of the thumbs to maintain balance. Hold the pose for one minute, then unwind and repeat on the other side. It may take some time to master this pose, but with consistent practice, it will become easier. If balancing is challenging, touch one big toe to the floor.

5.Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) 

Bridge Pose, also known as Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, is an inverted pose with the heart higher than the head, helping to calm the brain and central nervous system and relieve stress, anxiety, and mild depression. The pose stretches the chest, neck, spine, hips, and back and strengthens the back, buttocks, and hamstrings, improves digestion and circulation, and benefits conditions such as high blood pressure, backache, fatigue, insomnia, and headaches. To perform the pose, start by lying flat on the back with feet hip-width apart, then lift the hips, press into the arms and shoulders to lift the chest, and hold for five breaths. For more support, place a yoga block under the sacrum. 

6.Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana) 

The Extended Triangle Pose is a full-body stretch that helps relieve stress and reduce anxiety. This standing asana includes variations such as Baddha Trikonasana and Parivrtta Trikonasana, and stretches the lower body areas like the knees, thighs, and ankles. It also helps with digestion, sciatica, and osteoporosis. To do the pose, start by standing upright and spreading legs one meter apart, then turn the right foot out at a 90-degree angle, bend down from the hips towards the right leg, twist to the left, and put the right hand on the ankle, shin, or floor while stretching the left arm up. Hold the position for 30 seconds and use a yoga block if needed. 

7. Cat Pose or Marjaryasana: 

Marjaryasana is a yoga asana that helps relieve stress, improve spinal flexibility and mobility, and promote emotional balance. It primarily focuses on stretching the lower back but also stretches the hips, upper back, and lungs. This asana releases tension in the upper back and neck when held at its peak. The movement from one posture to another using breath also helps relieve menstrual cramps, lower back pain, and sciatica and stimulates the organs in the belly such as the kidneys and adrenal glands. 

Instructions for Marjaryasana: 

1.Start on your hands and knees 

2.Exhale and draw your stomach into your spine 

3.Round your back towards the ceiling as far as possible 

4.Point the crown of your head to the floor without forcing your chin onto your chest 

Repeat ten times 

5 Tips: 

Keep your shoulders relaxed 

Let your head drop naturally, do not force it down 

Keep your arms straight to ensure the Cat Pose moves your spine 

8. Legs-up-the-wall Pose or Viparita Karani: 

Viparita Karani is a supported asana that involves having your legs up against a wall, typically using a wall. It helps reduce stress and is a good pose to do before bed as it calms the mind and heart. This asana stretches the back of the legs, neck, and chest. Additionally, it facilitates lymph drainage, increases blood circulation, and promotes the return of blood to the heart. 

Instructions for Legs-up-the-wall Pose: 

Place your hips against a wall and roll onto your back 

Straighten your legs against the wall 

Press your bottom against the wall as close as possible 

Hold this pose for five minutes 

9. The Corpse Pose, also known as Savasana, is a final and calming posture in yoga practice. This pose helps promote physical and emotional grounding, relaxation and total peace. Although it may seem simple, lying still on the floor can be challenging for some individuals. Savasana helps to dispel fears and worries, leading to a deep state of relaxation that improves breathing, concentration, mental health and stimulates blood circulation. To perform the Corpse Pose, lie flat on your back with legs apart, arms by your sides and palms facing up. Close your eyes, focus on deep breathing and release each part of your body from the top of your head to your feet. Hold this pose for 3-5 minutes and end with a Namaste.