Yoga For Mental Health: June 21 is International Yoga Day, which is celebrated all over the world as an initiative to create awareness about physical, mental, and spiritual health. India’s ancient tradition of yoga not only makes the body healthy and peaceful but also increases emotional balance by eliminating mental stress.
In today’s modern lifestyle, mental problems like anxiety, stress, and depression have become very common, for which yoga emerges as an effective and natural remedy. Keeping this in mind, this article is based on the 5 best Yogas for Mental Health. Read it carefully and apply it in your life. These are the five best Yoga Poses For Stress and Anxiety–
Balasana (Child’s Pose)
Balasana is also called child pose because it is a relaxing and calming yoga pose. It helps in reducing stress and anxiety. In this pose, the body is bent like a child which calms the mind and balances the nervous system. Do this pose in this way-
- Kneel down and lean your hips towards your ankles.
- Slowly bend yourself forward and rest your head on the ground.
- Keep your arms relaxed along your body or stretch forward.
- Do this posture for 1 to 3 minutes and breathe deeply and slowly.
Balasana Mudra increases the supply of oxygen to the brain, which reduces stress and fatigue. Along with this, this posture is also helpful in focusing and increasing mental clarity. People who are suffering from the problem of overthinking should especially do this pose.
Read More: Escaping the Mind’s Maze: 5 Powerful Ways To Avoid Dark Mental Traps
Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
Vrikshasana is a balancing asana that increases physical stability as well as strengthens mental concentration and confidence. This asana helps us to live in the present moment, which reduces anxiety and stress. Vrikshasana is done in this way-
- Stand straight and place your right foot on the thigh of your left foot.
- Now make a pranam mudra with your hands and bring the hands in front of the chest or raise them above the head.
- Focus your eyes on some point and maintain balance for 30- 60 seconds.
- Repeat the same pose with the left foot.
Vrikshasana Mudra calms your mind and increases your focus, reducing mental instability by increasing self-awareness. Practicing this mudra daily eliminates stress.
Shavasana (Corpse Pose)
Shavasana or relaxation mudra is one of the most important poses to be done at the end of a yoga session. This posture deeply relaxes both the body and mind, helping to ease stress and calm anxiety. Do Shavasana in this way-
- Lie flat on your back with your legs slightly apart and your palms facing upward in an open position.
- Close your eyes and leave the body completely loose.
- Calm down every part of your body by taking deep breaths.
- Do this pose for at least 5-10 minutes.
Shavasana pose calms the nervous system and reduces mental stress. This is one of the Best Yoga Poses For Stress and Anxiety. Its specialty is that it improves the quality of sleep and reduces the symptoms of depression. Experts call it a great way to practice meditation and mindfulness.
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Shavasana is a pose that provides energy to the body and also reduces mental stress. Doing this asana increases the flow of blood to the brain, which gives mental clarity and peace. Do this asana in this way-
- Start by positioning yourself on all fours, then raise your hips toward the ceiling.
- Press your hands and feet into the ground so that your body forms an inverted ‘V’ shape.
- Maintain your head aligned between your arms and breathe deeply.
- Do the breathing posture for 30-60 seconds.
Svanasana is one of the important Yoga Poses For Depression, which reduces anxiety and stress by providing oxygen to the brain and removing fatigue. It also refreshes the mind and increases concentration.
Bridge Pose
Bridge pose is a slightly backward-bending asana that opens the chest and reduces stress. This asana helps activate the heart chakra which increases emotional balance. The bridge pose is done in this way. –
- Lie down on your back, bend your knees, and bring your feet close to your hips.
- Rest your palms flat on the floor and gently press to lift your hips upward. Ground and lift your hips up.
- Move the chest towards the chin and take a deep breath.
- Stay in this posture for 30 to 60 seconds and then slowly come down.
The Bridge Pose works on stress, anxiety, and depression. It activates the thyroid gland and helps in creating hormonal balance as well as increases confidence and mental stability.
Conclusion
In today’s competitive life, it is very important to maintain better mental health. But due to busyness, we are often unable to pay attention to it. In such a situation, yoga is the only way that can give us maximum benefits in less time. Make the poses mentioned in this article a part of your life and improve your mental health. Do give us your feedback and stay with us to read articles on important topics.
FAQ- Yoga For Mental Health
Which asana should be done to activate the heart chakra?
Setu Bandhasana should be done to activate the heart chakra.
