Yoga for Stress

Stress seems to be an illness most human beings suffer from. With Covid still running around, water levels rising, and bills that always need to be paid, it’s perfectly normal for us to get stressed and overthink things. Yoga has been used for centuries to help us get in touch with ourselves and the universe around us and can be a great remedy for those stressing out over, well, anything really. Below is a list of yoga stretches and poses to help relax your inner turmoil and take a breath from your crazy lives. 

Child’s Pose

One of the most well-known yoga poses, Balansana, or Child’s Pose, is simple and effective at reducing stress! Starting in a kneeling position, inhale as you reach your arms up above your head, keeping your posture straight but relaxed. As you exhale, bend your upper body forward until your hands touch the mat, resting your forehead there as well. Continue to focus on your breathing for 60 seconds before slowly inhaling as you bring yourself back up into a kneel. 

Cobra Pose

Also known as Bhujangasana, the Cobra Pose can be very beneficial not only for digestion and your liver, but strengthens your back and arms. Laying down flat on your stomach, place your hands flat on the mat by your upper ribs with your elbows pointing up. As you inhale, lift yourself up extending your arms, remembering to keep them slightly bent so as not to lock them. Bring your hips forward and your chest out, with your chin up facing ahead. Your hips should be either slightly lifted off the ground or just resting lightly. Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds, keeping your breaths long and meaningful. 

Bridge Pose

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, or Bridge Pose, is very effective in opening up the chest, thighs, and hips, while also improving digestion and regulating metabolism (which can be thrown off-whack by stress). Start by laying flat on your back. Then, place your feet flat on the ground near your butt with your knees bent. With palms flat on the ground, lift yourself off the ground, keeping only your feet firmly on the ground and your shoulders and head down. Squeezing your glutes hips angled up, hold this position for 30 seconds, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. If you need a little more support, grab your ankles while you’re lifted in the air.