Best Yoga Poses To Say Goodbye To Anxiety

Anxiety, often used interchangeably with stress, is not the same as stress but a reaction to stress. Stress is a response to a tough situation and can be defined as a reaction of the body and mind to a particular situation. Anxiety, on the other hand, is a type of unease, worry and fear at perceived threat. Such unfounded fear causes a number of physical and psychological symptoms.

Symptoms of Anxiety

While anxiety to a certain degree may be useful and safeguard you from potential threat, higher level of anxiety can negatively influence your physical and mental health leading to anxiety disorder. The symptoms of anxiety include:

• Insomnia
• Palpitation
• Irritability 
• Tremor
• Shortness of breath
• Numbness in hands and feet
• Heart conditions
• Lack of focus 

How Yoga Helps To Alleviate Anxiety

Yoga is a body-mind art that promotes co-ordination and balance. Apart from a wide range of physical benefits, yoga works at psychological level as well. Here is how yoga alleviates anxiety.

• Promotes calm
• Treats mood swings
• Aids in achieving emotional balance
• Increases awareness of emotions within thereby aiding in handling the situation right
• Develops mindfulness and aids in distancing you from thoughts that are distressful
• Effects change in attitude and perception, which results in understanding, curing and preventing anxiety. 

Yoga Poses For Anxiety

Here are some of the best yoga poses for anxiety that relieves stress, promotes sense of calm and balance and makes you stay in the present.

1. Tree Pose / Vrikshasana

Tree Pose promotes your focus, boosts sense of balance and awareness thereby taking your mind off anxiety. Click here for more.

To know about yoga poses for stress relief, click here.

2. Standing Forward Bend / Uttanasana

To perform the pose, stand straight with your hands by the sides. Lift the hands up and with exhalation bend down and place your palms by the sides of your feet. Click here for more.

3.  Downward Dog Pose / Adho Mukha Svanasana 

Adho Mukha Svanasana is a restorative yoga pose that offers amazing health benefits. For more information, click here.

4. Child Pose / Balasana

Child Pose is a resting pose and performed between challenging yoga poses. Click here to know more.

5. Seated Forward Bend / Paschimottanasana 

One of the best poses to stretch the spine, Seated Forward Bend is also recommended for reducing tummy fat. Click here to know more.

6. Bridge Pose / Setu Bandhasana

Bridge Pose is a basic yoga pose with amazing benefits. Click here to know more about the pose, which is recommended for anxiety.

7. Fish Pose / Matsyasana

Matsyasana is one of those poses highly recommended for asthmatic conditions. Click here to know more.

8. Rest Pose / Savasana

Savasana is a wonderful yoga pose, which relaxes the whole body and mind. Performed at the end of every yoga session and in between when necessary, Savasana is one of those effective yoga poses for anxiety. 

Practice the above mentioned yoga poses to get the better off anxiety.