Yoga for Stress Management and Inner Peace in Effective Ways

Stress is very common these days in our lives, maybe we all are dealing with it emotionally, mentally or physically. It may have bad effects on our health which we usually ignore. Sometimes we are not even aware that we are dealing with some kind of stress. We may feel exhausted, which may result in a disturbed mind, but we should always remember stress is not a disease, it’s just a phase that will surely pass on. There are many ways to deal with stress. However, Yoga for stress management and inner peace is one of the most effective and healthy ways.

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga means the mental, physical and emotional fitness. It has many benefits for our body, some are given below-

-increasing flexibility

-keeping our mind healthy and stable

-enhancing stamina

-improving muscle strength

– eases your worries and stress level

-promotes heart health

-improves respiration

Yoga helps us improve our health by using various breathing techniques. It includes stretches and motion which is enough to make us sweat. In addition, it stretches our muscles in such a positive way that we can concentrate on our breathing while we are doing asana. It helps us toning our body, keeping our mind calm and breathe deeply.

Yoga for Stress Management and Inner Peace

Yoga for managing stress includes asanas that will help you feel relax and energetic. However, for practicing yoga you also have to take care that the gap between your yoga practice and meals should be at least 3 hours.

Here are a few asanas which you can practice to manage stress and stay calm:

1. Anulom Vilom (Pranayama)

In this asana, sit with legs cross, back straight, and close your eyes. Close your right nostril with thumb and do a deep inhale with the left nostril, now close the left nostril with your fingers and exhale through the right nostril. You can do this 5 times a day.

This asana will help you to overcome anxiety, migraine and any breathing problem if you have. It is also really beneficial to increase concentration power.

2. Easy pose (Sukhasana)

In this asana sit with back straight and legs stretched towards the front. Now bend the left leg and place it under the right thigh. Similarly, do with another leg. Now your legs are in crisscross position. Place your palms on your thighs and relax. Stay in this position for 20 seconds and, while in this position keep doing deep inhale and exhale.

This asana will help you calm your mind, stretches your back muscles, helps to increase flexibility in ankles and hips.

3. Standing forward bend pose (Uttanasana)

Stand with a slight gap between your legs. Raise your hands above your head and swing forward while simultaneously, you bend forward in slow motion. Try to touch the floor with your palms, while your head hangs and exhales. Be in the same position for 10 seconds. Come back to normal position with your hands coming on either side of the body. You can repeat this asana for 5 times.

This asana will help you relieve stress from neck to back and will improve blood circulation in the brain. Also, it is beneficial to treat insomnia and fatigue.

4. Child’s pose (Balasana)

In this asana, sit on your knees by folding your legs so that your hips rest on your heels. Your hands should rest on your thighs with palms down. Now, slowly bend forward with your arms going forward too while exhaling and taking your chest closer to knees. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Stay in the same position for 15- 20 seconds, revert to the original position and repeat it 5 times.

This asana will help shoulder and neck muscles to relax, it strengthens the spine and stretches the entire body. It also helps to reduce tiredness and stress.

5. Cat pose (Marjaryasana)

Be in tabletop position, your knees and hands should touch the ground and your body from neck to hips should be in a straight line while you look straight. Now, while exhaling, bend your head inwards so that you look at the distance between your knees. All the while, curl the middle of your spine towards the ceiling, keeping the hands firm and straight. Relax in this position for 20 seconds and then repeat it 5 times.

This asana is good for breathing, it helps torso muscles to relax, eases your back and overcome any kind of depression.

6. Om chanting

Om sound is considered as the sound of the universe. It is really important to do om chanting whenever you start yoga, as it has a vibrating and relaxing effect on the body. This effect is really important to keep your mind calm. You can do 3-5 times of om chanting before starting yoga.

7. Bhramari Pranayama

This asana is a breathing technique that helps you to keep your mind calm. In this asana, sit with back straight, close your eyes. Close the cartilage of your ears with your index fingers. Take a deep breath in and do a breathe out, and make a sound like a humming bee. While doing this press the cartilage of your ears. You can repeat it 5 times.