Reduce Anxiety With These Yoga Poses

Finding a yoga routine that helps calm our anxiety can be tricky. However, it is worth trying some of these poses to see the benefits.

Does yoga improve anxiety?

Many people turn to yoga when anxious feelings start to creep in or during times of stress. We may find that focusing on both the breath and the ability to be present in each pose can help calm negative mind chatter and improve overall mood.

It is about meeting ourselves where we are. Practicing one or two postures for a few minutes a day can have a big impact, if we are open to the practice. To get the most out of the session, we will allow ourselves to feel and experience any emotions that arise. If we feel thoughts beginning to scatter, we will gently return the mind to the mat and continue with the practice.

When the researchers compare the results, they find that yoga significantly reduces feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Even a single hatha yoga session is effective in reducing the stress of an acute psychological stressor. A psychological stressor is a task or event that elicits an immediate response, such as a fight or flight reaction.

In another study, the stressor was a math task. After completing a video-guided yoga session, participants experienced a reduction in blood pressure and reported higher levels of self-confidence. Although this research is promising, larger and deeper studies are needed to expand on these findings.

yoga asanas for anxiety

Learn the best yoga poses to reduce long-term anxiety.

hero pose

This sitting posture can help us find peace. We will focus on the breath to help us feel comfortable in the stillness of this pose. This yoga asana for anxiety works the spinal erectors, quadriceps, knee and ankle muscles.

The steps to follow are:

1. Get into a kneeling position. The knees should be together and the feet should be slightly wider than the hips.
2. Keep the tops of your feet flat on the ground.
3. Sit so that the lower part reaches the ground between the feet. If the bottom part does not reach the ground, we will use a block or a book.
4. We will place our hands on the thighs.
5. We will sit up straight to open the chest and lengthen the spine.

tree pose

This classic standing pose can help us focus inward and calm racing thoughts. We will work the abdominals, the psoas, the quadriceps and the tibialis anterior.

The steps to follow are:

1. Standing, we will support the weight with the right foot and slowly lift the left foot off the ground.
2. We will slowly turn the sole of the left foot towards the inside of the left leg.
3. We will place it on the outside of the left ankle, calf or thigh.
4. We will avoid pressing the foot against the knee.
5. We will bring the hands to any comfortable position. This could be in a prayer position in front of the heart or hanging at the sides.
6. We will maintain this posture for a maximum of 2 minutes.

triangle pose

This yoga pose for anxiety is energizing and can help relieve tension in your neck and back. Muscles such as the latissimus dorsi, the internal oblique, the gluteus maximus, the hamstrings or the quadriceps are activated.

To do this pose:

1. We will stand with our feet more open than the width of the hips.
2. We will put the toes of the left foot forward and the toes of the right foot inward at a slight angle.
3. We will raise the arms to extend them from the shoulders. The palms should face down.
4. We will extend the torso forward while stretching the left hand forward.
5. We will hinge at the hip joint to bring the right hip back. We will take the left hand to the leg, the ground or a block.
6. We will extend the right arm towards the ceiling.
7. We’ll look in any comfortable direction.
8. We will hold this posture for up to a minute.

Standing Forward Bend

This standing, resting pose can help relax the mind while releasing tension in the body. Spinal muscles, piriformis, hamstrings, gastrocnemius and gracilis are strengthened.

To do this:

1. We will stand with our feet hip-width apart and our hands on our hips.
2. We will exhale while articulating the hips to bend forward, maintaining a slight bend in the knees.
3. We will drop our hands to the ground or rest them on a block.
4. We’ll tuck our chin into our chest.
5. We will release the tension in the lower back and hips. The head and neck should hang heavy towards the ground.
6. We will maintain this position in a maximum of one minute.

fish pose

This backbend can help relieve tension in your chest and back. In this yoga posture for anxiety, the intercostals, hip flexors, trapezius and abdominals are worked.

The steps to follow are:

1. Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you.
2. We will place our hands under the buttocks with the palms facing down.
3. We will squeeze the elbows and expand the chest.
4. We’ll then lean back on our forearms and elbows, pressing our arms to keep us lifted off our chest.
5. If it is comfortable for us, we can let the head hang back towards the ground, or rest it on a block or cushion.
6. We will maintain this posture for a minute.

Extended puppy stance

This open heart pose stretches and lengthens the spine to relieve tension. In this pose, the deltoids, trapezius, spinal erector and triceps are worked.

To do this pose:

1. We’ll get into a table position.
2. We will extend the hands forward a few centimeters and lower the buttocks towards the heels.
3. We will press our hands and contract the muscles of our arms, keeping our elbows raised.
4. We will gently rest the forehead on the ground.
5. We will allow the chest to open and soften during this pose.
6. We will maintain this position for a maximum of two minutes.

child’s posture

This relaxing pose can help relieve stress and fatigue. This pose works the gluteus maximus, rotator muscles, hamstrings, and spinal extensors.

The steps to follow are:

1. From a kneeling position, we will slide to the heels.
2. We will bend forward, walking our hands in front of us.
3. We will let the torso fall heavy on the thighs and rest the forehead on the ground.
4. We will keep our arms extended forward or rest along the body.
5. We will maintain this posture for a maximum of 5 minutes.

Head-to-knee forward bend

This yoga pose for anxiety can help calm your nervous system. To do it correctly we will have to:

1. Sit on the edge of a folded cushion or blanket with your left leg extended.
2. We will press the sole of the right foot on the left thigh.
3. We can place a cushion or block under either knee for support.
4. We will inhale while we extend the arms above the head.
5. We will exhale while we articulate the hips, lengthening the spine to bend it forward.
6. We will rest our hands on any part of the body or on the ground.
7. We will maintain this position for a maximum of 5 minutes.

Happy baby posture

Happy Baby Pose is a gentle, relaxing pose that is great for increasing relaxation and stretching your body. It is about lying on your back and rolling from side to side.

1. We will lie on our backs on the floor or on a mat.
2. With the head resting on the mat, we will bend the knees towards the chest at an angle of 90 degrees. We will put the soles of the feet towards the ceiling.
3. We will reach forward, grab and hold the inside or outside of the feet. We will separate the knees, moving them towards the armpits.
4. We’ll flex our heels in our hands and rock gently from side to side (like a happy baby). We will remain in this position for several breaths, inhaling and exhaling deeply.