Are you a little bit stressed out? Do not fear! You can take on the day with confidence after these 3 yoga poses for stress reduction. These poses are all beginner-friendly so don’t be shy. You can do these without a mat if you want to; pillows are optional as well.
1. Forward Fold
How:
- Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-distance apart and reach your hands up to the sky as you inhale.
- As you exhale, fold at your hips keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
- Once you have gone as for as you can with your back straight you can release your back muscles and let your back round forward with your head and hands towards the ground.
If this is too stressful, you can always do this front fold onto a chair and rest your hands or arms on the seat of a chair.
Be sure to rise back out of this pose slowly so you do not get light headed from the inversion.
Why:
This asana is great because you get to really relax your upper body and release any shoulder, neck or back tension that is so common for a lot of people. It is also a great way to invert without the stress of more dramatic inversions like headstands and handstands.
2. Child’s Pose
How:
- Start on your hands and knees with the tops of your feet resting against the floor/mat.
- With your knees shoulder-distance apart or more, lower your hips backward towards your feet so that you bend your knees.
- Lower all the way down until you are sitting on your feet with your chest either on your knees or on the floor.
- Stretch your arms out in front of you and place your head however is comfortable.
If this hurts your knees you can try placing a pillow between your hamstring and calf so you do not fold your knees all the way when you relax.
You can also place a pillow or two (or ten) underneath your chest to make this more comfortable.
Why?
Child’s pose is great because it is such a closed pose. In this totally relaxing pose, you can focus on just your breathing and sink deeper and deeper into the mat or your floor. It’s a very grounding pose and that can sometimes be all that you need.
3. Corpse Pose
How:
- Lay on your back with your arms laid by your side and your palms facing up.
- If you feel the tension in your lower back you can try placing a pillow behind your knees.
Why:
Every yoga class is finished off with this pose for a reason. It is incredibly straightforward and it allows you to really relax and let go of any tension you may have been holding with you throughout the day. You can use your time here to focus on your breathing or even try out some meditation!
As you can see, some of the easiest yoga poses are the best ones for stress reduction. Simplicity is the key when you are tense and have a million other things to worry about.
Your body will thank you!
