7 Entry Level Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

Time to be honest, life is full of fair share of stressors, from jobs, marriage, to family responsibility, commutes and more. Thankfully, we can turn to yoga for help, there are effective yoga poses for stress relief can save us. Over the years, research studies have shown that doing yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety. It works by soothing an over-active nervous system, relaxing both the mind and body.

How yoga help reduce stress and anxiety?

1. Doing yoga promotes the release of endorphins

Yoga poses not only help you release physical blockages like muscle knots, they also promote the release of the mood-boosting hormone – endorphins, which are the fee good hormones that can positively affect how you handle stress.

2. Breath control during yoga poses shifts your attention and helps to boost mood

Maintaining stable breath and align exhale and inhale along with the progress of yoga poses is a key requirement in performing yoga. It is proved that focusing on both your breath and your ability to be present in each pose can help quiet negative mental chatter and boost your overall mood.

3. Yoga practice emphasis on focusing on the present, this helps cure overthinking, which is a major factor contribute to stress and anxiety

Focusing on the present moment during yoga poses enhances your awareness, boosts your concentration, and centers your attention. From pose to pose, practitioners naturally accept their inner thoughts without any personal involvement or judgment, by simply being a witness without any opinion of what is right or wrong. The process relaxes the mind and beat overthinking.

How long should you do yoga for to reduce stress?

Practicing yoga as little as ten minutes a day can be beneficial for stressful people. Regularly practice yoga can dramatically relief stress and anxiety. I recommend practicing yoga at least 3 times a week for at least 20 minutes.

7 entry level yoga poses for stress relief are great choices to start

1. Child pose

One of the most common yoga poses for stress relief is child pose. It is not only accessible yoga posture for both children and adults, but also promotes relaxation while stretching the hips, thighs, and back.

• Begin from a table top position bringing your big toes toward one another
• Slowly push your hips back toward your heels and walk your hands out in front of you as you lower your chest and forehead to the floor
• Relax your whole body down and bend your elbows if you need some extra relief in shoulders and upper back

2. Legs up the wall

Legs up the wall is a perfect yoga pose to relax after a long day, allowing your hips and low back to take a break. It is also a great way to unwind before you go to bed and gives you a chance to let go any racing in your mind.

• Find a space on a wall and lay down with torso parallel to the wall
• Swing your legs up the wall, stay as long as you like

3. Cat cow pose

• Keep your hands apart by shoulder-width and your knees directly below your hips
• Inhale deeply while curving your lower back and bringing your head up, tilting your pelvis up like a “cow.”
• Exhale deeply and bring your abdomen in, arching your spine and bringing your head and pelvis down like a “cat.” 

4. Forward bend – dangling pose

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms by your sides.
• Exhale as you fold forward from the hips and bring your head towards the floor
• Keep your knees straight but with a gentle bend
• Touch the floor with your fingertips if you can

5. Plow pose

• Start by lying flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides, palms down.
• Inhale while using your abdominal muscles to lift your legs and hips up toward the ceiling, bringing your torso perpendicular to the floor
• Straighten your legs and slowly lower your toes to the floor with your legs fully extended.

6. Hero pose

• Kneel with your shins on the floor, thighs perpendicular to the ground, and knees together
• Keeping your knees together, slide your feet slightly more than hip-width apart
• Breathe and descend, roll your shoulders. 

7. Corpse pose

• Separate your legs
• Bring your arms alongside your body, but slightly separated from your torso
• Tuck your shoulder blades onto your back for support
• Once you have set up your limbs, release any effort
• Maintain natural breathes

Final thoughts on yoga poses for stress relief

Learn to cope with stress and anxiety is important to live a quality life. Luckily, yoga present a great way to reduce stress, the above mentioned 7 yoga poses for stress relief are relatively easy to perform, hope they will serve as a good approach to get you a happy life. Also I believe proper yoga wear will boost your performance and confidence.