How Yoga Asanas Can Help in Curing Stress And Anxiety

Yoga has always been one of the best ways to channel our stress and anxiety through different asanas. Here are some asanas that you can try to beat stress and anxiety.

Yoga has always been very helpful. This has been recommended by health experts across the world. A lot of studies have shown the positive effects of yoga and how it has helped in curing depression, stress, anxiety and other health issues.

India.com speaks to Himalayan Siddha, Grand Master Akshar on mental health. Grand Master Akshar shares valuable inputs on the benefits of yoga and how yoga has been effective in curing various ailments.

How Can Yoga Help Mental Health Patients?

When you do yoga, your brain cells develop new connections, and changes occur in brain structure as well as function, resulting in improved cognitive skills, such as learning and memory. Yoga strengthens parts of the brain that play a key role in memory, attention, awareness, thought, and language.

Does Yoga Affect Depression?

Studies have demonstrated reduced levels of cortisol in those who practice yoga. It’s thought that the breathing exercises that are a key part of yoga induce the body’s relaxation response, and mindfulness meditation is associated with lowering cortisol as well as reductions in the size of the amygdala. Participants exhibited lower cortisol levels immediately after a yoga class.

5 Yoga Asanas That Can Ease Anxiety

Anxiety is a common mental health issue that affects millions of people across the world. But it is possible to reverse its impact by practising yoga. Here are some yoga poses :

• Adomukhi Svanasana

Start on your fours, ensuring palms are under the shoulders and knees below hips. Lift the hips up, straighten the knees and elbows, and form an inverted ‘V’ shape. Now keep the hands shoulders width apart. Put pressure on your palms and open your shoulder blades and try to push your heels to the floor. Keep your eye focused on your big toes.

• Vajrasana

Drop your knees on your mat, and place your pelvis on your heels. Here, your thighs should press your calf muscles. Place your palms on your knees facing upward. Straighten your back and look forward.

• Halasana

This is considered a very useful asana for anxiety and depression. To practice this asana, lie down on your back and allow your legs to fall back behind your head. Lift your middle and lower back so your toes touch the floor. Try to bring your chest as close to your chin as possible and support the back with the palms as per your level of comfort.

• Paschimottanasana – Seated Forward Bend

1. Begin by stretching your legs forward
2. Exhale, bend forward and place your upper body on your lower body.
3. try to touch your knees with your nose.

• Anandasana

1. Lie down on your back. Stretch out your arms. Close your eyes
2. Keep your palms facing up. Inhale deeply and fill your lungs with air, exhale and relax the body.

What is the Impact of Mental Health on Physical Health? Can Yoga Rectify it? 

“If we are overwhelmed, stressed, or overthinking in any way then our mind will alert our bodies to that fact, and the body will do its best to alert us and encourage us to pay attention to what is going on. This can be exhausting for both the mind and the body, and so we will feel that in a physical as well as on a mental level,” says Grand Master Akshar

Yoga helps in bringing together the physical and mental disciplines to achieve a peaceful body and mind. Along with this, yoga also helps in managing stress, anxiety and keeps you relaxing. It also helps in increasing flexibility, muscle strength and body tone. It improves respiration, energy and vitality. Yoga asanas build strength, flexibility and confidence.

What is Yoga Therapy? Does it Really Work?

Grand Master Akshar says, “Yoga therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga.”

Yoga therapy has become so popular that many doctors are now supporting it. Various medical journals reveal research as to yoga’s multi-tiered benefits. Yoga therapy aligns the unique and precise health needs of the client with yoga practices. The yoga tradition and also medical science have founded particular curative effects.