Yoga against Stress: 4 Simple and Relaxing Exercises

It is not for nothing that Yoga is considered an effective remedy for relaxation. Regular Yoga can release tension and build up a lasting resistance to stress. You can also protect yourself from burnout. If you feel that you urgently need relaxation, try our four selected anti-stress exercises!

4 Anti-Stress Yoga Exercises

Without much fuss, we will show you directly how you can outwit stress with Yoga:

#Anti-Stress Exercise 1: The twisted sitting posture

With this exercise, you can reactivate your energy and find your center. Because you also need the power to reduce stress, strengthen your nerves, and calm down deeply relaxed. In this way, you can achieve and maintain your inner balance:

• Position yourself in the heel seat first. You can also sit on a chair and keep your feet firmly on the ground.
• Support your hands on the floor at the sides and straighten your pelvis. The spine is directed vertically upwards.
• Exhale and turn gently to the left. While doing so, gently place the back of your left hand on your lower back.
• Gently take the head with you into the rotation.
• Focus your attention on your breath.
• After a few conscious breaths, you will come to the centre.
• Now practice on the other side as well.

The swivel seat intensifies the rotation in the thoracic spine. This makes the chest more flexible, and the muscles of the upper back can be stretched well. This also causes inner straightening and centering.

No wonder that our spine is also called the axis of life. Whether or not our 24 vertebral bodies are mobile has a strong influence on us – not only on the physical body but also on the mind’s mental flexibility.

#Anti-Stress exercise 2: The looking down dog

This exercise is ideal if you lack inner clarity. Build up your mental strength again and fight against weak depressions. Because this exercise has a calming effect on our brain. The looking down dog, therefore, helps very well against stress. At the same time, it gives your whole body new energy when you are tired:

The looking down dog has a calming effect and builds up our inner strength again.

• Position yourself with hands and knees on the yoga mat.
• Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Now stretch your elbows to relieve your back.
• Spread your fingers and then press them into the yoga mat. Please note: Your weight should be evenly distributed over the palms of your hands and fingers – this will relieve the strain on your wrists.
• Breathe out; at the same time, pull your toes up and take your knees off the floor. Also, slowly stretch your legs. Your hips go up, your bottom goes backwards. Try not to push yourself up with your feet – they should stay in place.
• Now push yourself away slightly with your hands and fingers – this way, your heels can sink towards the mat. In this way, you build up the right body tension.
• Turn your arms or elbows slightly outwards.
• Your ears and upper arms are on one level. Your head is relaxed but should not be left hanging.
• This position is recommended for 1-3 minutes.
• Then breathe out calmly and finish the yoga exercise. Bend your knees and come with your feet to your hands.

As a beginner, you should not be surprised if stiff Achilles tendons or weak arms make the exercise challenging. With a little patience, you will certainly succeed! This is merely ideal against stress and tension.

#Anti-stress exercise 3: The inclined plane

This yoga exercise is excellent if you are looking for harmony. It also strengthens arms, legs, and the lower back. Mostly there, you can also release tensions with the inclined plane. This yoga exercise promotes your decisiveness and willpower. It helps you to free yourself from earthly things, i.e., old habits:

The inclined plane helps in the search for harmony and relaxes the muscles at the same time. 

• First, sit down on the yoga mat.
• Place your hands on the sides on the floor behind you. The fingertips point backward.
• Breathe in and put your feet up so that the soles of your feet are on the floor. Push your pelvis up as far as possible. This creates an “inclined plane.”
• You can place your head in the neck. However, if this is uncomfortable for you, or if you have problems with your cervical spine, this is unnecessary.
• Hold this position with a lot of body tension for five deep breaths.
• Slowly lower your buttocks and repeat the exercise.

Especially in the office, however, such exercises cannot be performed so well. Therefore we have put together yoga exercises, especially for the office.

 #Anti-Stress Exercise 4: Pranayama

Stress can cause you to forget how to breathe correctly. While our nervous system takes over this unconsciously, we no longer manage to live ourselves consciously. But this is precisely what can actively help us to relax. Through pranayama, the relaxed abdominal breathing, you can ignite your prana, your life energy. Move away from shallow breathing and allow your body and mind to relax:

• Assume an upright posture. Whether you are sitting or lying down makes no difference.
• Close your eyes, and place one hand on your stomach.
• Breathe in and feel how your abdominal wall moves. When you breathe in, it rises; when you breathe out, it lowers again.
• Take a deep and relaxed breath into your stomach for 3-4 seconds. Then breathe out again for the same length of time. Feel how a deep calm lies over you.
• Become more and more relaxed and calm. Do this for about 10-20 minutes.

More about pranayama and advanced abdominal breathing can be found here.

Conclusion

Yoga can actively help you to reduce stress and find relaxation and energy. For example, try pranayama, the looking down dog, the inclined plane, or the twisted sitting position. Many other yoga exercises promote inner peace. Choose your way out of the hustle and bustle.