10 Yoga Poses to Help Reduce Stress Now!

If you have ever been stressed out – and chances are that if you’re human, you have been – you know well enough that stress has a knack for piling up. And you probably know, but might need a little reminder, that there are yoga poses to reduce stress.

When life is full on, overwhelming and stressful, the key is to keep moving forward and not let it all get the best of you. Allowing stress and tension to fester causes it to overtake your state of mind.

When we succumb to being overwhelmed, the to-do-lists can begin to seem infinite. This leaves little time for self-care. We can agree that a main goal in life is to be happy and productive, and de-stressing is a big part of that. Happily for us, yoga is here to help!

10 Instant Stress Busters You Can Turn to When Stress Strikes (According to Science)

Your yoga practice can have an immensely positive impact on your stress levels and happiness overall, so it’s important to maintain a regular yoga routine, especially when the stress begins to build. Read on for ten yoga poses to help you reduce stress – now!
 

10 Yoga Poses To Reduce Stress:

1. Cat to Cow Pose

These two yoga poses together make a great spinal massage and your belly organs are acting as a powerful stress buster. When the two motions are paired together, they stimulate an emotional balance.
 

 

2. Supported Headstand

I know what you are thinking – how can being upside down reduce stress? Standing on your head calms the brain and reverses the blood flow, forcing you to focus on your breath. Any time your head is below your heart, you increase the blood supply to your brain, releasing endorphins (feel-good chemicals that help reduce stress and anxiety).
 

 

3. Downward Facing Dog

We do this pose a lot in our yoga practice, and for good reason! Down Dog helps awaken the senses. As an added bonus, it also reduces fatigue. It’s a great resting pose, and rejuvenates the body by improving overall blood circulation.
 

 

4. Child’s Pose

When in doubt, take a Child’s Pose. I have spent some practices hanging out and just breathing in Child’s Pose. This resting pose can be sequenced between challenging asanas, and is a simple yet effective way to calm mind and body whether you’re flowing on your mat or in the middle of a stressful day.
 

 

5. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Butterfly Pose)

Supta is a fantastic alternative to Savasana, or Child’s Pose. Laying down with one hand on your belly and the other hand on your heart, begin to inhale and exhale. You can feel your heartbeat, as your body melts into the earth and your hips begin to open. We store a lot of emotions in the hips, so this is a great pose to gently release anything that’s pent up.
 

 

6. Half Pigeon

As we discussed in the previous pose, we store a lot of emotion, tension and stress in our hips. Half Pigeon is a wonderful, deeper hip opener – but it can bring discomfort, so stay with it and breathe.

Remind yourself to let go, surrender, and relax into the pose, which is a great reminder to apply in stressful situations and life in general.
 

 

7. Bridge Pose

Bridge calms the brain and helps alleviate stress, while stimulating abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid. The pose also acts as an effective therapy tool for high blood pressure.
 

 

8. Forward Fold

This is often a transition between poses, but presents many benefits when practiced on its own. In order to de-stress, do the pose with slightly bent knees – make it gentle. After a few deep breaths, you’ll begin to feel tension release in the neck, shoulders, spine and hamstrings.

Shake your head yes and no a few times, and for even more release, interlace your hands behind your back and allow your arms to hang overhead.
 

 

9. Eagle Pose

This empowering and detoxifying yoga pose can help ward off stress by improving concentration and balance. The pose releases tension in the shoulders, legs, and back while working into the major joints of the body. You are literally squeezing the tension out of your body.
 

 

10. Legs Up the Wall

With this pose you are escaping the thinking mind, and calming the nervous system. It is a pose that can be done anywhere, and a great pose to do when you need a few minutes to clear your head. Still not sure? Try it for a few breaths – or a few minutes – and see for yourself!
 

 
 

Stress Less With These Yoga Poses For Stress

These ten yoga poses can help diffuse daily chaos. When stress creeps into your body, surrender to yoga instead, and create a space of serenity for yourself. Inhale the good, exhale the bad, and know that relief from stress is on the way!

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