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Yoga to reduce anxiety


11 Poses to Try, Why It Works, and More

Why it’s beneficial

Many people turn to yoga when feelings of anxiety start to creep in or during times of stress. You may find 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.

It’s all about meeting yourself where you are. Practicing one or two postures for just a few minutes a day can have a major impact, if you’re open to the practice.

To get the most out of your session, take note of the sensations that move throughout your body as you come into each pose. Allow yourself to feel and experience whatever emotions arise.

If you feel your thoughts start to scatter, gently bring your mind back to the mat and continue your practice.

Read on to learn how to do some of our favorite anxiety-busting postures.

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This seated posture can help you find your center. Focusing on your breath may help you find ease in the stillness of this pose.

Muscles worked:

  • erector spinae
  • quadriceps
  • knee muscles
  • ankle muscles

To do this:

  1. Get into a kneeling position. Your knees should be together, and your feet should be slightly wider than your hips.
  2. Keep the tops of your feet flat on the floor.
  3. Sit back so that your bottom reaches the floor in between your feet. If your bottom does not reach the floor, use a block or a book.
  4. Place your hands on your thighs.
  5. Sit up straight to open your chest and lengthen your spine.
  6. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This classic standing pose may help you focus inward, quieting racing thoughts.

Muscles worked:

  • abdominals
  • psoas
  • quadriceps
  • tibialis anterior

To do this:

  1. From standing, bear your weight with your right foot and slowly lift your left foot off of the ground.
  2. Slowly turn the sole of your left foot toward the inside of your left leg.
  3. Place it on the outside of your left ankle, calf, or thigh.
  4. Avoid pressing your foot into your knee.
  5. Bring your hands into any comfortable position. This could be in prayer position in front of your heart or hanging alongside your sides.
  6. Hold this pose for up to 2 minutes.
  7. Repeat on the opposite side.

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Active Body. Creative Mind.

This energizing pose can help ease tension in your neck and back.

Muscles worked:

  • latissimus dorsi
  • internal oblique
  • gluteus maximus and medius
  • hamstrings
  • quadriceps

To do this:

  1. Come into a standing position with your feet wider than your hips.
  2. Face your left toes forward and your right toes in at a slight angle.
  3. Lift your arms to extend out from your shoulders. Your palms should face down.
  4. Extend your torso forward as you reach forward with your left hand.
  5. Hinge at your hip joint to bring your right hip back. Take your left hand to your leg, the floor, or a block.
  6. Extend your right arm up toward the ceiling.
  7. Gaze in any comfortable direction.
  8. Hold this pose for up to 1 minute.
  9. Then do the opposite side.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This resting standing pose may help relax your mind while releasing tension in your body.

Muscles worked:

  • spinal muscles
  • piriformis
  • hamstrings
  • gastrocnemius
  • gracilis

To do this:

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
  2. Exhale as you hinge at the hips to fold forward, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
  3. Drop your hands to the floor or rest them on a block.
  4. Tuck your chin into your chest.
  5. Release tension in your lower back and hips. Your head and neck should hang heavy toward the floor.
  6. Hold this pose for up to one minute.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This backbend can help relieve tightness in your chest and back.

Muscles worked:

  • intercostals
  • hip flexors
  • trapezius
  • abdominals

To do this:

  1. Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you.
  2. Place your hands underneath your buttocks with your palms facing down.
  3. Squeeze your elbows together and expand your chest.
  4. Then lean back onto your forearms and elbows, pressing into your arms to stay lifted in your chest.
  5. If it’s comfortable, you may let your head hang back toward the floor or rest it on a block or cushion.
  6. Hold this pose for up to one minute.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This heart-opening pose stretches and lengthens the spine to relieve tension.

Muscles worked:

  • deltoids
  • trapezius
  • erector spinae
  • triceps

To do this:

  1. Come into a tabletop position.
  2. Extend your hands forward a few inches and sink your buttocks down toward your heels.
  3. Press into your hands and engage your arms muscles, keeping your elbows lifted.
  4. Gently rest your forehead on the floor.
  5. Allow your chest to open and soften during this pose.
  6. Hold this pose for up to two minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This relaxing pose may help ease stress and fatigue.

Muscles worked:

  • gluteus maximus
  • rotator muscles
  • hamstrings
  • spinal extensors

To do this:

  1. From a kneeling position, sink back onto your heels.
  2. Fold forward, walking your hands out in front of you.
  3. Allow your torso to fall heavy into your thighs, and rest your forehead on the floor.
  4. Keep your arms extended forward or rest them alongside your body.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This pose may help soothe your nervous system.

Muscles worked:

  • groin
  • hamstrings
  • spinal extensors
  • gastrocnemius

To do this:

  1. Sit on the edge of a cushion or folded blanket with your left leg extended.
  2. Press the sole of your right foot into your left thigh.
  3. You can place a cushion or block under either knee for support.
  4. Inhale as you extend your arms overhead.
  5. Exhale as you hinge at the hips, lengthening your spine to fold forward.
  6. Rest your hands anywhere on your body or on the floor.
  7. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.
  8. Then repeat on the opposite side.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This pose is thought to calm the mind while relieving anxiety. If you feel that your thoughts have been scattered throughout your practice, take this time to turn inward and come back to your intention.

Muscles worked:

  • pelvic muscles
  • erector spinae
  • gluteus maximus
  • gastrocnemius

To do this:

  1. Sit on the edge of a folded blanket or cushion with your legs straight out in front of you.
  2. You may keep a slight bend in your knees.
  3. Inhale to lift up your arms.
  4. Slowly hinge at your hips to extend forward, resting your hands anywhere on your body or the floor.
  5. Remain in this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This restorative pose allows for complete relaxation of your mind and body.

Muscles worked:

  • hamstrings
  • pelvic muscles
  • lower back
  • front torso
  • back of the neck

To do this:

  1. Sit with your right side against a wall.
  2. Then lie back as your swing your legs up along the wall.
  3. Your buttocks should be as close to the wall as is comfortable for you. This could be right up against the wall or a few inches away.
  4. Relax and soften in your back, chest, and neck. Allow your body to melt into the floor.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 10 minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This relaxing pose can help you let go of anxiety while promoting a sense of calmness. You can make it more of a heart opener by placing a block or cushion under your back.

Muscles worked:

  • adductors
  • groin muscles
  • pelvic muscles
  • psoas

To do this:

  1. Lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together.
  2. Place cushions under your knees or hips for support.
  3. Place one hand on your stomach area and one hand on your heart, focusing on your breath.
  4. Stay in this pose for up to 10 minutes.

Active Body. Creative Mind.

When researchers compared the results, they found that yoga significantly reduced feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Another small study from 2017 found that even a single session of hatha yoga was effective in reducing stress from an acute psychological stressor. A psychological stressor is a task or event that prompts an immediate response, like a fight-or-flight reaction.

In this study, the stressor was a math task. After completing a video-instructed yoga session, participants experienced reduced blood pressure and reported increased levels of self-confidence.

While this research is promising, larger, more in-depth studies are needed to expand upon these findings.

Although recent research supports yoga practice as a way to relieve anxiety, it may not be suitable for everyone.

You should always talk to your doctor before starting a new yoga or exercise program. They can help you identify any possible risks and recommend appropriate modifications.

Keep in mind that practicing yoga can sometimes bring uncomfortable feelings and emotions to the surface. Make sure you practice in a space that feels comfortable and safe. This may mean doing yoga at home or joining a class specifically tailored toward stress relief or emotional healing.

If you feel that practicing yoga is triggering your anxiety instead of alleviating it, discontinue the practice.

11 Poses to Try, Why It Works, and More

Why it’s beneficial

Many people turn to yoga when feelings of anxiety start to creep in or during times of stress. You may find 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.

It’s all about meeting yourself where you are. Practicing one or two postures for just a few minutes a day can have a major impact, if you’re open to the practice.

To get the most out of your session, take note of the sensations that move throughout your body as you come into each pose. Allow yourself to feel and experience whatever emotions arise.

If you feel your thoughts start to scatter, gently bring your mind back to the mat and continue your practice.

Read on to learn how to do some of our favorite anxiety-busting postures.

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This seated posture can help you find your center. Focusing on your breath may help you find ease in the stillness of this pose.

Muscles worked:

  • erector spinae
  • quadriceps
  • knee muscles
  • ankle muscles

To do this:

  1. Get into a kneeling position. Your knees should be together, and your feet should be slightly wider than your hips.
  2. Keep the tops of your feet flat on the floor.
  3. Sit back so that your bottom reaches the floor in between your feet. If your bottom does not reach the floor, use a block or a book.
  4. Place your hands on your thighs.
  5. Sit up straight to open your chest and lengthen your spine.
  6. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This classic standing pose may help you focus inward, quieting racing thoughts.

Muscles worked:

  • abdominals
  • psoas
  • quadriceps
  • tibialis anterior

To do this:

  1. From standing, bear your weight with your right foot and slowly lift your left foot off of the ground.
  2. Slowly turn the sole of your left foot toward the inside of your left leg.
  3. Place it on the outside of your left ankle, calf, or thigh.
  4. Avoid pressing your foot into your knee.
  5. Bring your hands into any comfortable position. This could be in prayer position in front of your heart or hanging alongside your sides.
  6. Hold this pose for up to 2 minutes.
  7. Repeat on the opposite side.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This energizing pose can help ease tension in your neck and back.

Muscles worked:

  • latissimus dorsi
  • internal oblique
  • gluteus maximus and medius
  • hamstrings
  • quadriceps

To do this:

  1. Come into a standing position with your feet wider than your hips.
  2. Face your left toes forward and your right toes in at a slight angle.
  3. Lift your arms to extend out from your shoulders. Your palms should face down.
  4. Extend your torso forward as you reach forward with your left hand.
  5. Hinge at your hip joint to bring your right hip back. Take your left hand to your leg, the floor, or a block.
  6. Extend your right arm up toward the ceiling.
  7. Gaze in any comfortable direction.
  8. Hold this pose for up to 1 minute.
  9. Then do the opposite side.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This resting standing pose may help relax your mind while releasing tension in your body.

Muscles worked:

  • spinal muscles
  • piriformis
  • hamstrings
  • gastrocnemius
  • gracilis

To do this:

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
  2. Exhale as you hinge at the hips to fold forward, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
  3. Drop your hands to the floor or rest them on a block.
  4. Tuck your chin into your chest.
  5. Release tension in your lower back and hips. Your head and neck should hang heavy toward the floor.
  6. Hold this pose for up to one minute.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This backbend can help relieve tightness in your chest and back.

Muscles worked:

  • intercostals
  • hip flexors
  • trapezius
  • abdominals

To do this:

  1. Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you.
  2. Place your hands underneath your buttocks with your palms facing down.
  3. Squeeze your elbows together and expand your chest.
  4. Then lean back onto your forearms and elbows, pressing into your arms to stay lifted in your chest.
  5. If it’s comfortable, you may let your head hang back toward the floor or rest it on a block or cushion.
  6. Hold this pose for up to one minute.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This heart-opening pose stretches and lengthens the spine to relieve tension.

Muscles worked:

  • deltoids
  • trapezius
  • erector spinae
  • triceps

To do this:

  1. Come into a tabletop position.
  2. Extend your hands forward a few inches and sink your buttocks down toward your heels.
  3. Press into your hands and engage your arms muscles, keeping your elbows lifted.
  4. Gently rest your forehead on the floor.
  5. Allow your chest to open and soften during this pose.
  6. Hold this pose for up to two minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This relaxing pose may help ease stress and fatigue.

Muscles worked:

  • gluteus maximus
  • rotator muscles
  • hamstrings
  • spinal extensors

To do this:

  1. From a kneeling position, sink back onto your heels.
  2. Fold forward, walking your hands out in front of you.
  3. Allow your torso to fall heavy into your thighs, and rest your forehead on the floor.
  4. Keep your arms extended forward or rest them alongside your body.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This pose may help soothe your nervous system.

Muscles worked:

  • groin
  • hamstrings
  • spinal extensors
  • gastrocnemius

To do this:

  1. Sit on the edge of a cushion or folded blanket with your left leg extended.
  2. Press the sole of your right foot into your left thigh.
  3. You can place a cushion or block under either knee for support.
  4. Inhale as you extend your arms overhead.
  5. Exhale as you hinge at the hips, lengthening your spine to fold forward.
  6. Rest your hands anywhere on your body or on the floor.
  7. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.
  8. Then repeat on the opposite side.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This pose is thought to calm the mind while relieving anxiety. If you feel that your thoughts have been scattered throughout your practice, take this time to turn inward and come back to your intention.

Muscles worked:

  • pelvic muscles
  • erector spinae
  • gluteus maximus
  • gastrocnemius

To do this:

  1. Sit on the edge of a folded blanket or cushion with your legs straight out in front of you.
  2. You may keep a slight bend in your knees.
  3. Inhale to lift up your arms.
  4. Slowly hinge at your hips to extend forward, resting your hands anywhere on your body or the floor.
  5. Remain in this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This restorative pose allows for complete relaxation of your mind and body.

Muscles worked:

  • hamstrings
  • pelvic muscles
  • lower back
  • front torso
  • back of the neck

To do this:

  1. Sit with your right side against a wall.
  2. Then lie back as your swing your legs up along the wall.
  3. Your buttocks should be as close to the wall as is comfortable for you. This could be right up against the wall or a few inches away.
  4. Relax and soften in your back, chest, and neck. Allow your body to melt into the floor.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 10 minutes.

Share on Pinterest

Active Body. Creative Mind.

This relaxing pose can help you let go of anxiety while promoting a sense of calmness. You can make it more of a heart opener by placing a block or cushion under your back.

Muscles worked:

  • adductors
  • groin muscles
  • pelvic muscles
  • psoas

To do this:

  1. Lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together.
  2. Place cushions under your knees or hips for support.
  3. Place one hand on your stomach area and one hand on your heart, focusing on your breath.
  4. Stay in this pose for up to 10 minutes.

Active Body. Creative Mind.

When researchers compared the results, they found that yoga significantly reduced feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Another small study from 2017 found that even a single session of hatha yoga was effective in reducing stress from an acute psychological stressor. A psychological stressor is a task or event that prompts an immediate response, like a fight-or-flight reaction.

In this study, the stressor was a math task. After completing a video-instructed yoga session, participants experienced reduced blood pressure and reported increased levels of self-confidence.

While this research is promising, larger, more in-depth studies are needed to expand upon these findings.

Although recent research supports yoga practice as a way to relieve anxiety, it may not be suitable for everyone.

You should always talk to your doctor before starting a new yoga or exercise program. They can help you identify any possible risks and recommend appropriate modifications.

Keep in mind that practicing yoga can sometimes bring uncomfortable feelings and emotions to the surface. Make sure you practice in a space that feels comfortable and safe. This may mean doing yoga at home or joining a class specifically tailored toward stress relief or emotional healing.

If you feel that practicing yoga is triggering your anxiety instead of alleviating it, discontinue the practice.

Yoga practice that will relieve you of anxiety (PHOTOS)

The feeling of anxiety is connected with the work of the brain and the physiological reactions that it triggers in the body. “Anxiety can kick in without realizing what caused it,” write Robert Butera, Erin Byron, and Staffan Elgelid, authors of the bestselling Yoga Antistress. Gently soothes. Relieves anxiety" . - Under the influence of certain triggers (and they can be familiar music, the sound of a voice, a smell), the brain almost instantly activates chains of neurons that store the experience of contact with such things. When we are in a tense situation, or when our senses pick up on something that previously caused anxiety, the brain follows neural pathways that lead to feelings of stress and anxiety.” And already they trigger a number of physiological reactions in the body - rapid heart rate, increased sweating, trembling in the limbs, etc.

Therefore, experts advise working with anxiety from two sides: both psychological and physiological. What steps will help with this?

* Change of belief . “The next time you feel anxious, realize that it is your brain that has become overly alert. There is no life-threatening emergency: it's just old programs being "awakened" by your overly sensitive brain. When you change your beliefs about stress and anxiety and react differently to them, your brain changes its structure again. As a result, you are on the path to mastering a calm response to what was once perceived as stress,” say Robert Butera, Erin Byron and Staffan Elgelid.

The ability to take a break between a stimulus (for example, expecting a conflict with a boss) and a reaction (panic) is very useful here. And this is where meditation helps a lot: they teach us to observe the sensations in the body, thoughts and the emotions they cause. Having mastered this skill on the mat, very soon you will be able to take it out of the yoga class.

Plus, the regular practice of meditation helps to change physiological responses. “In meditation, brain waves go from beta waves to alpha waves and eventually to theta waves. Breathing deepens, heart rate slows down, emotions calm down. You do nothing for this, just as you do not create a dream, ”the authors of the book write.

* Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. It is responsible for the processes of relaxation in the body. But in stressful moments, the sympathetic nervous system takes control - it prepares the body "for attack": it stimulates the release of adrenaline and cortisol, increases the heart rate, increases blood pressure, etc. Breathing can become a "switch" of these systems: if we breathe deeply and calmly, the body receives a signal that nothing threatens our life, which means that we can again “give the wheel” to the parasympathetic nervous system. And this is where the practice of yoga comes in handy: using asanas or breathing techniques, you can quickly eliminate an anxiety attack.

Let's take a closer look at the most effective techniques.

Yoga Practice: Breathing Exercises for Anxiety

They allow you to reduce anxiety in the long term and can also be used as a "first aid".

Full yogic breathing. “This is the most effective and simple form of pranayama, thanks to which the full volume of the lungs is used, breathing slows down, and this helps to fight anxiety,” comments Yana Ananyeva, hatha yoga teacher at the Taste & Color project.

How to do it. Sit in a comfortable sitting position with a straight back. Mentally divide your breath into three parts, direct the first of which into the stomach and inflate it like a balloon. With the second part of the inhalation, expand the lower ribs. Point the third part higher into the chest and feel how it rises. As you exhale, lower your chest, relax your ribs, deflate your stomach. “Practice this type of breathing for 5-10 minutes, trying to lengthen the exhalation. Soon you will feel how the heartbeat calms down, the pulse slows down, and anxiety dissolves, ”adds Yana Ananyeva.

Ujjayi breath. This variant can be mastered if full yogic breathing is easy enough for you.

How to do it. Sit straight with a straight back, begin to breathe in full yogic breathing, while closing the glottis, and pushing the air out with effort, getting a hissing sound: on the inhale “so”, on the exhale “ha”. Do the practice for 3 to 15 minutes or until you feel that the anxiety attack has subsided.

Nadi Shodhana . “This type of breathing literally translates as “cleansing the psychic network” and has a very beneficial effect on our nervous system, preventing anxiety from capturing your mind,” Yana explains. - Pranayama can be used as a prophylaxis, daily or at bedtime. It can be done either sitting or lying on your back.

How to do it. Place the thumb of the right hand against the right nostril, place the index and middle fingers at the point between the eyebrows, connect the ring and little fingers together. Inhale through the left nostril, close the left nostril with the ring finger, and open the right nostril and exhale through it. Without changing the position of the fingers, inhale through the right nostril, block it with your thumb, open the left and exhale the air. Continue in the same mode for another 5-15 minutes: inhale with the left - exhale with the right, inhale with the right - exhale with the left, inhale with the left - exhale with the right, etc.

Yoga Practice: Anti-Anxiety Asanas

Some yoga asanas will be very effective as an anxiety pill. But they can also be used in the long run. The more often you engage in relaxing yoga practice, the faster you can “turn on” the parasympathetic nervous system in those moments when you need to calm down.

What postures will be effective for this?

Uttanasana

Stand up straight and with an exhalation begin to fold in the hip joints, bring the stomach closer to the hips. “This position of the body reduces pressure, and increases the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the blood, which helps to get rid of stress reactions. Perform this asana every day to maintain a high level of GABA, ”adds Yana Ananyeva.

Balasana

Lower your knees to the floor, roll your pelvis back on your heels, rest your forehead on the floor, stretch your arms along the body. “The child’s pose calms the nervous system, quickly relieves anxiety and gives a sense of security,” says Yana.

Lying twist

Lie on the floor, bend your left leg at the knee, and lower it to the right. Lower your left shoulder to the floor, and direct your knee to the floor with your right hand. Stay in this asana for a few minutes and then repeat on the other leg. “In yoga, twists play a huge role, including in the fight against stress and panic attacks,” recalls our expert.

Get ready for a long journey: it is impossible to get rid of anxiety in a week, but after a month of regular yoga practice according to this scheme, you will be able to notice the first results.

9 postures for anxiety relief

Anxiety - experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders often experience intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Frequently, anxiety disorders involve recurring episodes of sudden attacks of intense anxiety and fear or terror that peak within minutes (panic attacks).

These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the real danger, and can persist for a long time. You may avoid places or situations, stop watching the news, etc. to prevent these feelings.

Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias, and separation anxiety disorder. You may have more than one anxiety disorder. Sometimes anxiety arises due to a health condition that requires treatment.

Whatever form of anxiety you have, yoga practice can help.

Yoga for Coping with Anxiety Disorder

Many people turn to yoga to relieve stress and anxiety. Learn how anxiety yoga works, along with a few basic postures to get you started.

Many people living with anxiety use a combination of methods to manage their symptoms, including therapy, lifestyle changes, and often alternative therapies such as yoga.

Anxiety disorders affect more than 40 million (18.1%) adults over the age of 18 each year. Anxiety is treatable, but only about 40% of people receive treatment.

Years of research has shown that yoga can help relieve stress and anxiety. It works by calming an overactive nervous system, relaxing both the mind and body.

How does yoga help with anxiety?

The 2021 Mental Health Report shows that the number of people seeking help for their anxiety disorders has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemicTherefore, the need for effective anxiety management is particularly high now.

Yoga is an affordable, adaptable practice that you can practice from the comfort of your own home. The practice can be modified to accommodate bodies of all types, abilities and backgrounds.

If you live with chronic anxiety, your nervous system, especially the sympathetic nervous system, also known as the "fight, flight or freeze" system, is overwhelmed. This means that your body has an increased response to perceived threat, leading to anxiety responses such as agitation, stress, and heart palpitations.

As a consequence, you also have reduced activity in the parasympathetic nervous system or the rest and digestion system. This system regulates your physiological functions such as heart rate and digestion.

Stimulation of the vagus nerve, a key part of the rest and digestion system, is the key to modulating the fight, flight or freeze response to stress, according to research.

One way to stimulate the vagus nerve is to practice yoga.

Yoga postures stimulate the vagus nerve
The parasympathetic nervous system helps us feel safe and calm, and various aspects of yoga help to stimulate it.

  • Yoga stimulates the vagus nerve, increasing interoception, the way we perceive sensations that occur in the body.
  • Practices that enhance interoception allow a person to distinguish between safe and frightening or dangerous situations.
  • Yoga also improves vagal tone, which means your body can relax more quickly after stress. Increased vagal tone can reduce symptoms of nervous system dysfunction, such as feelings of anxiety.
  • Yoga offers many opportunities to experience interoception and stimulate the vagus nerve. Through physical movement, you can explore the sensations that occur in your body by developing an understanding of which muscles are tensing, stretching, or relaxing.

Pranayama with breathing connects mind and body

Yoga, which means union, connects the mind and body through the breath. Pranayama, a Sanskrit term describing how breathing is regulated during yoga, is a powerful tool for calming the sympathetic nervous system.

Pranayama is a voluntary breathing practice that sends messages to the brain through the respiratory system.

Some breathing practices can help with feelings of relaxation and calmness, such as long exhalation or diaphragmatic breathing, primarily by stimulating the vagus nerve and linking the vagus nerve to heart rate variability.

Some breathing practices should be invigorating and more stimulating, such as Kapalabhati ("Breath of Fire"), which can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system rather than the parasympathetic.

Depending on the severity of your anxiety symptoms, pranayama that encourages deeper and more regular breathing, such as ujjayi breathing, may be more appropriate.

Meditation promotes relaxation

Meditation is perhaps the most interoceptive practice of all and encourages us to watch our thoughts. Practicing meditation can help with self-regulation and mindfulness, which helps keep us in our body and out of our thoughts.

Yoga postures (asanas) are a means of exploring the present moment. Watching your thoughts as they arise during conscious movement is the practice of developing awareness. This may promote relaxation.

A 2012 review of research indicates that meditative therapies (eg, meditation, yoga, qigong, etc.) are effective tools for relieving anxiety symptoms.

Yoga Postures for Worry and Anxiety

The best yoga poses for relieving anxiety are those that are pleasing to your body and help you ground yourself and gain a sense of calm.

On some days, slower practices such as hatha or gentler practices such as restorative or yin yoga may be just what you need to clear your mind. Such practices can stimulate the relaxation response of the body.

On other days, quicker exercises such as vinyasa can be just as effective. Movement can help relieve stress and anxiety.

High levels of anxiety may mean that you can't always start your yoga practice with relaxation techniques.

When there is a high activity of the sympathetic nervous system, the mind is likely to jump, making motionless postures (sitting or otherwise) unpleasant.

Those who benefit from faster yoga styles tend to develop the necessary breathwork, self-regulation, and interoception skills to remain calm and focused throughout the practice.

Without these skills, yoga at a faster pace can be overly stimulating for some people with anxiety.

However, postures or practices should be followed after some aspect of the movement when nervous or anxious energy is released and people feel calmer.

More experienced practitioners may find that standing and balancing postures can help with grounding and presence, but they may be more beneficial after movement.

Yoga sequence for anxiety

The following yoga sequence offers suggestions for gentle movements to promote relaxation and stress relief.

Several postures are aimed at relieving tension in the neck and shoulders. Others help relax the psoas, the hip flexor that connects to the diaphragm. This can constrict and shorten the breath when it is tense, which can contribute to feelings of restlessness.

If you need more movement from your yoga practice, try Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar). Sun salutation synchronizes breathing and movement to move from one posture to another. They are often practiced in vinyasa yoga classes.

You may want to consider adding a Sun Salutation to your next yoga session to relieve anxiety.

Seated Neck Stretch

To perform seated neck stretch:

  • Begin with Easy Pose (Sukhasana), also known as Comfortable Cross-Legged Pose.
    Inhale and extend your right arm above your head.
    Exhale to place the right hand on the left ear, gently pull the head to the right and the chin to the chest.
  • Hold for 3-5 breaths and relax. Change sides.
  • Optional: Place a blanket under your buttocks for support, or stretch while sitting in a chair.

Cat Pose

To do the cat pose (Marjariasana):

  • Cat and Cow Pose done together.
  • Get into a table top position on your hands and knees.
  • Inhale and press into the palms, round the spine like a cat and lower the chin, crown and tailbone.
  • As you exhale, take the cow pose.

Cow pose

To perform Cow Pose (Bitylasana):

  • From Cat Pose, exhale and lower your belly, expand your chest, and stretch the top of your head and tailbone up.
  • Turn your inside elbows forward and avoid bending your shoulders.
  • Inhale back into cat pose and exhale into cow pose.
  • Repeat the movement pattern for 5-7 breaths, synchronizing each movement with the breath.

Extended Puppy

To perform Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana):

  • From a tabletop position, move your arms slightly forward and your knees back.
  • Press down on your palms when you reach your lower back.
  • Let your forehead touch the mat and try to relax your neck and shoulders.
  • Inhale deeply and exhale through the nose for 5 to 7 breaths.
  • Optional: Place a blanket under your knees and shins for extra support. Or, depending on your level of experience, you can bend your toes and stretch your buttocks up and back to come into Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

Half twine

To perform the half split (Ardha Hanumanasana):

  • From a table position, step your right foot forward into a lunge position and pull your left toes in. The toes should be shoulder-width apart, framing the front foot.
  • Move your right leg forward until your leg is almost straight.
  • Rest on your heel to bend your toes up and push your hips back slightly to stretch your right hamstring muscle.
  • Hold for 3-5 deep breaths, then return to the tabletop position. Change sides.

Optional: Place your hands on the yoga blocks and slightly bend your front knee. You can also soften your chin towards your chest and allow your torso to bend towards your front knee.

Sitting Forward Bend

To perform a seated forward bend (Pashchimottanasana):

  • From a tabletop position, push your buttocks back towards your heels and stretch your legs far forward.
  • Remove excess flesh from the sitting bones so you can feel them attach to the mat.
  • Sit up straight, bend your legs and, while inhaling, extend your arms above your head.
  • Exhale to bend at the hips as you begin to bend your torso towards your hips.
  • Hands can be placed on the outside of the thighs, calves, ankles or feet, depending on your range of motion.
  • Drop your chin to your chest to release the back of your neck.
  • Breathe deeply, softening with each exhalation, staying here for 5-7 breaths.

Optional: Place a rolled-up blanket under your knees for support, especially if your hamstrings are tight.

Structural rest

To perform constructive rest (shavasana with bent legs):

  • Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides, palms up.
  • Adjust the position of your legs and arms until you feel comfortable and supported.
  • Locate the neutral spine by allowing a slight bend in the back of the neck (cervical spine) and lower back (lumbar spine).
  • Leave a space between your chin and chest and spread your arms a little wider.
  • Breathe deeply. This is a great pose for relaxing your psoas and resetting your nervous system. You can stay here for a few minutes or longer.
  • Optional: Spread your feet to the outer edges of the mat and let your knees touch each other.

Spinal twist on the back

To perform the spinal twist on the back (Supta Matsyendrasana):

  • From constructive rest, spread your legs to the outer edges of the mat (if not already there).
  • Inhale deeply, then exhale, allowing both knees to drop to the right, keeping the legs staggered.
  • Gently turn your chin to the left to deepen the turn.
  • Breathe deeply into your belly, lengthening your exhalations.
  • After 5-7 inhalations, return your knees and chin to the starting position, adjusting your hips as needed.
  • As you exhale, lower your knees to the left and turn your chin to the right.
  • Optional: fold or wrap your legs.

Corpse Pose (Shavasana)

To do Corpse Pose (Shavasana):

  • From constructive rest, stretch your legs and adjust your arm position until you feel comfortable.
  • Consider supporting this final rest pose with yoga props to help you feel grounded and secure. For example, you can put a folded blanket over your stomach and another behind your head.
  • If your mind is still seething, keep Savasana on the shorter side (1-2 minutes). If you don't feel comfortable closing your eyes, keep them open and find something above your head to fix your gaze and focus on your breathing.
  • Optional: Listen to guided meditation or ambient music.

Is yoga more effective than clinical treatment?

Although many people practice yoga to relieve symptoms of stress and anxiety disorders, it should not always be a substitute for clinical treatment, especially when a person is experiencing panic attacks or has been diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder.

While proponents may argue that the "yoga high" experienced during yoga practice can help relieve stress and anxiety, it is important to keep in mind that this emotional state is often fleeting.

While yoga can be a healthy coping mechanism, relying on it to address psychological conditions is not an effective long-term solution on its own.

Everything can become unhealthy if taken to extremes. Our bodies thrive on variability, both physiologically and emotionally. Finding several ways to reduce anxiety would be the most beneficial for most people. In terms of stress management, the more resources we have, the better.

How to start yoga?

A 2018 review of research supports the practice of yoga for the relief of symptoms associated with anxiety disorders, but more clinical research is still needed before yoga can be used as a first-line treatment approach.

Talk to your doctor or mental health professional to see if yoga is right for you.

Learn more