Feeling Anxious? 5 Asanas To Relax You

Yogini Samiksha Shetty shows you how to unwind and calm your mind with yoga.

Did you roll out of bed this morning with a heavy cloud sitting on your chest?

The sort of day when anxiety elbows its way in before you even manage one honest breath of air?

I have lived that same story more than a few times and most likely you have too -- a tight rib cage, stray worries ricocheting madly, the gut feeling that you've already drowned.

At some point I landed on yoga and kept at it long enough to see the difference.

The postures, yes, but mostly, the quiet reset that slides through your head, reminding your nervous system where the OFF switch is.

And to achieve this, we do not have to achieve a fancy asana. It’s the basics that get you back to your baseline!

Here are some grounding asanas that can help you come back to yourself when things feel too much.

Backed by both ancient wisdom and modern research, these five postures are my go-to tools when I need to release, reset and breathe again. 

1. Balasana (Child's Pose)

Kneeling forward in this pose settles the nervous system and eases tightness along the spine.

Many people say it feels like a gentle hug for the whole back.

How to do it

• Begin by kneeling down. Stretch your arms forward and fold your body at the hips until your palms graze the floor.
• Now glide back and sit lightly on your heels.
• Bend your body so that you can rest your forehead on a block or the mat to quiet the chatter in your mind.
• Your arms can be stretched forward or relaxed beside your body.
• Breathe slowly, feeling it in your belly.
• Trust the earth and drop your weight in complete surrender.
• Feel the earth holding you. Observe your breath and stay in this pose for one to three minutes.

2. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

This simple asana helps reverse blood flow, soothes the heart rate and helps regulate the nervous system.

How to do it

• Start by sitting sideways next to a wall.
• Gently lie on your back and swing your legs up.
• A folded blanket can be used to support the hips if required.
• Extend your arms to your side.
• Focus on the slow rhythm of your breath. Stay in this position for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

It softens the chest, eases the stiffness of your heart and gives your throat a friendly nudge.

It also chases away that bleary-eyed fatigue most of us feel through the day.

How to do it

• Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Press the soles into the earth, lift the pelvis and. if it suits you, weave your fingers beneath the sacrum (the large triangular bone at the base of your spine).
• Inhale up, exhale down; hold for 5-8 steady breaths.

4. Marjaryasana-Bitilasana (Cat-Cow Pose)

The synchronicity of breath and movement in this position is incredible.

It enhances mental and respiratory agility and helps the spine release stored tension.

How to do it

• Get down on all fours.
• As you take a breath, raise your tailbone, look straight ahead and arch your back. This is the Cow Pose.
• When you exhale, tuck in your tailbone, glance towards your belly and curve your spine. This is the Cat Pose.
• Do this for one to two minutes. And move slowly while breathing.

5. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)

This last pose slides you gently out of stress and cools an overheated mind.

How to do it

• Sit tall and extend your legs, allowing your sitting bones to press firmly into the ground.
• Inhale to grow the spine another inch, exhale and bend forward.
• Keep your neck erect, your breath low; linger there for one to three minutes.

Samiksha Shetty is a yoga instructor, wellness expert and founder of Rising Loka, an all-in-one fitness and wellness space in Khar, Mumbai.

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