Hi there!
It's the year 2021 and unfortunately, COVID-19 is still around us.
Stress, anxiety and depression are building up among all age groups. The fear about the disease, the tension seeing the news, feeling of left out, anxiety of the future and many other causes are creating the uncontrollable stress and anxiety.
Studies are showing that depression, stress and anxiety are increasing currently because of the global epidemic. You can read more about depression here.
Researches and articles even show that people with COVID-19 more likely to develop depression, anxiety, and dementia. Many countries are seeing a surge in new coronavirus cases and mental health should be taken seriously. There are different ways to deal with daily stress, mental illnesses, depression, insomnia available these days. One such way to deal with mental health is through yoga.
Yoga
Yoga is the science of right living and works with all aspects of a human: physical, mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual. Yoga is a way of subsistence rather than a treatment or an exercise routine. But, as told, it benefits on different levels and has a major effect on our physique and mind. Yoga includes different poses (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), meditation, Yoga Nidra, bandas, mudras, etc. But as a beginner, yoga is practised through asanas, pranayama and meditation. Each asana or pose has various impacts on the physical body and the mental body, but certain asana/groups of asanas are said to have a particular benefit.
When every asana or pose releases mental tension, some asanas, in particular can be used for better mental health.
10 Yoga Poses for Mental Health for Beginners/Intermediates
1. Sukasana ( Easy Pose)
This is one of the easiest poses in yoga and suitable for anyone from beginner level onwards. Easy pose or comfortable pose helps to calm the mind and reduces stress and anxiety.
Keep your spine and head erect. Place the palms facing upward on the knees in chin mudra/open palms.
Sitting in this pose while breathing normally for a few minutes can help you a lot in stress reduction. Other sitting poses like Siddhasana, Ardha Padmasana, Vajrasana and Padmasana also help in calming the mind.
2. Supta Baddakonasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose)
This pose gives a nice stretch to your thighs and hip flexors. This is a beginner level pose.
This asana also helps in relieving stress and mild depression leading to calming your mind.
The soles of the feet are together, knees pointing to the sides, making a diamond shape with the legs.Palms are away from the body, facing upwards.
3. Adhomuka Svanasana( Downward Facing Dog Pose)
This is one of the commonly practised poses in yoga. Even though it is a beginner level one, it should be practised continuously for the right posture. This asana stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches and hands. Strengthens the arms and legs.
Along with these benefits, this asana helps in reducing stress and calms the brain. Also, it is a good pose for anxiety and mild depression.
“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.”
—Sakyong Mipham 🧘🏼♀️
4. Parivritta Triskonasana ( Twisted Triangle Pose)
This is an intense twisting pose and can be practised only after some experience in yoga. In Twisted Triangle Pose, abdominal organs get a deep stretch, strengthens the legs and opens chest, hips and shoulders.
This pose helps in reducing stress and anxiety.
Staying in this pose helps to relieve tension and get deeper into the stretch.
5. Janu Shirshasana (Head to Knee Pose)
As the name says, the head is trying to touch the knee in this asana. This asana is very effective in strengthening the hamstring and toning the entire abdomen and pelvic region.
In this pose, the nerves are stimulated and like any other forward bends, it calms the brain and helps relieve stress, anxiety, fatigue, headache and mild depression.
6. Purvattonasana ( Reverse Plank)
Purvattonasama helps to open up the chest and shoulders increasing the arms and core strength. Other than physical strengthening, this asana is also beneficial for mild depression and relaxes the mind. It is also good for fatigue. This is an intermediate level asana.
7. Paschimottasana (Seated Forward Bend Pose)
This is another forward bend that has so much effect on mental health. Along with strengthening hamstring muscles, increases the flexibility of the spinal cord and hip joints, this also stimulates circulation to the nerves and calms the brain. Paschimottanasa also relieves stress and decreases anxiety. It is also good for mild depression. This is another beginner level asana, but it takes time for the perfect extension.
"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self."
-- The Bhagavad Gita🧘🏼♀️
8. Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)
This is another beginner to intermediate level sitting asana. In this asana, the fingers are interlocked at the back. It opens up the chest and shoulders and reduces tiredness and tension. This asana is beneficial for anxiety and reduces stress effectively.
9. Halasana (Plough Pose)
This asana should be generally practised by intermediate level yoga practitioners.
The Plough Pose stimulates the abdominal organs and the digestive system.
This asana has a great role in calming the brain and reducing stress. Anxiety and insomnia can be managed by practising this asana.
10. Mastsyasana (Fish Pose)
Mastyasana is an intermediate level asana. It strengthens the neck and upper back muscles, and also gives calmness to the mind. Regular exercise of this pose decreases the level of stress and fatigue, also it works in managing anxiety and depression.
These are a few of the many asanas which are good for better mental health. Yoga can generally help in well-being if practised regularly. Any asana takes time for the proper alignment and full-extension, So yoga practice should be taken as a process, other than an easy remedy for illness. Yoga Nidra is also a practice in yoga that can help a person to relax on a deeper level. In yoga nidra the relaxation takes place in the three levels of physical, emotional and mental, thus ultimate relaxation is obtained. It is good for anxiety, insomnia, mild depression, hypertension, psychosomatic diseases like asthma, ulcer, migraine, skin diseases etc. You can read more on yoga nidra and practise it here.
You can join regular yoga online classes by signing up here!
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