Stress busting Yoga

Stress and anxiety creeps in to your life gradually due to being over worked and under rested; it may occur due to possible situations at home or work. Stress and anxiety affect abnormally large amount of people all over the world.

Practicing Yoga not only relieves you of stress but also controls the symptoms of anxiety. Remember the following tips while doing the 9 steps of stress busting yoga!

• Focus on your breathing as you move through the steps
• Keeping your eyes closed helps you relax and concentrate better

1. Mountain pose

• Stand straight with your feet together.
• Spread your toes out like a fan.
• Distribute your weight evenly across both feet.
• Lift the kneecaps by tightening the thighs.
• Move your thighs back and tailbone in.
• Straighten the arms, palms facing in.
• Pull your shoulder blades back and lift the chest.
• Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.
• Look straight ahead.

Hold for 60 seconds

Strengthens and tones the whole body

Improves alignment

Creates balance

2. Upward hand pose

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart.
• Lift the kneecaps by tightening the thighs.
• Roll your shoulders back.
• Extend the arms forward and lift up.
• Straighten elbows, wrists and fingers.
• Relax neck and shoulders.
• Keep your head straight and look forward.

Hold for 60 seconds

Alleviates stiff shoulders and arms

Releases tension in the upper back

3. Foot & big toe pose

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart.
• Lift the kneecaps by tightening the thighs.
• Roll the shoulders back and lift the chest.
• Bend forward starting at the hips.
• Grab your big toes with thumb and first two fingers.
• Look forward.

Hold for 60 seconds

Strengthen lower back and hamstrings

Tones belly

Improves digestion

4. Downward facing dog

• Place palms on floor in front of you.
• Step legs back one at a time.
• Feet should be in line with hands.
• Spread fingers and press palms down.
• Stretch arms forward, keep elbows straight.
• Raise your butt up to sky and move thighs up and back.
• Lower heels to the floor, feet point straight.
• Relax your head and back of the neck.

Hold for 60 seconds

Relieves depression

Increases flexibility of hips, knees, and ankles

Calms the mind

5. Child’s pose

• Get on hands and knees.
• Knees hip distance apart.
• Feet together.
• Lean back and sit on your heels.
• Extend arms and torso forward.
• Rest your forehead on the floor.
• Stretch arms out in front of you.
• Press palms into floor and butt into heels.

Hold for 60 seconds

Calms nerves

Lowers blood pressure

Releases tension in neck, back, shoulders

6. Upward facing dog

• Lie on your stomach.
• Bend elbows and place palms by your side (just below the breast).
• Leading with chest and crown of the head lift upper body off the floor.
• Press hands down firmly. Lift chest to ceiling, bring hips forward.
• Lift hips off floor. Keep thighs strong.
• Bring shoulder blades into back and open the chest.
• Release your head back and look up.

Hold for 60 seconds

Great for sciatic pain

Builds stamina

Strengthens arms and chest

Loosens stiff shoulders

7. Chaturanga

• Lie on your stomach.
• Forehead on floor.
• Bend elbows and place palms by your side.
• Firmly press palms and feet into floor.
• Lift legs, hips, chest and head off the floor.
• Keep elbows close to ribs.
• Keep butt in line with shoulders and heels.
• Look forward.

Hold for 60 seconds

Strengthens upper body arms and wrists

Increases stamina

Invigorates the mind and body

8. Child’s pose (repeat)

• Get on hands and knees.
• Knees hip distance apart.
• Feet together.
• Lean back and sit on your heels.
• Extend arms and torso forward.
• Rest your forehead on the floor.
• Stretch arms out in front of you.
• Press palms into floor and butt into heels.

Hold for 60 seconds

Calms nerves

Lowers blood pressure

Releases tension in neck, back, shoulders

9. Corpse pose

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Lean back on yoru forearms.
• Slowly extend the right leg, then the left, pushing through the heels.
• Release both legs, let feet drop to the side.
• Lie back with your head resting on the back center of the skull.
• Release the arms to the sides.
• Turn the arms outward. Rest the backs of the hands on the floor.
• Let the eyes sink to the back of the head.
• Breathe slowly and deeply, let a sense of calm relaxation envelope your whole body.
• Concentrate on loosening tensions.

Hold for 120 seconds

Brings deep relaxation and serenity

Helps lower blood pressure.

Reduces headache and fatigue

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