Yoga relaxation exercises against stress
Relaxation exercises for stress help if you are facing burnout and suffering from a lot of stress. But did you know that relaxation exercises also help prevent these symptoms?
Research shows that more and more people are suffering from burnout and stress, and it has everything to do with the accumulation of stress and stimuli to a point where you start to suffer from it.
Often by then it’s too late.
It is no secret that yoga, mindfulness and meditation exercises help against stress.
This insight is also gaining ground in medicine, and more and more doctors are advising relaxation exercises for stress-related complaints.
Reason enough, therefore, to take a closer look at yoga relaxation exercises against stress! In this blog we discuss, among other things:
- Why yoga relaxation exercises are essential.
- Which relaxation exercises against stress and inner turmoil there are
- What results you get with which anti-stress exercises
- How you can start doing these exercises right away
Have fun reading!
A natural solution against stress
After a tiring or stressful day, we often spend a few hours in front of the TV hoping to relax. But actually, our brain doesn’t get to rest at all then.
The TV consciously or unconsciously stimulates your brain with all kinds of signals. Signals that we find difficult to process at the end of the day.
We then go to bed with a restless head, which often leads to us sleeping poorly and being even more tired the next day.
Recognizable? We sometimes seem to have forgotten how to really relax
More and more people are suffering from burnout and overwork symptoms.
More and more often, doctors refer you to yoga or mindfulness classes for such ailments. A good sign, if you ask me. After all, why take a chemical pill when you can solve it with natural exercises?
More and more people are realizing that we can’t solve stress and burnout symptoms with a pill, but that lifestyle changes are needed.
In addition, medications often only suppress the symptoms and do not address the deeper causes of the problems.
Stress can manifest itself mentally, emotionally, and physically, and that’s why it’s important to rebalance your body and mind so you can feel good again. Relaxation exercises help immensely with this.
Yoga relaxation exercises against stress and inner turmoil
Although many people try yoga because they want to be more relaxed, traditionally this is not the purpose of yoga. It’s actually more of a “side effect.”
Yoga teaches you to become more aware of your body and mind. By becoming more aware of your body and mind, you can calm the mind.
This is not necessarily meant as a relaxation exercise for stress, but rather as personal development.
In fact, yoga has traditionally always been about becoming the best version of yourself and excelling in life.
Of course, this is not possible if you have a lot of unproductive thoughts floating around in your head that are subconsciously limiting you. This can also make you unable to relax properly and suffer from a lot of stress.
So it’s important to be aware of this, because any form of yoga or any yoga practice is meant to counteract stress first, so that you can then work on yourself at a deeper level.
That said, there are of course many postures and techniques that can be used as relaxation exercises for stress.
12 yoga relaxation exercises for stress
1. Child pose (balasana)
Relaxation exercises for stress aim to relax both the body and the mind. One of the relaxation exercises that is good for both the body and the mind is the child pose.
Child’s pose is one of the most calming yoga exercises for many people.
Whether you have experience in yoga or are a beginner, this pose can be performed by anyone. Below is a step-by-step explanation:
- Kneel down and bring your seat to your heels.
- Rest your forehead on the floor and extend your hands in front of you or place them beside you.
- Breathe through your nose and try to feel the breath in your pelvis.
- Stay in this posture as long as you feel comfortable.
Child’s pose stretches the back and arms in a very gentle way and provides relaxation throughout the body. With each exhalation, feel the back of the body relax a little more towards the floor.
2. Knee to chest (Apanasana)
Apanasana is one of the yoga relaxation exercises for stress that you perform on your back. Perform it as follows:
- Lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest.
- Grasp your knees with your hands or interlace your fingers.
- Close your eyes. Your head and shoulders remain on the floor.
- Breathe deeply into the pelvis and remain in this posture for as long as you feel comfortable.
Apanasana provides a light natural massage to the lower back. It is a perfect pose to get in touch with the breath and go within for a while.
As the abdomen comes into contact with the thighs, the organs in the abdomen are also massaged, stimulating blood circulation.
The effect of this forward bend is that this yoga pose causes deep relaxation and helps you let go.
3. Paschimottanasana
This forward bend is performed in a seated position and allows you to focus your attention more inward.
- Sit with your legs extended forward (if necessary, sit on a towel so you sit a little higher).
- Inhale, flex your feet, tighten your thigh muscles, and lift your sternum.
- Exhaling, extend the sternum toward the toes and place the hands where they land (calves, ankles or toes).
- Inhaling, using the bandhas, lift the navel area up and forward (as if reaching over a fence that is too high).
- With the next exhalation, bring the belly button toward the thighs.
- For proper alignment and counterforce, push the sit bones back and the heels forward.
- Remain in this position for about 6 breaths and then gently release from the position.
4. Reclined Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana).
Stress-related ailments often manifest in the back and neck. Relaxation exercises against stress should therefore relieve tension there as well.
A wonderful way to do this is with a lying down twist.
You perform it as follows:
- Lie on your back.
- Bring your knees slightly to your chest and your shins parallel to the floor.
- Stretch your arms out wide.
- As you exhale, bring your knees to the floor on the right side first and turn your head to the left.
- Stay here for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Inhaling bring the legs back to the center.
- Exhaling, repeat the exercise on the other side (legs to the left, head to the right).
Both your lower back and neck will come into a twisted position, releasing a lot of tension in those areas. By focusing on your breathing, you can find more and more space and relaxation in the posture.
By the way, make sure you drink enough water as well. Many neck complaints are also due to a lack of water!
5. Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra pose is one of the best yoga relaxation exercises for the back. In cobra pose, you lie exactly on your stomach.
6. Forward Bends (Uttanasana).
Forward bends in yoga draw attention inward and lead to more relaxation.
It also stretches the hamstrings and stretches the back, both of which help relieve tension in the back.Uttanasana
Uttanasana is performed as follows:
- Stand upright and place your feet flat next to each other.
- As you exhale, bend forward from the pelvis and bring the head to the floor.
- Bend your knees so that your abdomen touches your thighs.
- You can place your hands on the floor or hold onto your ankles or calves.
- Stay in this posture for one minute and then gently come back up.
The advantage of this posture is that it draws attention inward and counteracts stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue.
7. Broken candle (viparita karani).
The broken candle is another pose that calms the body. It improves blood circulation by lifting the legs, calms the mind and relieves back pain.
- Sit with your right side against the wall, with a cushion or blanket behind you if necessary.
- Then roll onto your side so that you are lying with your back on the yoga mat and your legs leaning against the wall.
- If necessary, adjust the posture a little by moving your sitting bones more toward the wall. Then check to see if the cushion is supporting your lower back. Here, your sitting bones move beyond the cushion toward the wall.
- Your shoulders are low and relaxed on your mat. Your arms are slightly away from your body, palms facing up. Now relax your legs and let them get heavy.
- Stay in this pose for about 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Butterfly pose lying down.
Using aids such as pillows and blocks literally makes your body feel supported. This often allows you to relax even better.
- Place a bolster lengthwise on your mat. Then sit with your back against the bolster.
- Slowly lower your upper body onto the bolster. If necessary, place a blanket under your head when your head is on the bolster.
- Rest your arms slightly away from your body and turn your palms upward. Keep your shoulders low.
- Move your knees outward so that the soles of your feet meet. If necessary, place blocks or blankets under the knees for support.
- Stay here for about 5 minutes (or longer if it feels comfortable).
Don’t feel comfortable putting your feet together? You can also just put your legs side by side and slide a pad under your knees.
You can also place a block under the head end of the bolster so that your head is slightly higher in relation to the rest of your body.
9. Savasana (lying position)
After a yoga class, you have worked the tension out of your body, and now it is time to feel the effects of these postures. The best way to do this is in savasana.
This literally means the “corpse pose.” In this posture, you lie on your back as comfortably as possible. Otherwise, try not to move anything, but also try not to fall asleep.
There are many ways to do savasana, but for now it is enough to lie down for about five minutes and become aware of the breathing and energy that has been released in your body.
10. Brahmari
In addition to physical postures, breathing exercises and meditations are also excellent relaxation exercises for stress.
One technique I like to use for this myself is Brahmari. Also called the breathing of the “buzzing bee” or “bee breathing”.
Brahmari has a calming effect on the mind and a stress-reducing effect on the brain through the vibrations it produces.
Since the attention is completely focused inward, it is an ideal preparation for a meditation session.
11. Breathing in the ratio 1:2
Another breathing exercise that is also very calming is lengthening the exhalation.
This exercise is very simple. Just sit or lie down and then start counting how long it takes to inhale. Then make the exhalation twice as long.
So if the inhalation takes 3 seconds, the exhalation should take 6 seconds. You will find that your mind soon becomes calmer and more peaceful.
12. Breath focus meditation
And finally, the last of the 9 relaxation exercises for stress: the Breath Focus Meditation.
Again, this is an easy one to get into a sitting position. Make sure your back is straight so you don’t hold any unwanted tension.
Close your eyes and focus your attention inward. Now all you have to do is focus on the rhythm of your breath. Breathe through your nose. Every time your mind wanders, bring it back to the breath.
Try this for at least five minutes. If you feel comfortable, it can be longer. There is no maximum.
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