A gentle guide to using yoga for anxiety relief. Learn how yoga calms the mind and discover three simple, beginner-friendly poses to help you find lasting relief from stress.
When your mind is racing with anxiety, finding a moment of peace can feel impossible. The feeling can live in your head as worrying thoughts and in your body as a tense jaw or tight shoulders. Yoga offers a powerful path to tranquility by calming both the body and the mind.
The Mind-Body Connection: How Yoga Calms a Racing Mind
Anxiety often triggers the body's sympathetic nervous system—our "fight or flight" response—leaving us feeling on edge, with a rapid heart rate and shallow breathing. Yoga for anxiety works by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the "rest and digest" system. It does this through a combination of:
- Mindful Movement: Gently moving your body brings your awareness to physical sensations, which can help anchor you in the present moment and pull you out of anxious thought loops.
- Focused Breathing (Pranayama): Consciously slowing down and deepening your breath sends a powerful signal to your brain that it is safe to relax.
Three Simple Yoga Poses to Soothe Anxiety
You don't need to be a flexible expert to reap the benefits of calming yoga. These beginner-friendly poses are accessible to almost everyone.
1. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)
This gentle, flowing movement is perfect for connecting your breath to your body and releasing tension in your spine.
- Start on a mat on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Cow Pose: As you inhale, gently drop your belly towards the floor, lift your chest and tailbone, and look forward.
- Cat Pose: As you exhale, press into your hands and round your spine towards the ceiling, tucking your chin to your chest.
- Continue flowing smoothly between these two poses for 5-10 full breaths, letting your breath guide the movement.
2.Child's Pose (Balasana)
This is a classic resting pose that feels incredibly grounding and secure. It provides a sense of safety and calm.
- From your hands and knees, bring your big toes to touch and widen your knees slightly.
- Sit your hips back onto your heels and fold your torso forward, resting your forehead on the mat.
- You can stretch your arms out long in front of you or rest them alongside your body with your palms facing up.
- Breathe deeply into your back, and stay for as long as you feel comfortable.
3. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
This is one of the most powerful restorative yoga poses for calming the nervous system. It is incredibly relaxing and requires minimal effort.
- Sit on the floor with one of your hips right up against an empty wall.
- Gently swing your legs up the wall as you lie back onto the floor. Your sitting bones should be as close to the wall as is comfortable.
- Rest your arms out to your sides with your palms facing up. Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
- Stay here for 5 to 15 minutes.
Your Most Powerful Tool: The Breath
The most important part of any yoga exercise for anxiety is your breath. As you hold these poses, try this simple breathing technique: Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, and then exhale even more slowly through your nose for a count of six. Making your exhale longer than your inhale is a scientifically-backed way to calm your nervous system.
Finding Peace, One Breath at a Time
Using yoga to manage anxiety is not about achieving perfect, complex poses. It's about giving yourself permission to slow down, to connect with your body, and to focus on your breath. Even a simple five-minute practice with these gentle movements can create a profound sense of peace in the present moment. Be kind to yourself, move without judgment, and breathe.