5 Yoga Poses to Try When Anxiety Hits
Panic attacks from anxiety are nothing new and nothing to be ashamed of. The annoying time when your body preps for fight or flight can be nerve-racking, especially when your brain knows that there’s no real danger.
Some symptoms of panic attack include pain or tightness in chest, a sense of impending danger, trembling, dizziness and nausea, shortness of breath, heart pounding, and sweating
But the good news is, yoga can help you with some of these uncomfortable physical symptoms. A great place to start is with simple yoga poses. You can do these almost anywhere:
Channel-Cleaning Breath (Nadhi Shodhana)
This pose is more prep than posing, because it has you focus on getting oxygen to the brain, before you start your yoga session. “However, this breathing technique can help you get into a calm state, so that you can focus on yoga, instead of worrying about anything and succumbing to anxiety.”
Breathe while sitting in a chair or cross-legged on the floor.
Take 2-3 deep breaths in through your nose, and exhale through your mouth.
Then, use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril.
Then, open right nostril, closing left one (with your ring finger).
Exhale through your right nostril, inhale, and switch sides.
Repeat for several breaths.
Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)
Cat on the left, cow on the right.
This pose works well with the Cow Pose (which we’ll discuss in the next section). Both poses stretch your spine and your abdominal muscles.
Start in a tabletop position with your knees below the hips, and your hands below the shoulders.
Keep head and neck neutral.
Keep staring at the floor.
Exhaling, round your spine, but keep shoulders and hips in position as much as possible.
Release your neck, but don’t tuck your chin to your chest.
Inhaling, return to the starting position.
Repeat, or move on to the Cow Pose.
Speaking of…
Cow Pose (Bitilasana)
Like the Cat Pose, the Cow Pose focuses on the spine and the abdominal muscles.
Start in a tabletop position with knees directly below hips, and hands below shoulders.
Keep head and neck neutral, and your gaze on the floor.
Inhaling, lift chest and sitz bones toward the ceiling, while your belly sinks toward the floor.
Exhaling, return to the neutral starting position, or do Cat Pose.
Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
This pose requires you to get extra support under the hips and pelvis if you have tight hamstrings. When doing this pose, sit with your legs straight in front of you, and the right side of your body pressed against a wall or headboard. As you turn your back to lie on the floor, exhale. Then, raise your legs up the wall until they point toward the ceiling. If you can’t press against the wall, at least try to get as close to the wall as possible, creating a slight arch through your torso to your shoulders.
This pose should be done anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, while taking deep, slow breaths.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Finally, the Child’s Pose is an easy yoga pose to execute. To do this:
Kneel on the floor, with your big toes touching.
Open your knees to the width of your hips.
Sit on your heels.
Exhaling, bring your torso down between your thighs.
Lengthen the back of your neck to stretch your spine.
Your hands and arms should rest at your sides (or next to your torso).
Relax your shoulders, and let gravity pull them toward the floor.
Stay in this pose for 30 seconds (or for as long as you’d like).
Conclusion
Yoga can train your body and your mind, as you focus on the moment. This kind of focus can help with stress, anxiety, and depression. You can start with these 5 poses – take your time on them – and, more importantly, breathe.
Kristin Herman lives in Phoenix, Arizona. She’s is a writer and editor at UK Writings, Academized, and Boom Essays. As a marketing writer, she blogs about the latest trends in digital advertising. In her spare time, she practice yoga and meditation, and she spends time with her two dogs.