If a sunny nap isn't in the cards, try yoga breathing and yoga poses for relaxation. | photo © Jason Kasumovic |dreamstime.com
What’s in your toolbox when you need to unwind? If you practice yoga, you’ve got both yoga breathing and yoga poses for relaxation. This article shares some of the best yoga breathing techniques to calm you, plus the most relaxing yoga poses. Enjoy!
Yoga Breathing and Yoga Poses for Relaxation
Alternative nostril breathing almost immediately calms down the nervous system. It is also said to balance the thoughts and provide clarity.
Close the right nostril, leaving the left one open and inhale, then close the left nostril and open the right, and exhale. Continue this same pattern on each side for eight more breaths.
Breath retention is one of the easiest yoga breathing exercises to calm yourself down fast. The breath retention at the bottom of the exhale is one of the few moments where thoughts exit.
Start off by inhaling and exhaling and holding at the bottom of the exhale for a count of one. After each inhale and exhale add one second to the count until you get up to five. After you reach five, count backwards back down to one.
Child’s pose is great for slowing down the thoughts. In fact, it’s surprising how fast the pose works to blanket the body with a sense of inner calm. The reason it works so well is because the pressure point between the eyes, called the third eye chakra in yoga, touches the mat and sends a message to the parasympathetic nervous system calming down the entire body. Coupled with deep breathing, the nervous system slows down in no time.
Sit on the back of the heels. Place the head on the mat. Bring the hands to the sides of the body.
Inverted poses, like shoulderstand, SalambaSarvangasana refresh the glandular systems keeping you rational and avoiding any mood swings. Shoulderstand also serves to sedate the nervous system.
Lay on your back. Place the feet on top of the head. Bring the hands to the hips and move into shoulderstand.
Shoulderstand is one of my favorite yoga poses, but I really don’t understand those directions! Try these detailed directions from my favorite yoga teacher. Another yoga pose recommended in the article is Savasana, which I wrote about yesterday.
I hope you found this advice on yoga breathing and yoga poses for relaxation helpful! If you think others may benefit, please share via the button below to help get the word out.
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