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Yoga For Anxiety: Breathwork and Poses to Calm Your Mind

Whether it's dealing with the stress of a demanding career or navigating the rocky waters of a transition in your life, most of us have experienced anxiety. Some of us have experienced most of our lives dealing with its detrimental load on our body. Our body’s are thankfully efficient at keeping us going through the hardest of times but sometimes this comes at a cost. After a while, your anxiety can begin to have detrimental effects on your life and health if not controlled. Thankfully there are practical and effective habits that you can fit in throughout your day to combat anxiety and support your nervous system. Come with me on a journey as we explore these poses and breathwork that will help stimulate your nervous system, bring you relief, and help you feel safe within your body. 

Understanding Yoga & Anxiety: Anxiety can manifest in various ways for anyone. Sometimes the pressure of a job or meeting a deadline could send your heart racing and palms sweating. Other times, it can look much different and less obvious. Those who experience more of a freeze state will find themselves experiencing their anxious state as being lethargic and having brain fog as a result of continuously high adrenal and cortisol levels.  Yoga helps bring our awareness to our breath, linking us to the present moment, grounding us in our bodies. This attention to our breath helps us regain our control of our nervous system and brings us back to our grounded state. Further, the poses in yoga allow us to unravel coiled up energy blocked or stored in our body that we need to let go of such as fear which we often mistake for anxiety. 

Breathwork- Ujjayi Breath: The first exercise is a breathwork technique or “pranayama” as the yogis call it. This is also known as the Ocean Breath or Victorious Breath for its effects on your mood. It is both deeply restorative and energizing, making it perfect for any time of the day. Ujjayi Breath stimulates the vagus nerve which then stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system letting your body know you are safe. There are many guided meditations and breathwork instructions for the Ujjayi breath but my personal favorite is found on YogaWithAdrienne’s channel. 

Forward Fold-Uttanasana: The first pose or “asana” I will be discussing is a forward fold. Practicing a forward fold is an excellent way to calm the mind and relieve anxiety. While giving your legs and back a deep stretch, your head and neck dangle allowing you to let go and just hang.. literally. This pose has both a standing and seated variation both of which help calm your mind.

Corpse Pose-Savasana: If you have been to a yoga class before, you have most likely heard of Savasana. If not, it's not as weird as it sounds, trust me. It is actually my favorite part of any yoga class. Usually held for 10-20 minutes, Savasana is practiced laying down and an emphasis is placed on submitting into the ground, allowing your body to release any tension. There is no work to be done other than to just be. While this may seem pointless, this is actually the beauty. Allowing yourself to be present in your body for a few minutes in your day to connect with yourself, does wonders for everyone especially those who suffer from anxiety. My favorite guided savasana meditation is Birdys’s on YouTube.

Incorporating yoga into your daily routine can be a transformative tool for managing anxiety and promoting overall well-being. By practicing these techniques you can create a sense of peace and stillness in any environment. Try these out next time you feel like you need a little extra support in your body or a sense of grounding. Overtime, you will cultivate strength and resilience in the face of life’s challenges by harnessing the power of yoga to calm the mind and nourish the soul.