Ajay Kapoor
Do you feel the need to relax? Most people have busy lives and have almost no time to relax. In their busy lives, people are on the run from the moment they wake up to the time they retire for the day. How can one relax when the whole day is spent in meeting deadlines, pushing schedules, getting to the office and back home with no time left for even having your meals?
In addition, there are different types of stresses that one has to deal with. From financial problems to health problems in family, from lack of emotional support to work pressure, stress can creep into our lives easily. This stress can tire us physically as well as mentally and must be done away with. To get rid of this stress and live a healthier life, practicing yogaeveryday can be very helpful.
Yoga for Relaxation
With its deep-rooted philosophy of uniting body and mind, yoga is a great stress buster and certain asanas do just that – fight stress! The pranayamas and asanas clear your mind, ease the muscles, and fill you up with positive energy. Yoga also improves the flow of blood, balances the body and reduces toxins in your body. Further, it improves immunity and makes the body more flexible.
These following yoga poses can help reduce stress and energize you every day:
*ArdhaChandrasana: This pose benefits the lower back, abdomen and chest by stretching and balancing the body.
*Adho Mukha Svanasana: This pose helps alleviate backache, relieves the body of stress and mild depression, and also revitalizes the body.
*Hastapadasana: This pose works on the hamstrings, spine and abdominal organs. It also improves flow of blood to the brain, thus refreshing you.
*Shavasana: This pose relaxes the body and calms down the mind.
Pranayamas for Relaxation
Voluntary regulated breathing or pranayama is basically mastering the mind through control over breath. Pranayamas are also highly effective in eliminating stress from the body.
The following pranayamasmay be practiced to get rid of stress:
*Kapalbhati pranayama: Also known as the Skull Shining Breathing technique, this pranayama energizes the body, eliminates stress, and also helps lose weight.
*Nadi Shodhan pranayama: The Alternative Nostril Breathing technique helps clear subtle energy channels and improves the flow of energy. An effective stress eliminator, this pranayama also helps calm the mind and makes it centered.
*Sheetali pranayama – This pranayama induces muscular relaxation, soothes the eyes and also eliminates bad breath.
*Sheetkari pranayama – This pranayama purifies blood and also keeps blood pressure in check.
*Bhramari pranayama -The Bee Breath technique creates a soothing effect on nervous system. It also reduces anger, anxiety, insomnia and blood pressure; thus relieving the body of stress and cerebral tension.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is basically sleeping but with total awareness! It is a sleep in which we do not lose our consciousness. Due to this unique feature, you experience a much greater physiological rejuvenation and relaxation as compared to normal sleep. It also helps cure stress related disorders such as depression, hypertension, digestive problems and asthma.
In general sleep, that we are accustomed to, we do not unburden ourselves totally. This is because we carry our day-to-day tensions, frustrations, anxiety, pain and turmoil into our sleep also. This results in a shallow sleep and we are not fully refreshed and rejuvenated when we wake up in the morning.
Practicing yoga keeps the body healthy, the mind relaxed and helps you take on the world with new enthusiasm. So, refresh yourself every morning with these asanas and pranayamas and see the difference for yourself!
Yoga practice helps develop the body and mind bringing a lot of health benefits yet is not a substitute for medicine. It is important to learn and practice yoga postures under the supervision of a trained Yoga teacher.
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