Four Yoga Poses for Stress Relief
Four Yoga Poses for Stress Relief
Written by Lily Thrope
Life can get stressful! Whether it’s work, dating, family or just trying not to sweat through your new shirt in the hot subway on the way to your office, stress often creeps into our lives and our bodies. Have you ever been going through a rough patch and started to cry in your pigeon pose or maybe even warrior two? Most of our stress and negative emotions are stored in our hips. By doing hip openers we’re letting go physically and emotionally. Below are four great yoga poses to slide into on days when life is feeling extra tense. You may want to have a box of tissues handy, just in case!
Pigeon Pose (Sanskrit: Kapotasana)
Pigeon is a deep hip opener that also gets into the lower back and hamstrings. Start in a downward dog and from there bring your right shin forward onto the ground so that your knee lines up with your right shoulder and your shin is at a 45 degree angle to the edge of your yoga mat. If this feels like too much of a stretch, pull your heel closer to your pelvis; too little of a stretch, move your shin more towards the edge of your mat. Make sure that your hips are square to the mat and feel free to place a blanket or pillow underneath your right thigh should it need support. Inhale to lengthen your spine and then exhale to fold forward. Stay here for one to two minutes and then repeat on the other side.
Crescent Lunge (Sanskrit: Anjaneyasana)
Crescent lunge is a fabulous hip opener that gets into the hip flexors and even the quads. Start in downward dog and from there bring your right foot forward between your hands and your left knee and shin onto the mat. Raise your chest and lift your arms up in line with your ears. Press your foot firmly into the mat, keep your hips square and make sure that your right knee is over your right ankle and your left knee is under your left hip. Hold for five to ten breaths and then repeat on the other side. Should you want to get more into your back quad, bend your back knee and grab your foot, pulling it close to your glutes.
Figure Four Pose (Sanskrit: Upavistha Ardha Utkatasana)
This pose is similar to pigeon but can go a bit deeper for those with tight hips. Start on your back and pull your right shin towards your chest. Bring your thigh towards you, placing your right ankle on your left knee. Clasp your hands behind your left thigh and pull it closer to your chest, keeping your right leg at a 90 degree angle. You can use your right elbow to gently push against your right knee to increase the stretch. If you have very open hips, you can do ankle to knee pose (also known as fire log pose or double pigeon) where you sit up and place your right shin on top of your left so they are stacked, matching each ankle to each knee (flex your feet if you have any knee issues to stabilize your knee). Fold forward to go deeper. Hold each side for one to two minutes.
Happy Baby Pose (Sanskrit: Ananda Balasana)
Happy baby is a wonderful pose that gets into the hips, hamstrings, groin and lower back. Start on your back and pull your knees towards your shoulders. Grab the outsides of your feet with your hands so that both legs are at 90 degree angles and gently press your feet into your hands while pulling them closer, creating a slight tension and a deeper release. Make sure to keep a long spine and relax while holding for five to twenty breaths.
All of these poses are great to do any time as well as to incorporate into a post workout stretch.
