Yoga Poses to Reduce Anxiety

Feeling anxious? You’re not alone. Anxiety can affect anyone, and finding healthy ways to manage it is essential for overall well-being. Yoga is one of the most effective natural methods to calm your mind, ease tension, and restore balance.

In this guide, we’ll share seven yoga poses to reduce anxiety that promote relaxation, improve flexibility, and help you feel more centered.

Why Yoga Helps Reduce Anxiety

Yoga combines movement, breathwork, and mindfulness to activate the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s “rest and digest” mode. This helps lower stress hormones, improve circulation, and encourage deep breathing, making yoga a powerful tool for anxiety relief.

1. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Benefits: Improves balance, strengthens legs and core, and helps redirect focus away from anxious thoughts.

Steps:

1. Begin in Mountain Pose with feet grounded and chest lifted.

2. Bring hands to prayer position at your heart.

3. Shift weight to one foot, engage your core, and lift the opposite heel.

4. Place the lifted foot on your ankle, calf, or thigh (avoid the knee).

5. For an extra challenge, raise arms overhead and hold for several breaths.

6. Repeat on the other side.

2. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

Benefits: Relieves anxiety, stretches the entire body, and supports digestion.

Steps:

1. From Mountain Pose, step feet wide apart.

2. Turn your right foot out 90° and left foot slightly inward.

3. Extend arms parallel to the floor.

4. Exhale, reach your right arm down to your shin or a block, and lift your left arm up.

5. Gaze at your fingertips and hold for up to five breaths.

6. Repeat on the other side.

3. Cat/Cow Pose (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)

Benefits: Eases tension strengthens the spine, and promotes relaxation through rhythmic movement.

Steps:

1. Start on all fours with shoulders over wrists and hips over knees.

2. Inhale into Cow Pose: lift tailbone, press chest forward, gaze ahead.

3. Exhale into Cat Pose: round spine, tuck tailbone, release head.

4. Flow between poses for 5–10 breaths.

4. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

Benefits: Opens the chest, improves posture, and reduces anxiety caused by prolonged sitting.

Steps:

1. Kneel with knees hip-width apart.

2. Place hands on lower back, inhale, and lift your chest.

3. If possible, reach hands to heels while keeping core engaged.

4. Hold for 30–60 seconds, then return slowly to upright.

5. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Benefits: Calms the mind, massages internal organs, and stretches hamstrings and spine.

Steps:

1. Sit with legs extended and spine straight.

2. Inhale, lengthen torso, and exhale as you fold forward from the hips.

3. Hold feet, ankles, or use a strap.

4. Stay for 1–3 minutes, breathing deeply.

6. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Benefits: A gentle resting pose that releases tension in the back and shoulders while soothing the nervous system.

Steps:

1. Kneel, touch big toes together, and sit on heels.

2. Fold forward, resting torso between thighs.

3. Extend arms forward or alongside your body.

4. Hold for 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

7. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Benefits: Promotes relaxation, improves circulation, and eases tired legs—perfect for calming anxiety.

Steps:

1. Sit sideways against a wall, then swing legs up as you lie back.

2. Keep shoulders grounded and arms relaxed at your sides.

3. Hold for 5–15 minutes, breathing slowly.

Tips for Practicing Yoga to Reduce Anxiety

• Focus on slow, deep breathing during each pose.

• Move mindfully—avoid rushing through transitions.

• Use props like blankets or blocks for comfort and support.

Ready to feel calmer and more centered? Incorporate these yoga poses into your daily routine to reduce anxiety and improve overall well-being.