Want to be Stress Free? Here's How you can be.... Try Yoga!

“A stress-free life is a long-lived life.”

In our everyday busy schedule with a lot of work pressure, getting stress is quite

obvious. Problems come in everyone’s life which are sufficient enough to give us a

reason to be stressful. Yoga is one of the most effective ways to enhance your sense

of physical and emotional wellbeing. It connects you to the inner you and makes you

aware of your endurance abilities by releasing anxiety. All together it acts as fuel to

drive you towards achieving your dreams.

If you are having stress then try out following three yoga poses to fight it back:

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose):

The word “sukha” means “happy”. So as the name says, this common yoga

pose helps you to get into a meditative state and find peace within your heart.

It is well known as “Easy Pose” because in this pose we sit with ease and get

relaxed.

Steps to do Sukhasana:

• Sit up straight and extend your legs in front of your body.
• Placing each foot beneath the opposite knee, cross your legs toward your torso.
• Place hands onto your knees with palms down.
• Align your head, neck and spine together and relax your thighs and feet.
• Hold it for a minute then release gently.
• Change the cross of your legs and repeat.

Benefits of Sukhasana:

• Gives inner peace.
• Alleviates stress and anxiety.
• Stretches knees and ankles.
• Opens the hip muscle.

Precautions for Sukhasana:

• Avoid in case of knee injury.
• Avoid in case of sciatica.
• Consult doctor in case of pregnancy.

2. Balasana (Child’s Pose):

Balasana is a kneeling pose which stretches knees, thighs and ankles and

also a restful pose as it involves regulation of breath which leads us to a state

of calmness.

Steps to do Balasana:

• Sit keeping your hips on your heels and bend forward lowering your forehead to the floor.
• Keep your arms alongside your body and stretch it towards the front with palms facing down.
• Gently press your chest on your thighs.
• Hold the pose for a minute and then inhale and exhale slowly.
• Repeat for 5-10 breaths.
• Slowly come back to sit on the heels.

Benefits of Balasana:

• Relieves fatigue.
• Improves blood circulation.
• Eliminates stress.
• Helps to ease neck and back pain.

Precautions for Balasana:

• Avoid during pregnancy.
• Avoid in case of back and knee injury.
• Do not practice in case of diarrhoea.

3. Savasana (Corpse Pose):

Savasana is a restorative pose which is often practiced at the end after

practicing other yoga poses to relax our mind, body and soul. As in this pose

you have to lie down with ease and at the same time you have to remain

conscious and alert, therefore, it improves our endurance and releases long

held stress.

Steps to do Savasana:

• Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and separated.
• Place your arms at your side and your arms facing up.
• Gently inhale and exhale.
• Start relaxing each part of your body from head to toe.
• If your mind starts to wander, concentrate on the sounds around you and bring your awareness back to the pose.
• To end the pose, start moving your fingers and toes slowly. Then draw your knees in and slowly roll over to your left or right side. Rest in this position for a minute and come back to the seated position.

Benefits of Savasana:

• 1) Enhances blood circulation.
• 2) Combat stress.
• 3) Boosts up endurance.
• 4) Improves digestion.

Precautions for Savasana:

• 1) Avoid movement of body during this pose as it will disturb your concentration.
• 2) Do not practice in noisy environment.

Apart from these three asanas, there are also many other yoga asanas like

Uttanasana, Chakravakasana, Janusirsasana and Setu Bandhan Sarvangasana

which helps to shake off stress. Cut off from stress means to connect with

upgradation. So, try these poses and get a stress-free life.

                                                                         - ANUGYA BARAIK, Yoga Representative, Batch 2024