“Our body and mind are interconnected. What goes on in the body impacts the mind and vice-versa. Even the way we sit can gradually affect the state of our mind. Practicing the right postures in our daily life is one of the key factor to maintaining good mental health. Some Yoga asanas are very effective in this regard and can bring the mind at ease instantly.”
Ashwani Asthana, Yoga Teacher & Founder, MindSeer
Some simple Yoga asanas for our mental well-being are as follows:
1. BALASANA (Child’s Pose)
As the name denotes, Balasana makes the mind calm and relaxed just like a small child is when resting. Practicing this daily eases off issues of anxiety, fear and mild depression. The gentle stretch of back and hips relaxes the body. Hands and forehead touching the floor, grounds the mind and brings mental stability.
2. ADHOMUKHA SVANASANA (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Adhomukhsvanasana is one of the most effective asana to ease out stress and tension in the body. Regular practice of this inverted pose improves blood flow to the brain and relieves anxiety. Full body stretch and especially that of the spine in this pose reduces fatigue, energises the body and mind. Both palms and feet touching the ground enhances connection with the Earth and brings calmness.
3. PADHASTA ASANA (Hand Under Foot Pose)
Padhastasana is one of the most effective asana to instantly bring mind to a state of calmness and stillness. This inverted pose offers therapeutic benefits and relaxes the central nervous system. Regular practice can relieve headaches and improve quality of sleep. This asana is also beneficial in cases of anxiety and depression.
4. TALASANA (Palm Tree Pose)
Talasana is one of the great asana for releasing mental stress. As the hands go up in the pose and full body gets stretched, tension from various parts of body and mind gets released, this improves sleep quality. Practicing this asana daily strengthens the nervous system, enhances full body blood circulation and improves focus of the mind, which is very beneficial in relieving depression.
5. BHUJANGASANA (Cobra Pose)
Bhujangasana has multiple benefits, it enhances our mental ability to pay attention and alertness. As the upper body slowly raises with chest expanding and head lifting, this asana lifts the mood, eliminates fatigue and reduces chest anxiety. With proper breath rhythm, this can be a very good asana for slowly energising your complete system during depression.
6. MAKARASANA (Crocodile Pose)
Makarasana is one of the restorative asanas which relieves stress from the mind and brings calmness. On encountering stressful events, relaxing in this pose with slow deep breathing can work wonders on both mind and body. This asana also helps in improving the digestive health, and a good digestive system is vital for good mental health.
7. VIPAREET KARANI ASANA (Leg Up The Wall Pose)
Vipareetkaraniasana is one of the best asanas for improving sleep quality and reducing fatigue. As the body achieves this inverted position, with legs resting agaist the wall and body on the ground, it deeply relaxes the nervous system and relives stress and anxiety. This is an effortless asana with wonderful benefits for the mind.
8. SHAVASANA (Corpse’ Pose)
Shavasana is seemingly one of the easiest asanas which relieves stress from both the mind and body and instills full body relaxation. This can be highly rejuvinating if done in a meditative way. When stressed, simply lie down in Shavasana and relax by bringing attention on the incoming and outgoing breath for few minutes.
