5 Yoga Poses that will help relieve stress

Hey there SoulTribe!

Last year you accomplished so many milestones and you will be accomplishing so many more this year. However even through all your amazing milestones the stress that comes through accomplishing that milestone can prevent us from enjoying that accomplishment. That's why it's important to manage the stress that life throws at you. 

As we all know stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed with mental or emotional pressures. Although stress usually starts at the mind it does affect our body, as you know the mind and body are both connected. There are a few yoga poses that are known to relieve stress. Here are few yoga positions that you can do when your feeling just a lit bit overwhelmed:

Rag Doll

This is the perfect pose for someone who sits all day at the office. It helps to relieve stress in the lower back, shoulder and hamstring.

• Stand with your feet apart. 
• Bend your knees slightly and fold your torso over your legs.
• Allow your arms to dangle down.
• Soften your neck and shoulders as you continue to fold.

Doing Rag Doll for 1-2 minutes can help relieve stress.

Child's Pose

Helps relieve stress in the lower back, shoulders, hips and knees. Doing a child's pose for at least 5 minutes will help relieve stress for those extra stressful days.  

• Kneel on the floor with your toes together and your knees hip width apart
• Lower your torso between your knees. 
• Extend your arms alongside your torso with your palms facing down.
• Relax your shoulders toward the ground. 
• Rest in the pose for as long as needed.

Cat-Cow Pose

Helps relieve stress in the lower back. Doing this movement at least 4 times is sure to help alleviate stress. However feel free to do it as many times as you like.

• Start on all fours, hands shoulder width apart, and knees hip distance apart.
• Take a deep breath in and arch the back.
• Take a deep exhale and curve the back.

Bridge Pose

The bridge pose is known to only help relieve back aches but also helps reduce anxiety, which is a side effect of stress.

• Lie flat on your back and bend both knees.
• Place feet flat on the floor at hip width apart.
• Slide arms alongside the body with palms facing down.
• Inhale and lift the hips up, rolling the spine off the floor.
• Squeeze knees slightly together to keep the knees hip width apart.
• Press down into the arms and shoulders to open the chest.
•  Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths. 

Easy Pose

This pose helps open up the hips. It also helps relieve physical and mental exhaustion as well as eliminate anxiety.

• Sit up straight.
• Extend your legs in front of your body. 
• With knees wide, place each foot beneath the opposite knee and cross your legs in toward your torso. 
• With palms down, place hands onto your knees.
• Lengthen spine, but soften your neck and gently relax your feet and thighs
• Gently release and change the cross of your legs after one minute. 

You can combine these poses to create a small session or just them individually depending on how you feel that day. Hope this helps!

                                                        Love,

        The Soul Team