Yoga for Anxiety: A 10-Minute Respite

There are plenty of things to be anxious about these days. There’s unrest in the world, but we all sometimes get mired in our own worries and concerns. The good news is that practicing yoga can help.

Among yoga’s best-known benefits is its ability to destress your nervous system. An article in Harvard Health Publishing cites a review of numerous studies that tout yoga’s anxiety-reducing benefits:

“A review of 15 studies, published in the journal Aging and Mental Health, looked at the effect of a variety of relaxation techniques on depression and anxiety in older adults. In addition to yoga, interventions included massage therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, stress management, and listening to music. While all the techniques provided some benefit, yoga and music were the most effective for both depression and anxiety. And yoga appeared to provide the longest-lasting effect.”

Calming Anxiety with Forward Bends

Yoga’s seated forward bends are especially helpful for calming the nervous system. For this reason, I sequence seated forward bends in the latter part of my classes, to prepare the body for Savasana (Relaxation Pose). While backbends can have an agitating effect, forward bends provide an opportunity to turn inward and focus on breathing. 

Here are a few tips for making the most of your forward bends:

Take Your Time

While it’s true that there are lots of choices for poses you can practice to help smooth anxiety, in a 10-minute practice, don’t overwhelm yourself. Choose two or three poses to practice—including Savasana. Spend some time—about three minutes—in each pose.

Practice Calming Breathing

The relationship between breath and heartbeat is called “sinus arrhythmia.” When we inhale, our heartbeat speeds up; when we exhale, it slows down. The breathing rhythm is like the flywheel that controls the whole nervous system apparatus. So as you practice, emphasize your exhalation, making it up to twice as long as your inhalation. 

Use Props

Before you start, gather your props. For the below sequence, the most helpful props will be these: 

• Yoga Mat
• Yoga Block
• Standard Bolster
• 2 Yoga Blankets
• Pranayama Bolster

The ability to relax into the poses is essential to calming your nervous system. Using these props will help your body adapt to each forward bend.

A 10-Minute Anxiety-Reducing Sequence

Remember that there’s no hurry to “get somewhere” in yoga practice. Set up your pose so that you feel a mild to moderate stretching sensation, something you can relax into. Let these poses unfold naturally.

Upavista Konasana (Seated Angle Pose)

1. Gather your props: Standard Yoga Bolster, Yoga Block and 2 Yoga Blankets.
2. Have a seat on your mat with your legs stretched out to the sides. If your low back is rounding backward, place a folded blanket under your pelvis to help you tilt your pelvis forward.
3. Place one end of your Bolster onto a Yoga Block, at any height, so that the high point of the bolster is facing away from you. 
4. Bend forward from your hip joints and place your forearms on the Bolster. Rest your head in your forearms. If you feel that the bolster isn’t high enough, you can change the orientation of your Yoga Block. If you’d like even more height, place a thickly folded Yoga Blanket under your forearms and forehead. 
5. Relax here for 10-20 deep breaths (or 2-3 minutes), emphasizing your exhalation. 
6. To leave the pose, simply lift up off the Bolster. Take a few deep breaths, simply experiencing your body.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

1. Gather your props: Pranayama Bolster, Yoga Blankets, Yoga Block.
2. Sit on a Yoga Mat with your legs stretched out in front of you. If your low back is rounding backward, place a folded blanket under your pelvis to help you tilt your pelvis forward (as pictured above).
3. Place a Pranayama Bolster under your knees. If you don’t have a Pranayama Bolster, roll up a Yoga Blanket to place under your knees.
4. Bend forward any amount. 
5. Option: Place a Yoga Block, at any height, between your shins in order to rest your forehead. If your head doesn’t reach the block, no worries. Simply relax where you are. 
6. Take 10-20 deep breaths, lengthening your exhalations. 
7. To leave the pose, simply lift the torso back to upright, and relax here for a few breaths. 

Savasana

1. Set up your props as in the above photo. If you don’t have a Pranayama Bolster, place a rolled-up Yoga Blanket under your ankles.
2. Lie down and relax with your thighs resting on your Standard Bolster. 
3. If you only have 10 minutes for practice, relax with whatever time you have left. If you have a few more minutes, lie in Savasana as long as you can, allowing your breathing to relax into its own natural rhythm. 
4. When you finish, roll onto either side. Take a breath or two on your side before pushing up to a seated pose.