8 Simple Yoga Poses That Flush Stress Hormones From the Body!

Today, everyone is predisposed to a stressful lifestyle, thanks to constant pressure at work, financial burdens, daily life obligations, relationship and family issues, etc.

This constant pressure affects our skills and abilities, emotions, social life, performance at work, relationships, and so on.

In such situations, the hypothalamus in the brain sends some signals to the adrenal glands, to stimulate them to produce adrenal hormones, or cortisol, which is the main stress hormone. cortisol helps the body by suppressing digestive, growth, and reproductive system, which aren’t necessary in a fight or flight situation.

Once the threat has passed, the body’s stress response returns to normal. If you’re often stressed, however, the fight or flight reaction doesn’t pass. Hence, the persistent exposure to cortisol, or any other stress hormone, disrupts the function of your body and could lead to numerous health complications, such as sleep issues, headaches, digestive problems, anxiety, weight gain, heart disease, depression, and concentration issues.

Fortunately, there is an effective way to deal with stress and avoid its negative effects. Yoga has proven to be an excellent way to relax your body and mind, as well as balance emotions. Here are some simple yoga poses that can be very helpful:

Child’s Pose
Kneel on a yoga mat, making sure you’re sitting back on the heels. Hinge forward till your forehead touches the ground. The chest should rest on the thighs.

Afterwards, curl your shoulders. Your hands should remain with palms up, close to your feet. Stay in that position for 5 breaths.

 

Bridge Pose                                                                                                                                       

It soothes your body as it stretches your back and legs, and hence alleviates anxiety,   fatigue, treats headaches, insomnia, and backache.                                                                

Bend you knees while lying down, with your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Slide your arms along the body sides. Turn your palms downwards.

Then, press your feet into the ground while raising the hips and rolling the spine off the ground. Press your arms and shoulders down, so as to raise the chest and use your legs to elevate the hips even higher.

Stay that way for 4-8 breaths. Exhale and release, and slowly roll your spine back to the ground.

3. Standing Forward Bend

Stand, inhale, and bend your knees such that the arms are flat on the ground. Pass your head against your legs. Your head should be pulled down and the spine stretched.

Stretch your legs while pressing the hips up. Stay thus for 4-8 breaths before bending the knees, inhaling and returning to a standing position.

4. Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose

Lying on your back, place your hips against the wall, with legs up the wall. Press your bottom as much as possible to the wall and stay thus for 5 minutes.

5. Cat Pose

Besides relieving stress, cut pose massages the spine and stretches your lower back. Be on all fours, exhale, and draw your belly to the spine. Afterwards, curl your back upwards while lowering your head crown towards the ground.

6. Eagle Pose

Besides reducing stress, the eagle pose also enhances balance and focus. While standing, bend your knees and balance on the right foot. Next, cross your left thigh over the right one, hooking the top of your left foot behind the right calf.

Balance that way for one second before putting your arms in front of you and placing the left arm under the right one. Bending your elbows, wrap the arms and hands, with your palms pressed together. Afterwards, square the hips and chest to the wall, and draw your abdomen in and up.

Stay thus for one minute before gently releasing. Repeat on the other side, and then return to the original position.

7. Head-to-Knee Forward Bend

Sit down and spread your legs. Then, bend the left leg, placing the sole to the upper inner side of the right thigh.

Place your hands on either side. Inhale and turn towards the spread leg. Exhale, fold forward and hold for 5 breaths. Then, repeat for the other side.

8. Extended Triangle Pose

While standing, exhale and spread your legs 4 feet from one another. Raise and hold your arms out and the sides, with the palms facing down.

Afterwards, turn your right foot out at a 90-degree angle, and your left foot in towards the right. Tighten your thigh muscles and turn the right one outwards. You should then bend the body from the hips towards the right leg. While keep both sides long, twist to the left and push your left hip a little forward.

Whereas the right hand should stay on the ankles, the left arm should be extended towards the ceiling. Keep your head straight or somewhat to the left. Hold for one minute.