How to Relieve Anxieties Using Yoga

Yoga is a soothing way to relieve stress and tension through breathing exercises and gentle stretching poses. It helps you train your body to relax during stressful situations that can trigger an anxiety attack. You can start off slowly by learning and practicing yoga breathing on your own, and then move on to combining it with yoga "asanas," or poses. Yoga instruction books and DVD's are a stress-free way to learn yoga at home. Follow these steps to learn more.

Things You'll Need

• Yoga mat
• Yoga instructional book or DVD

Instructions

Yoga Breathing

1. Stretch out on a yoga mat, carpeted floor, or other clean, flat surface.

2. Position yourself in the way you feel most comfortable. You can lay on your stomach with your arms folded above your head, or on your back.

3. Breathe in deeply through your nose until you feel your lungs and abdomen filling up with air. Your goal is to breathe deeply using your diaphragm, rather than taking shallow breaths from the chest.

4. Control your breathing by inhaling and then holding your breath for a few seconds before exhaling. Inhale for 5 to 10 seconds, then hold your breath and exhale for equally as long.

5. Try to extend the amount of time to a length that is comfortable and consistent; but keep it under 10 seconds.

6. Practice this breathing exercise daily in the morning or at night until it feels comfortable and natural. Then, you'll be prepared to use it wherever you are throughout the day to help you calm down when you begin feeling symptoms of anxiety.

Practice Yoga Poses

1. Research the styles of yoga to find the one that's just right for you. There are nine different styles of yoga, with four that focus mainly on breathing and stress relief: Ananda, Integral, Sivananda, and Viniyoga.

2. Purchase an instructional yoga book or DVD for beginners.

3. Read through the entire book or watch the DVD before attempting any poses to get an understanding of what you will be doing.

4. Start out slowly, taking time to ease yourself into positions that may not come naturally at first.

Tips & Warnings

• When you inhale, allow your stomach to extend as it fills with air and flatten as you exhale. This will help you engage your diaphragm as you breathe.

• Get a book or take a class in pranayama, the science of yogic breathing, to learn more breathing exercises that can help you wind down and clear your mind.

• One of the ways yoga helps ease anxiety is simply through getting the blood flowing. Daily exercise, preferably done in the morning, can be used in addition to your yoga breathing and "asanas" for relaxation and stress relief.

• If you begin to feel dizzy or lightheaded, take a break. You may need to start out inhaling, holding your breath and exhaling for less than 5 seconds until your body becomes accustomed to the exercise.

• Don't push yourself too far in positions that are difficult for you. As you gain more flexibility and strength through your yoga sessions, your body will slowly gain the ability to do more complex poses.