We all suffer from mild to harsh anxiety and it can seriously affect our sleep quality. There’s tons of things you can do to help remedy this, though. Things like sleep aids, calming teas, exercising more, and even special flowers and herbs to help you sleep better at night. And there’s tons of online sources to lend info about health and lifestyle.
But something not many people think of is yoga. Yoga has been around for centuries, originating from India but has made its way around the world. There’s different types of yoga, certainly. Some for weight loss, others for meditation, but there’s a few specific yoga poses that are great to help tackle anxiety levels and make you sleep better at night. Here’s a few to try!
What You’ll Need:
- A good yoga mat or soft floor area
- A silent and relaxing space
- Comfortable, stretchy clothing
The Easy Pose
So, there’s some sure signs of a panic attack coming on and those often are rapid and shallow breathing that you’re unable to control. This gets out of hand and results in loss of oxygen to the brain. Having a few tricks up your sleeve to help control that breaking can help save your life.
The easy pose gets its name because, well, it’s easy. You’ve surely seen it on TV or in movies as the go-to yoga move. Simply find a quiet space to sit with your legs crossed, Indian style, and place a hand on each knee.
Sit up straight, close your eyes, and begin to focus on tuning out the world and listening to your breathing. Try and take deep breaths, in and out, while waiting for your body to calm.
If you’re someone like me who deals with anxiety on a regular basis, you can start your day with the easy pose. It definitely makes a huge difference to how I tackle the rest of the day.
The Cow/Cat Pose
After a panic attack, your muscles are tight, tense, and become sore. This pose won’t make you avoid the situation but it helps ease it for sure. Simple start face down on the mat, propping your body up on your hands and knees.
Then, proceed to do the cat pose where you keep your arms straight and arch your back Hang your head down and close your eyes while holding the pose and concentrating on your breathing. Then, let go of the deep breath and resume your regular position.
Move onto the cow pose where you do the opposite. Arch you back inward, towards the floor and point your head up towards the ceiling. Take a deep breath and hold it for a few moments while you concentrate.
Repeat this process of the two moves over and over until your feel your muscles loosening up and you feel more like yourself.
The Thunderbolt Pose
Anyone who deals with anxiety whether it’s from stress, an anxious nature, or poor sleep habits, you know the first rule of thumb when having an attack. Concentrate on your breathing and hug yourself with arms crossed over your chest. It helps you feel like you’re keeping yourself from falling apart but also, strangely, helps focus on your breathing.
So, naturally, one yoga pose to go along with this idea is the thunderbolt. It’s so effective, I use it often in public and can calm myself faster than with anything else.
There’s a few ways to do this position; standing, sitting, etc. But I find getting down on the floor with my butt on the heels of my feet, I can then wrap my arms tightly around my chest and focus on my rapid breathing.
Conclusion
There’s so many yoga poses for anxiety and better sleep, but these three have been tried, tested, and proven to work very well. So if you, or someone you love deals with regular anxiety and panic attacks then practice these poses so you can swiftly fall into them when you feel the wave coming on.
Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid them, but you can at least keep them at a manageable level. If you tried these and they worked, or if you have any yoga poses of your own to add, feel free to comment and share below!