Yoga for Anxiety: Why It Works, and 5 Poses to Try

Anxiety is a common mental health challenge that can manifest as a wide range of symptoms in both the mind and body. Yoga, which cultivates a mind-body connection and carries many proven benefits, has emerged as a science-backed tool for helping to manage anxiety. 

In this article, we’ll discuss how yoga can help improve the symptoms of anxiety, highlighting some particularly useful yoga poses for reducing anxiety. We will also provide some tips on integrating yoga into your routine in a way that is sustainable and supportive of a less anxious mental and physical state.

Let’s get started!

How yoga helps with anxiety

Yoga combines physical movement, breath control, and mindfulness, all of which contribute to reducing anxiety in the following ways:

1. Regulation of the nervous system

Yoga promotes the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" system), reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol. By regularly turning down the dial on the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” system), the body becomes more adept at self-regulating and firing each system only when appropriate.

2. Deep breathing

Focused breathing exercises in yoga help to slow down the heart rate and bring more oxygen into the body. Yoga encourages a deeper, diaphragmatic type of breath that fills the base of the lungs and helps to signal physical calmness to the body.

3. Practice of mindfulness and awareness

An anxious mind is often caught in patterns of rumination and overthinking. Yoga encourages a redirection of attention to the present moment, which can be a critical tool in reducing anxious thoughts.

4. Improves physical health

Regular yoga practice enhances strength, strength, and circulation, all of which contribute to overall well-being and resilience against stress. In an anxious state, it’s easy to lose connection with your body. Yoga is a chance to check in and care for your physical body.

5. Enhances emotional regulation

Yoga can help improve emotional control, reducing the intensity of anxious thoughts and reactions. By working through challenging physical postures with a calm attitude, yogis become better at noticing their thoughts and responding, rather than reacting.

The best yoga poses for anxiety relief

Certain yoga poses are particularly effective in reducing anxiety by promoting relaxation and releasing physical tension. Some of the best poses include:

• Child’s pose (Balasana): This pose encourages deep breathing within a calming and protective-feeling forward fold shape.

• Legs-up-the-wall (Viparita Karani): This gentle inversion can improve circulation and (like all inversions) provide a chance for new perspective. Something about this shape feels indulgent in the best way.

• Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana): One of the most valuable movements in yoga, these shapes help open stuck areas along the length of the spine and provide more freedom of movement. Pairing this back-and-forth movement with the breath creates a meditative sort of flow state.

• Seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana): This pose stretches the back and hamstrings while encouraging inward focus and relaxation. This is one shape that may feel cramped or less accessible for some people, and for the purposes of anxiety relief can be supported with props to make it cozier.

• Corpse pose (Savasana): In Savasana, the goal is to release all effort and simply observe what comes up mentally without trying to change anything. For people with anxiety, this can be the most challenging pose in all of yoga. Work your way up to it, from even a brief few cycles of breath to longer periods of time (think 5–10 minutes).

Tips for using yoga to manage anxiety 

To maximize the anxiety-relieving benefits of yoga, consider the following tips:

1. Practice consistently: Regular practice, even if only for 10–15 minutes a day, is the surest way to progress and find benefit. Focus less on what happens or doesn’t happen within a yoga practice; the main goal is to keep showing up! 

2. Focus on your breath and body: The breath is an attentional anchor point in yoga that you keep coming back to again and again as the mind wanders. Try to simply notice when your attention drifts—towards anxious thoughts or otherwise—and gently redirect your awareness back to the breath moving through your body.

3. Choose a calm environment: A safe space without distraction can enhance the calming effects of your practice. Home practice is a wonderful alternative to studio classes if the environment of a studio is overwhelming or intimidating. 

4. Use guided yoga sessions: Part of the magic of yoga is being led through a practice by a caring and attentive teacher. Especially if you are newer to the practice, listen intently to the breath and alignment cues of the yoga teacher. Try a few different teachers and styles until you find the right fit for you.

5. Listen to your body: Avoid pushing yourself too hard; listen to your body and meet yourself where you’re at. That may mean practicing a more restorative style of yoga when you’re tired, and choosing a more challenging Vinyasa practice when you have more energy and want to move.

Check out Hydrow’s yoga workouts!

Yoga is an effective and readily available tool for managing anxiety. By helping to regulate the nervous system, improve breath control, and promote mindfulness, yoga can address a wide range of the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety. Of course, it is only one tool in the toolbox; be sure to balance yoga with  any other mental health strategies such as counseling, medication, and additional exercise. 

Whether you’re new to yoga or looking to deepen your practice, Hydrow’s yoga library offers a variety of guided workouts to help you find balance and tranquility in your daily life.

Explore Hydrow’s yoga workouts today!