7 Yoga Stretches To Do Daily To Relieve Stress And Anxiety
This ancient practice can give you incredible flexibility, balance, and strength.
Sri Yogi Anand has 24 years of experience in the practical and philosophical aspects of yoga and spirituality. He has been teaching yoga and spirituality through his institution, Adwait Yoga School. He integrates scientific and medical approaches with yoga therapy to help in cases of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and disorders and orthopedic and lifestyle disorders.
Read full bio of Sri Yogi Anand
Experience: 3 yearsShirin is a health and wellness writer with three years of experience and specializes in writing articles on yoga and has extensive knowledge about the postures of the asanas. Prior to joining Stylecraze, she interned with an advertising firm as a copywriter and as an editorial intern for a luxury fashion magazine.
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There are quite a few yoga stretches for prepping your body for the workout. But first, let us understand what stretching does to our body. It relieves tension in the body, reduces muscle stiffness, and helps us work out peacefully without worrying about injuries.
So, if you wonder what these exercises are, worry not! In this article, we have come up with some of the best yoga asanas ideal for stretching your body, their overall health benefits, and much more. Keep scrolling to learn about the effectiveness of yoga in stretching and how to practice it.
Before that, let’s find out the importance of yoga for stretching.
In This Article
Yoga For Stretching
Stiffness is a sign of illness, whether in the body or mind. And why is yoga the best way to stretch? It is because it eases the stiffness both in the mind and the body.
Stretching in yoga involves moving the body as well as breathing deeply. Breathing helps you get deeper into your muscles, thereby making you aware of what your body needs.
That, with appropriate stretching, will only make your workouts better without causing any injury. Along with making your muscles flexible, yoga keeps them active and healthy.
So, for holistic stretching, yoga is the right choice. There are some yoga stretches mentioned below. Try them to understand the goodness of stretching through yoga.
Yoga Stretches
- Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)
- Bharadvajasana (Seer Pose)
- Janu Sirsasana (Head To Knee Pose)
- Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose)
- Chakrasana (Wheel Pose)
- Anjaneyasana (Crescent Pose)
- Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose)
1. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Or Butterfly Pose)
About The Pose: Baddha Konasana or the Bound Angle Pose is a seated asana that looks like a butterfly flapping its wings when in motion. A static Baddha Konasana resembles a cobbler at work. This asana is a beginner level Vinyasa yoga asana. Practice it on an empty stomach in the morning. Hold the pose for 1 to 5 minutes.
What Does Baddha Konasana Stretch?
Baddha Konasana stretches your inner thighs, groins, and knees.
Benefits Of The Stretch
The pose stimulates your ovaries and kidneys. It reduces menstrual discomfort and is therapeutic for infertility. The pose eases childbirth and gets rid of fatigue.
To know more about the pose and its procedure, click here: Baddha Konasana
2. Bharadvajasana (Seer Pose)
About The Pose: Bharadvajasana or the Seer Bharadvaj Pose is named after Bharadvaj, one among the legendary seven seers. It is a simple seated twist and an intermediate level Hatha yoga asana. Practice the asana in the morning on an empty stomach and clean bowels for best results. Hold it for 30 to 60 seconds.
What Does Bharadvajasana Stretch?
Bharadvajasana stretches your shoulders, hips, and back.
Benefits Of The Stretch
Bharadvajasana improves your digestion and excretion. It stabilizes your nervous system and relieves backache and neck pain. The twist soothes your mind and is therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome.
To know more about the pose and its procedure, click here: Bharadvajasana
3. Janu Sirsasana (Head To Knee Pose)
About The Pose: Janu Sirsasana or the Head To Knee Pose is a seated asana that requires your head to touch your knee. It is a beginner level Ashtanga yoga asana. Practice the asana in the morning on an empty stomach or evening after a gap of 4 to 6 hours from your last meal. Hold it for 30 to 60 seconds.
What Does Janu Sirsasana Stretch?
Janu Sirsasana stretches your spine, hamstrings, and abdomen.
Benefits Of The Stretch
Janu Sirsasana stimulates the kidneys and the liver. The pose reduces headache and anxiety and is therapeutic for insomnia. It also helps you lose belly fat.
4. Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose)
About The Pose: Vasisthasana or the Side Plank Pose is named after the famous seer Vasistha, who owned Kamadhenu, a cow that granted any wish. It is a beginner level Hatha yoga asana. Practice the asana in the morning on an empty stomach. Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds.
What Does Vasisthasana Stretch?
Vasisthasana stretches your arms, wrists, core, and legs.
Benefits Of The Stretch
Vasisthasana improves your balance and coordination and helps in building a strong core. It is an excellent way to improve your concentration and stay focussed.
To know more about the pose and its procedure, click here: Vasisthasana
5. Chakrasana (Wheel Pose)
About The Pose: Chakrasana or the Wheel Pose is a deep backward stretch. It looks like a wheel when assumed, and hence gets its name. It is a beginner level Ashtanga yoga asana. Practice Chakrasana in the morning on an empty stomach or evening after a gap of 4 to 6 hours from your last meal. Hold it for 1 to 5 minutes.
What Does Chakrasana Stretch?
Chakrasana stretches your arms, hands, chest, and buttocks.
Benefits Of The Stretch
Chakrasana is good for the heart and asthma. It stimulates your thyroid and pituitary glands. The pose increases your energy levels and decreases depression.
To know more about the pose and its procedure, click here: Chakrasana
6. Anjaneyasana (Crescent Pose)
About The Pose: Anjaneyasana or the Crescent Pose looks like the crescent moon when assumed and is also the stance in which Lord Hanuman of Indian mythology is usually portrayed in. It is a beginner level Vinyasa yoga asana. Practice the asana on an empty stomach. Hold the pose for 15 to 30 seconds.
What Does Anjaneyasana Stretch?
Anjaneyasana stretches your quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, and gluteus maximus.
Benefits Of The Stretch
Anjaneyasana stimulates your lower body. It is therapeutic for those suffering from sciatica. It releases tension in the hips, opens up your shoulders, and tones your body.
To know more about the pose and its procedure, click here: Anjaneyasana
7. Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose)
About The Pose: Prasarita Padottanasana or the Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose is a forward bend that is good practice for more advanced inversions. The pose is a beginner level Vinyasa yoga asana. Practice Prasarita Padottanasana in the morning on an empty stomach. Hold it for 30 to 60 seconds.
What Does Prasarita Padottanasana Stretch?
Prasarita Padottanasana stretches your calves, hips, and lower back.
Benefits Of The Stretch
Prasarita Padottanasana relieves anxiety and tension in the neck and shoulders. It tones your abdominal organs and relieves mild backaches. The pose opens your hips and relaxes your body.
To know more about the pose and its procedure, click here: Prasarita Padottanasana
Yoga stretches help relieve tension in the body and ease muscle stiffness. The seven yoga poses listed above work on almost all body parts. They strengthen your knees, groin, inner thighs, shoulders, back, hips, spine, abdomen, hamstring, arms, wrists, legs, buttocks, chest, hands, hip flexors, quadriceps, calves, etc. Besides, these stretching poses have a wide range of physiological and mental health benefits. While some stretches may be difficult to perform initially, staying consistent can get you the right results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I practice yoga stretching exercises?
Practice every day to observe a remarkable change in the mobility of your body.
Are yoga asanas enough to keep me fit?
No, along with asanas, the practice of meditation will keep you completely fit and on your toes.
What’s life without a good stretch? It keeps you prepared and ready to take on anything. Get quick in your step and become energetic by practicing the yoga stretches mentioned above. They will keep you fit in mind and body. So, get started and become flexible.
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