Yoga is the perfect way to stimulate both the body and the mind. Here are 10 yoga poses you can do at home to relax and remain stress-free while in quarantine.
Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
Sit comfortably on the mat with crossed legs (left leg tugged inside the right thigh and right leg tugged inside the left thigh). Keep your spine straight and place your hands on your knees. Relax your body and breathe.
Benefits
Calms the brain
Strengthens the back
Stretches the knees and ankles
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Lie down on your back and press your feet into the floor as you lift your hips and make your thighs parallel to floor, bringing your chest towards your chin. Interlace your hands together and press the fists down to the floor as you open up your chest even more. Hold for 8-10 breaths then lower your hips down and repeat two more times.
Benefits
Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress
Reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache, and insomnia
Stretches the chest, neck, and spine
Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid
Rejuvenates tired legs
Improves digestion
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
Lie on your back and bring both knees into your chest. Bring the arms through the insides of the knees and hold on to the outside edge of each foot with each hand. Press the sacrum and tailbone down into the floor as you press the heels up and pull back with the arms. Place your back and spine flat to the floor. Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths.
Benefits
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue
Gently stretches the inner groins and the back spine
Child’s Pose (Utkatasana)
Sit up comfortably on your heels. Roll your torso forward, lowering your forehead to rest on the mat in front of you and let your entire body release. Lower your chest as close to your knees as you comfortably can and extend your arms in front of you. Breathe and hold for 8-10 breaths.
Benefits
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue
Gently stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles
Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
Lower your back to the floor and lie down. Rest your shoulders and head on the floor. Scoot your buttocks close to the wall. Let your arms rest open at your sides, palms facing up. Let the heads of your thigh bones release and relax, dropping toward the back of your pelvis. Close your eyes. Hold for 5-10 minutes.
Benefits
Calms the mind
Relieves tired or cramped legs and feet
Gently stretches the back legs, front torso, and the back of the neck
Relieves mild backache
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukah Svanasana)
Start on all fours with hands directly under shoulders and knees under hips. Shift hands a few inches forward and spread fingers wide, pressing palms into mat. Curl your toes and slowly press your hips towards the ceiling, bringing your body into an inverted V. Your feet should be hip-width apart and your knees should be slightly bent. Breathe and hold for 3 breaths.
Benefits
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress
Energizes the body
Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands
Strengthens the arms and legs
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Helps prevent osteoporosis
Improves digestion
Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue
Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)
Begin flat on your stomach and move your hands under your shoulders, keeping your elbows tight next to your ribs. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and open up through your collarbone. Press into your palms and the tops of your feet as you lift your chest up off the mat.
Benefits
Helps relieve stress
Strengthens the spine
Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen
Firms the buttocks
Stimulates abdominal organs
Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
From a seated position, you will gently recline back and outstretch your arms and legs. Then, gently fold your legs and bring the soles of your feet together, letting legs splay open with control to open hips and groin muscles.
Benefits
Helps relieve the symptoms of stress, mild depression, menstruation and menopause Stimulates abdominal organs like the ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys
Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation
Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees
Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
Start seated with your legs together, feet firmly flexed and your hands by your hips. Lift your chest and start to hinge forward from your waist. Engage your lower abdominals and imagine your belly button moving towards the top of your thighs. Once you hit your maximum, stop and breathe for 8-10 breaths.
Benefits
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress
Soothes headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue
Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings
Stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Lie with your face up and bring your legs to the outer edges of your mat. Splay your feet out to the sides and place your arms along sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes and relax.
Benefits
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress
Relaxes the body
Reduces headache, fatigue, and insomnia
Helps to lower blood pressure
