Yoga poses for anxiety and depression

And breathe: yoga for emotional and mental balance.

No one is immune to anxiety and depression. Everybody suffers from some degree throughout their lifetime, but when these start to impact our ability to lead a healthy life, that’s when they become an issue.

For some, mental health doesn’t hold the same gravitas as our physical health, with many of us untroubled by seeking the advice of a health professional for physically manifesting symptoms, but not for matters affecting the mind. But treating mental illness is essential, and – left untreated – it can lead to other long-lasting problems.

The stigma surrounding mental health is often the greatest obstacle when it comes to reaching out for help, and we tend not to talk about it or feel embarrassed to admit we are suffering from it.

At Mission, our yoga practices include breathing exercises, meditation, and asana (physical poses) to rectify symptoms of both anxiety and depression and improve the quality of your life. Regular yoga can assist with aligning the body’s energies and can reduce perceived stress and anxiety by modulating the stress-response systems.

Here are just a few of our favourite yoga poses. All of them require very little space and equipment, meaning they can be done as and when you need to find that ever elusive mental clarity.

Salabhasana is a back-bending asana that opens the front of the body and strengthens the back of the body. Its name comes from the Sanskrit, salabha, meaning “locust” or “grasshopper,” and asana, which means “posture” or “seat.”

It is performed lying on the stomach, and lifting the upper or lower body off the ground, depending on the variation chosen. The arms and legs remain straight.

Along with improving flexibility and strength, salabhasana is thought to relieve fatigue and stress. It is believed to relieve stress because it reverses the action of slouching, thus alleviating fatigue in the physical body caused by too much sitting.

Traditionally, salabhasana is believed to bring balance and alignment to the muladhara (root) chakra, which is at the base of the spine. As such, this posture is associated with restoring feelings of security and groundedness.

Balasana is a yoga pose and comes from the Sanskrit words bala and asana, which translate as “child” and “pose.”

Begin by sitting back on the heels with the knees hip-width apart and the palms on the thighs. The torso is then lowered toward the thighs while the arms stretch overhead and the forehead and palms rest on the floor. Finally, the arms are brought back to the sides with palms facing upward. Relax the neck and shoulders and breathe in through the nose while holding the pose for one to two minutes, or for as long as it is comfortable to do so.

Balasana is so named as it refers to the basic foetal position and the associated child-like vulnerabilities that may be experienced as a result of the pose. Many even believe assuming this pose allows one to reconnect to memories of being in the womb.

While bowing one's forehead to the floor can often indicate surrender or weakness in the West, it is a noble act of humility in its original Indian context.

Balasana encourages introspection and contemplation, practices mindfulness, and aligns breath and organs with spiritual energies.

Paschimottanasana is a seated forward bend with the upper body folded forward over the legs. It is one of the 12 basic postures of Hatha yoga and is also part of the Ashtanga primary series.

Paschimottanasana is a calming posture for the mind and nervous system: it is considered as being therapeutic for both anxiety and depression. It can be a relatively challenging position for beginners, but it is good for the posture. If you have tight hamstrings, regular practising of this pose can improve flexibility, and in time, release and open up into the full forward fold.

The term, paschimottanasana, is derived from the Sanskrit root words paschima, which means “back” or “west;” uttana, which means “intense stretch” or “straight,” referring in this case to the back of the body; and asana, which means “posture."

The asana naturally promotes introspection. Due to the challenging nature of the stretch, it may be necessary to let go of the desire to fully fold over the legs and, instead, surrender to the posture as it is.

Supta padangusthasana is one of the Restorative yoga poses that is performed with a yoga strap but may also be done without the use of props. The term is derived from the Sanskrit, supta, meaning "supine" or "reclining"; pada, meaning "foot"; angustha, meaning "big toe"; and asana, meaning "pose."

Begin on your back with the legs extended on a mat. Draw one knee to the chest and grasp the big toe with the thumb and index finger of the corresponding hand. The leg should then be straightened toward the sky. A yoga strap may also be used to wrap around the foot of the upward-extended leg. The pose should then be repeated on the opposite leg.

If you lack the flexibility to straighten your leg completely, a yoga strap wrapped around the ball of the foot can assist: hold the strap in the corresponding hand. This pose may include guiding the leg to the side and stretching the groin and inner thigh muscles. The stretch increases as the raised leg is brought closer to the face while remaining straight.

This pose promotes mental health by increasing awareness, calmness of mind, and patience development. It also helps in treating conditions such indigestion, back pain, sciatic problems, high blood pressure, and menstrual discomfort.

While yoga doesn’t profess to be the cure for anxiety and depression, it’s definitely a useful tool to lower tension and promote relaxation, and is a highly-effective mindfulness-based stress reducer.

Just taking some time for yourself to complete the above poses can help you to find a release, stay focussed, and process your thoughts.