Top Five Stress Relieving Yoga Poses for Women

Discover the advantages of yoga and how these poses can impact your life for the better. These five poses are known to alleviate depression, anxiety and stress.

There are hundreds of yoga poses for women, each with a particular physical focus. Some yoga poses for women are also designed to ease anxiety, depression and stress. Many gentle restorative yoga poses are included in the recovery treatment of those with serious illnesses, traumatic injuries, alcohol and substance abuse issues, and a variety of mental health issues.

Five yoga poses for women that are especially effective for alleviating depression, anxiety and stress are:

• Twisting Triangle
• Windmill
• Dancer Pose
• Lion
• Knee Squeeze

Those who aren’t familiar with yoga will find that the common names for yoga poses are very descriptive of the movements required to make the pose. Each of these yoga poses for women are appropriate for beginners, and many good instructional videos are available on YouTube and other internet resources. A beginner’s yoga class is also highly recommended and often offered at local community centers. Don’t let worries about a lack of strength or flexibility stop you from trying yoga. The benefits are great, and it is adaptive to those of all ages and physical abilities.

• Twisting Triangle pose has several variations. This yoga pose increases flexibility and improves blood flow throughout the body. This increase in blood flow provides a relaxing effect on the body. While newcomers to yoga may not be able to fully achieve a twisting triangle stretch in the first few sessions, flexibility gradually increases.
• Windmill pose helps relieve stress over time by improving the strength of the lungs and the muscles that support breathing. It is also an excellent way to increase flexibility of the spine. Windmill pose doesn’t require much space and can be easily done at work or school when a quick calming moment is needed.
• Dancer pose is initially most easily done in a doorway. As strength and balance increases, this support won’t be needed. Dancer pose helps improve memory, sharpen focus and reduce depression.
• Lion pose can be a little tricky if you haven’t sat on your heels for a while, but it can also be performed while sitting on the edge of a chair. For those who feel stress in the face and neck, or have tension headaches, lion pose is extremely helpful. It is one of the easiest to yoga poses for women to learn.
• Knee squeeze pose increases circulation in the head and neck, which in turn reduces tension and stress. This yoga pose also strengthens the abdomen and stretches tight back muscles.

These yoga poses for women are portable tension tamers that can be done almost anywhere! Add them to your own personal bag of tricks for calming anxiety and busting stressful moments or emotions.