For many, holidays mean long to-do lists and not enough time to go through them.
They are stressful even for the most relaxed. But this year release the stress dragon for a happier holiday by practicing yoga for stress relief.
“Generally what happens with the stress response, as well as anxiety, is that the sympathetic nervous system is triggered,” explains Jennifer Fuller, E-YRT 500, yoga instructor in Lake Tahoe, California. “It’s the fight, flight, and freeze response. This elevates our stress hormones, including our cortisol levels. Having this high response for long periods of time can really start to take its toll on the body.
Even if you don’t feel overwhelmed and frazzled, you may be suffering from sleep issues and daytime fatigue, as well as weight gain. especially in the bellysome studies have noted – headaches, indigestion, muscle tension, and other issues.
But yoga can help relieve stress, even on vacation.
Even better, you can get major benefits from just doing a few poses consciously and slowly, says Fuller.
Here are six she recommends the most.
1. Child’s posture
- Start on all fours on the mat.
- Straighten your toes and bring your feet together.
- Spread your knees a little further than hip distance apart and sit back on your heels.
- Fully extend your arms and place your forehead on the mat. Hold the position for as many breaths as you want, but at least 10.
2. Puppy Pose
- Start in a tabletop position on the floor with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Keeping your hips up and your arms straight, walk your hands forward until you can rest your forehead on the floor. (Or place it on a yoga block.)
- Press your chest down to the floor and hold it for 10 or more breaths. You should feel the stretch in your shoulders, upper back, and chest.
3. Cat-cow
- Start in a tabletop position, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and your knees aligned under your hips.
- With each inhale, arch your back and look up at the ceiling (that’s the cow).
- With each exhale, tuck your chin into your chest, pull your tailbone down, and round your back and shoulders (that’s the cat).
- Switch between the two for 10 or more breaths.
4. Thread the Needle (Variation of Child’s Pose)
- Start in a tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. The tops of your feet should be on the floor.
- Push your hips back and down until your glutes are over your heels, then walk your hands forward until your forehead touches the floor. This position is known as Child’s Pose.
- Slip your right arm under your body to your left, pressing your right shoulder into the floor until you feel a stretch.
- Hold, then return to Child’s Pose (both arms forward).
- Repeat with your left arm.
5. Seated spinal twist
- Start by sitting cross-legged on your mat. Pull the flesh away from your seat bones and sit up straight with a straight spine.
- Place your right hand on your left knee and rest your left hand behind you. Relax your shoulders, relax your stomach, and shift your gaze to the left shoulder to stretch your neck.
- Hold for about 10 breaths, then relax to face forward.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
6. Legs on the wall
- Lie on your back with your left side pressed against a wall.
- Lift your knees up to your chest, twist your body so your butt is against the wall, then extend your legs toward the ceiling, allowing your arms to rest naturally at your sides, palms up.
- Hold the position for 10 to 15 breaths or even longer.
Whether you’re traveling for vacation or staying put, you can have a yoga teacher in your pocket when you try Yoga52.
Let Beachbody’s world-class yogis tame your stress while strengthening your body and mind, with classes for every level.
