Yoga for Mental Health: Calm Your Mind in Minutes

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• How Yoga Benefits Mental Health
• Quick Yoga Poses to Calm the Mind
• Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
• Balasana (Child's Pose)
• Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose)
• Breathing Exercises (Pranayama) to Reduce Stress
• Udana Pranayama (Belly Breathing)
• Sama Vritti (Box Breathing)
• Tips for Practicing Yoga for Mental Health
• Conclusion

With notifications pinging, deadlines looming, and to-do lists the size of your arm, taking a moment to pause when you can often feel like a luxury. Somewhere along the way while we are rushing through our typical daily routines, our mental health has slipped down the list. When we are feeling stressed, we hear people say, "just relax", but how can I relax when my mind is running laps? The answer is simpler and more accessible than you think - YOGA.

Yoga is more than just poses. It is a potent, ancient practice that brings mind, body and breath together to create a deep-seated sense of calm and offers an immediate place to step away from all the mental chatter that creates anxiety, worry and stress. Think of it as a "reset" for your nervous system. When you practice awareness of your breath and awareness of physical sensations while moving, you are in the moment and thus practicing yoga for mental health can be one of the best methods to settle your mind in just a few minutes.

How Yoga Benefits Mental Health

When you practice yoga, several incredible things happen within your body and brain that directly combat stress and improve your mental well-being. Practicing consistent yoga for mental health provides benefits like:

1. It Activates Your 'Rest and Digest' System: When we are overloaded or fatigued, we might find that we usually exist in "fight or flight," leading the body to feel occupied, anxious, and alert. Yoga can bring about the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system through deep breathing and various light yoga postures while also helping to calm heart rate and blood pressure.
2. It Reduces the Stress Hormone: When you are stressed, your body produces cortisol. Studies show that just one yoga session can significantly reduce cortisol levels.
3. It Encourages Mindfulness: Mindfulness is at the heart of yoga. It requires you to focus your attention on your breath. Paying attention in the moment disrupts the thoughts that continue to further, and preoccupy, an anxious mind, which are worrying about the future, or reflecting on the past.

Quick Yoga Poses to Calm the Mind

You don't need a 90-minute class to reap the benefits. When you feel overwhelmed, taking just 30 minutes to practice yoga for stress relief can make a world of difference.

1. Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

This gentle pose relaxes the mind, body and stretches the spine, hamstrings, hips. It also improves balance and stability.

Steps:

1. Begin by standing at the top of your yoga mat with your feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other.
2. Place a yoga block at the front of your mat.
3. Step your feet wide apart, about 3 to 4 feet, depending on your flexibility and comfort level.
4. Turn your left foot outside and your right foot in front.
5. Engage your thigh muscles to stabilize your standing leg and support the weight of your body.
6. Place a yoga block under your left hand for support.
7. Raise both the hands parallel to your shoulders.
8. Now exhaling bend towards your left foot with your left-hand. Extend your right arm overhead.
9. Hold the pose for 30-40 seconds, breathing deeply and maintaining steady balance.
10. Now to release the pose, press firmly your back foot and use the strength of your core to lift your upper body back to an upright position.
11. Gently come out of the pose and repeat the same with other side.

2. Balasana (Child's Pose)

This gentle, restorative pose is like a hug for your nervous system. It's incredibly grounding and allows you to turn your attention inward.

Steps:

1. Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
2. Place a block or bolster under your chest or abdomen for extra support.
3. Gently lower your hips toward your heels, stretching your arms forward on the mat. 
4. Rest your forehead on the bolster or on a block, allowing the bolster or block to support your torso.
5. Place a blanket under your hips to support the pose.
6. Relax into the pose, breathing deeply to release tension in the back and hips.

3. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose)

This is the ultimate relaxation pose. It requires minimal effort but offers maximum calming rewards.

Steps:

1. Sit next to a wall and lie on your back, swinging your legs up against the wall.
2. Bring your hips close to the wall, placing the bolster below the back, keeping legs straight and feet pointing up.
3. Rest your arms by your sides or stretch them over the head, palms facing up.
4. Close your eyes, relax, and breathe deeply.
5. Stay in the pose for 5-15 minutes.

Breathing Exercises (Pranayama) to Reduce Stress

Your breath is your most powerful, portable tool for managing stress. In yoga, the practice of breath control is called pranayama. Try these mindfulness yoga techniques anytime, anywhere.

1. Udana Pranayama (Belly Breathing)

This is the foundation of all calming breathwork. Most of us breathe shallowly into our chests, which can signal stress to the body. Belly breathing does the opposite. 

Steps:

1. Lie down or sit comfortably.
2. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
3. Inhale slowly through your nose, focusing on letting your belly rise. The hand on your chest should remain relatively still.
4. Exhale slowly through your mouth or nose, feeling your belly fall.

2. Sama Vritti (Box Breathing)

This technique is used to stay calm under pressure. It's simple, even rhythm is easy to remember and highly effective.

Steps:

1. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four.
2. Hold your breath for a count of four.
3. Exhale slowly through your nose for a count of four.
4. Hold the breath out for a count of four.
5. Repeat the cycle for a few minutes.

Tips for Practicing Yoga for Mental Health

To incorporate yoga into your sustainable mental wellness toolbelt, consider these tips:

1. Don't Strive for Perfection: You aren't trying to become a yogi, the focus should be on feeling better. Pay less attention to how the poses should look and more attention to how the poses feel in your body.
2. Consistency is Important: You absolutely do not have to do an hour unless you want to. Ideally, consistency on a 15-30 minute basis each day is better for you than one longer practice.
3. Make a Space: For your personal practice, consider making a small space for yourself in your home to fold for a practice where it is quiet. Making space can help signal the practice to you and develop the habit.
4. Listen to your Body: If you are in a position that hurts, do not do it. It's about honouring your body, not pushing it beyond its edges' whether it be physically or in other manners. Being gentle can be powerful.
5. Concentrate on your Breath: Your breath is always the best practice; your anchor. Whatever your mind does, when you think about it or get distracted, come back to your breath: and same for your mind. Don't just think but listen to your breath.

Conclusion

When we are in search of peace, we often look for it in the outside world. However, as yoga teaches, that stillness and depth of calm is already present within us, accessible at any moment through our breath and body. This work is not to escape reality, but to gain more resilience, grace, and ease while navigating reality.  

By adding a few simple asanas and breath work into your day, you give yourself a gift of deep importance, the ability to pause life’s chaos, reconnect with yourself, and calm your mind regardless of how life presents itself to you. So, the next time you feel that storm of stress brewing, just practice yoga for mental health by unrolling your mat or by finding a quiet spot on the floor and breathe.