In the current cycle of days, many people do not maintain such a pace, and banal stress sets them off. Taking medications is not an option, but what should I do? What to do to calm the nervous system? Yoga in such cases is the best assistant, because its methods are so diverse and unique that for each person there is a different option.
How does yoga affect the emotional state?
To proceed with the action, first you need to understand how yoga helps calm the nervous system. To do this, it is worth considering in more detail the principle of practice on the points.
- Most of the stress that a person gets accumulates in the muscles. And this is a strong tension. It is for this purpose that asanas are practiced - yoga poses: alternately straining and stretching various parts of the body, a person restores neural circuits going from muscle to brain and vice versa, thus eliminating spasm.
- The practice of various balance exercises (keeping different body positions at a small fulcrum) allows a person to concentrate on one process without spraying his attention on dozens of objects immediately, as happens in everyday life. Thus, the mind gradually rests, recovers and stress recedes.
- Pranayama exercises (breathing exercises) also influence the human psyche: focusing on the breathing process and counting down the necessary time sections helps the person eliminate the fuss of the mind and nervous tension.
What set of exercises should I choose?
If you focus on stretching and relaxing the spine, then you can stimulate the work of the parasympathetic nervous system. She, in turn, is responsible for relaxing the mind and body. Therefore, for those who need to eliminate nervous tension, you should choose a sequence of poses that affect this particular factor.
Yoga classes to relax and relieve stress should be smooth, almost meditative in nature, which will allow a person to focus more on internal sensations and the correct position of the body for the necessary extension of the spinal column.
Where to begin?
For those who can’t attend the studio for a number of reasons, the following is a small set of yoga asanas for relaxing and calming the nervous system. It will help relieve stress at home. Before doing it, you should do a small warm-up of all the main joints of the body: these can be rotations of the wrists and shoulders in various directions, as well as circular movements of the feet, hips and the entire pelvis in a circle.
In addition, it is worth doing at least 12 hand movements in each direction: in a circle forward, then backward, clapping on the shoulder blades, crossing arms on the chest, as well as small squats to stretch the ligaments of the knee. After that, go to the “dog face down” pose, which is one of the basic in yoga and works just with stretching the back of the body, gently affecting the entire length - from the crown to the heels.
Sequence of poses
The sequence of yoga exercises to calm the nervous system looks like this:
- Garudasana (those who have too tight joints in their arms and legs can use the simpler option: tree pose).Take a position, as in the photo above, try to hold it for one minute or more. Then repeat to the other side.
- Uttana Padasana. It is performed standing. Feet shoulder-width apart, bend down and try to stretch the spine in a straight line, if necessary, slightly bending the knees.
- Bhujangasana is good because it controls the production of cortisol, so it is important to include it in your arsenal, despite the fact that it activates the sympathetic nervous system. In this position, it is important not to rush, but to bend as comfortably as possible by stretching the spine, directing the chest forward and upward and helping with the shoulders, spreading them wider to the sides.
- Pashchimottanasana is very similar to Uttan Padasana, but it is performed in a sitting position: you need to lean forward, trying to monitor the elongated spinal column. This pose is one of the best in yoga to calm the nervous system.
A few more positions
Also often used positions in yoga, which help calm the nerves, working through the sacral zone, in which there are many important nerve endings. By stretching this zone, the practitioner is freed from internal stiffness, gradually getting rid of the external manifestations of stress.
- Supta Raja Kapotasana. The situation is not easy for a beginner, but who says yoga is easy? It is worth paying attention to comfort in the knee joint and to the closed position of the pelvis, do not tumble to one side, trying to achieve a deeper extension.
- Supta Garudasana is performed in the same way as her standing variation, but only works with the lower body. The arms are spread out to the sides in order to firmly press the line of the shoulders to the floor, preventing them from moving away.
- Viparita Karani resting on the wall: lie as close to the wall as possible, placing a large roller from the folded blanket under the lower back and stretch your legs up the wall. Breathe deeply, relaxing the whole body and opening the chest.
- Halasana. This position should be done immediately after the previous one, it is compensatory. If it is difficult to lower your feet to the floor, you should put them on the wall, turning your feet towards it.
What to look for
One of the most important aspects in the practice of yoga to calm the nervous system is proper deep breathing, which should be controlled by focused attention. Initially, it will not always be possible to monitor the correct position of the body, not being distracted by the course of inhalation and exhalation, but as you adapt and get used to it, the process will go much better. It is also important not to rush, but to stay in each asana for at least three minutes so that the muscles can feel the pose and open deeper.
Shavasana: the best stress reliever
It is imperative that at the end of each yoga practice, the pose of the Corpse or Shavasana should be performed - this is a powerful tool in the fight against stress, which can restore a person’s balance in a short time. It is Shavasana that is used in yoga to restore the nervous system for those who for various reasons cannot perform asanas: people in the postoperative period with severe physical disabilities, as well as people with disabilities. What is the peculiarity of this pose?
From the outside it looks like this: a person lies on his back with straight arms and legs in complete relaxation and does not move for at least 10 -15 minutes. In fact, not everything is so simple: while the body is motionless, the practitioner's consciousness is concentrated inside to realize as many parts of the body as possible, mentally giving a setting for total relaxation. At the same time, it is recommended to be aware of various sensations at the point where attention is currently focused, you can also mentally pronounce its name or even try to “breathe” through this section.
It is important not to allow the mind to be distracted from this process, and not to allow the body to perform muscle movements, even the smallest. You can start with simple details: the thigh, buttock, shoulder joint and gradually try to feel the smaller segments of the body: the little finger of the left hand, the skin under the eyes or the tip of the tongue.
Pranayama for relaxing the mind
Pranayama is called yoga breathing exercises to calm the nervous system - it is also very important. One of the main reasons why working with breathing affects the nervous system is that by consciously slowing down the breath and making it deeper, a person acts on the parasympathetic nervous system, stimulating its activity.
As a result, the heart rate slows down, arterial and intracranial pressure normalizes, and the level of cortisol in the blood decreases. Also, by focusing on the time intervals recommended by the teacher for practice, the mind calms down, acquiring one focus, which additionally leads to the elimination of stress. If you have never done it before, then it is better to choose a simple version of Visamavritti pranayama, in which breathing is performed in such a rhythm: inhalation by 4 counts, a pause after inhalation is held for eight beats, and exhalation is performed by six counts. Focusing on proper counting gradually distracts the mind from all other thoughts, which helps to calm down.
On a note
In order to achieve a quick and high result in working with nervousness, anxiety and stress, meditation techniques are more important than the asanas. By consciously working with the mind, focusing it on a specific object, you can achieve calming the nervous system in just a few lessons with a competent teacher.